December 3, 1915. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1141 is said to be round about 18s. a ton f.o.b. Quotations are as follow:— Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Current L’st week’slLast year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 1 20/ -20/3 21/ Secondary do. i House coals:— 18/ 17/ -17/6 Best house coals 23/ 23/ — Ordinary do Other sorts:— 20/ 18/6 — Lambton screened 21/ -21/6 20/6 — South Hetton do 20/6 20/6 — Lambton unscreened ... 16/9-17/ 16/9 — South Hetton do i | 16/9 16/9 — Do. treble nuts 17/6 17/6 — Coking coals unscreened 17/9 17/ — Do. smalls 17/6 16/9 18/6 — Smithies 18/6 — Peas and nuts 20/6 20/6 — Best bunkers 17/9-18/ 17/6 — Ordinary bunkers Coke:— 16/6 • 16/6-16/9 — Foundry coke Blast-furnace coke (did. 37/6 33/ -35/ — Teesside furnaces) ... 33/ 33/ — Gas coke 25/ -25/6 29/ — The boom in outward coal freights is unchecked, and owners are holding for even higher rates; 6Cs. has been paid for Savona. Recent fixtures include:—London, 16s.; Havre, 23s. 6d.; Rouen, 27s.; Bayonne, 40s.; Bordeaux, 38s. 6d.; St. Nazaire, 36s.; Lisbon, 30s. 6d.; Savona, 60s.; Genoa, 57s. 6d.; Marseilles, 50s.; Algiers, 40s.; Oran, 40s.; Las Palmas, 30s.; Copenhagen, 19s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Under all the circumstances the fuel trade is in a satis- factory state. The Durham gas coal trade is handicapped by the heavy freights to West Italy. With the rate to Genoa in the neighbourhood of 60s., the price of coal to the Italian merchant becomes something over 80s. in Italy, and the inflation in value does not tend to facilitate business. There are, however, continued substantial enquiries on Italian account. Best Durham gas coal is quoted 19s. 6d. to 20s. f.o.b., seconds run from 16s. 6d. to 17s., and Wear sorts round about 21s. 6d. Bunker coal is in good request, and prices tend upward. Ordinary Durhams range from 16s. to 17s., f.o.b., bests 17s. 6d. to 18s., and specials up to 19s. 6d. Coking coal is well taken up, and the current market quotation may be put at 17s., but forward the Paris, Lyons and Mediterranean Railway has purchased a quantity of Durham coking coal for shipment over next year at 18s. Coke is still very scarce and dear. Local con- sumers are pressing for supplies against contracts, and are in the market to buy, but are very reluctant to pay the high rates demanded. Durham beehive blast-furnace coke of average quality is 33s. delivered at Teesside works. Good foundry coke for shipment is in the neighbourhood of 37s. 6d. f.o.b., and gashouse coke which is hardly obtainable is round about 30s. IRON. Shipments of iron and steel from the port of Middles- brough last month totalled only 84,196 tons, 48,036 tons being pig iron, 7,055 tons manufactured iron, and 29,105 tons steel. The despatches would have been heavier but for the scarcity of labour and difficulty in arranging suit- able tonnage. Of the pig iron cleared 44,382 tons went to foreign ports, and 3,654 tons to coastwise customers; of the manufactured iron loaded 2,638 tons went abroad, and 4,417 tons coastwise; and of the steel shipped 27,772 tons went foreign and 1,333 tons coastwise. France was by far the largest receiver of pig iron and steel, taking 23,486 tons of the former, and 20,611 tons of the latter, whilst India, with an import of 2,442 tons, was the largest receiver of steel. Italy imported 9,192 tons of pig iron. Cleveland pig iron quotations are rather unsteady, due to slight fluctuations in warrants caused by operations of outside speculators, but the general state of the market is very healthy. No. 3 g.m.b. Cleveland pig is offered by second hands at 72s. 6d., and that is regarded as the general market quotation, though many makers are inclined to hold out for rather more. No. 1 is 75s. to 75s. 6d., No. 4 foundry 72s., No. 4 forge 71s. 6d., and mottled and white iron each 71s. As regards east coast haematite pig, makers are so well sold that they do not care to quote. There is practically no iron purchasable for delivery before the second quarter of next year, and the price for mixed numbers for delivery April and onward is 130s., at which figure business has been done. Foreign ore is moving upward. Market rates are now based on fully 35s. ex ship Tees for rubio of 50 per cent, quality. Freights Bilbao-Middlesbrough are 18s. to 18s. 6d. The finished iron and steel industries present few new features. Manufacturers are kept very busy mostly on Government work, and quotations, all round, are strong. Common iron bars are £12, steel bars <£13, iron and steel ship plates each <£11, iron ship angles <£12, steel ship angles <£10 15s., steel joists £11, heavy steel rails £10, and steel railway sleepers £10 10s.—rails and sleepers net, and all other descriptions less 2| per cent, discount. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal industry continues in a most satisfactory condition. The steady improvement which set in a fortnight ago is being well maintained, and business is so brisk in some of the branches that a much larger output could easily be disposed of. The outstanding feature this week is the extraordinary demand which is at present being experienced in home accounts. There is more activity in the house coal section than there has been for some months, and, at the moment, home merchants are finding some difficulty in keeping pace with the orders that are coming to hand. Gas coal is dull, but best steam coal is in very keen request, and local manufacturing require- ments are on the increase. The bulk of the fuel for industrial purposes is going to the local blastfurnaces, public works, &c., while a considerable tonnage is going by rail to the south of Scotland. The cross-Channel trade is very healthy, and the demand for all sorts of Cumberland coal from Ireland is very strong. Things are rather better as regards tonnage, and coal has been moving away more freely during the past few days. The stormy weather at the week-end caused some delay to shipping, and several vessels were detained in Irish ports for two or three days, and that accounts for the fact that shipments this week are probably lower than usual. There is not sufficient coal for export requirements, and only those merchants who possess boats of their own can secure anything like the supplies they need. Home requirements, for landsale, the coke ovens and public works, are now so heavy that some of the collieries have no coal to spare for shipping purposes. Every pit in the county is working at full pressure, and outputs are fairly satisfactory considering the large number of men who have enlisted. Prices of all sorts are firm, but unchanged. Last week 12 coasting vessels left Maryport, all for Irish ports, and the shipments amounted to 3,075 tons, a decrease of 1,095 tons compared with the previous week. Coke is in very keen request, and all the Cumber- land ovens from Oughterside to Lowca are in full operation. The whole of the production is being absorbed by West Cumberland smelters. There is still marked activity in the by-products trade, and the works at Maryport, Flimby and Workington are all briskly employed. At Maryport, best house coal delivered is quoted at from Is. 5|d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s. lOd. per ton, and seconds 24s. 2d. per ton. At Workington, best Buckhill coal delivered is quoted at Is. 4d. per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton, with best double-screened washed nuts at Is. 3d. per cwt., or 24s. 2d. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow :— Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit 23/4 23/4 19/2 Best washed nuts at pit... 21/3 21/3 17/1 Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned 22/6 22/6 18/4 washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at 21/ 21/ 16/10 Fit Oughterside best washed 22/6 22/6 18/4 nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best 21/ 21/ 16/10 coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts 22/6 22/6 18/4 at pit 21/ 21/ 16/10 Best dry small at pit 12/ 12/ 8/6 Best steam nuts at pit ... 19/ 19/ 15/ Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. 19/6 19/6 15/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... 17/6 17/6 13/6 Bunkers 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 12/6 Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- 20/ 20/ 15/ works 19/ 19/ 14/ IRON. The Cumberland haematite iron trade continues to increase in strength; makers are as busy as ever in all departments, and throughout the district a large volume of metal is being produced. The market is in a rather steadier condition, and values are well maintained at last week’s figures, Bessemer mixed numbers being again quoted at 130s. per ton, with warrants at cash at 115s. per ton. Special iron is quoted as high as 150s. per ton, and ferro-manganese is firm at £20 per ton. There is still an abnormal demand for metal, and requirements of both ordinary and special iron are much in excess of production. Makers are so well sold forward that they evince no disposition to sell at present prices, more especially for forward delivery. There are 25 furnaces in full operation, 16 in Cumberland and nine in the Furness district. Two of the furnaces are on ferro- manganese, and the remainder are on special and ordinary iron. Steel makers in the Midlands, Scotland and South Wales still account for a large proportion of the make of special iron, and the bulk of the ordinary iron is going into immediate consumption at Workington and Barrow. The steel trade continues in a brisk condition. The rail trade is quiet, but prices are firm. Heavy sections are quoted at from £10 5s. to £10 10s., and light rails from £10 15s. to £11 15s. per ton. The iron ore industry con- tinues in a flourishing condition, and there is a very strong demand for ore. Best qualities of ore at the Cumberland mines are as high as 40s. per ton, and average varieties are from 26s. to 30s. per ton. Foreign ores are quoted at from 26s. to 30s. per ton delivered. South-West Lancashire. COAL. There is little to report that is new in connection with the Lancashire coal trade. In every avenue of it there is more demand than prompt supply. In the inland house- hold trade there are heavy arrears on the colliery books, and equally at the distributing’ end lack of carting accom- modation and labour keeps them also behind hand. In the coastwise and cross-Channel trade for household coals matters are much the same. Even when vessels are fixed the merchant is not free of his trouble, as it becomes then a question whether the coal can be provided in time by the producer. With regard to manufacturing fuel, it is not exceptional for the mills to have to make inroads into the stock on their hands, which in many cases is very small in extent. With regard to shipping, prices continue to harden, and for Lancashire steam coals may now be said to rule Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium............... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen.............. Do. (f.o.b. Garston,net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............. Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current ' prices. 20/9 22/6-23/ 19/ 20/ -21/ 16/9-17/ 19/ 16/ -17/ 18/9-19/6 ) 14/6 j 12/6 11/ -11/6 11/ -11/6 L’st week’s prices. 20/9 22/6-23/ 19/ 20/ -21/ 16/9-17/ 18/6-19/ 16/ -17/ ) 18/6-19/3 j 14/6 12/6 Lastyear’s prices. 17/ 16/6-16/9 15/3 14/6-15/ 13/ 13/ -13/6 11/6-12/ 12/ -12/9 9/3- 9/6 8/6- 8/9 8/ - 8/3 from 18s. 9d. to 19s. 6d. f.o.b. This is not due to heavy shipments on general bunkering and export account as the scarcity of tonnage keeps the quantities quite moderate, but rather to decreasing output and increasing inland demand. Gas fuel, too, is urgently demanded by gas managers throughout the county, many of them pointing out that some, at all events, of their resultant is required for power for munitions works and such like. South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. There is a good demand for house coal of all descriptions, and the same remark applies to furnace coal. Very little is offered beyond contract quantities. Shipping coal is meeting with good enquiry. The high tension of slack requirements continues. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best .............. Medium............. Common............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack .......... Common slack ........ Current |L’st week’s prices. | prices. 21/ -22/ i 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 ; 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 i 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -21/ 14/ 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 14/ Last year’s prices. 17/3-18/ 16/ -16/9 13/3-14/ 12/ 13/ -14/ 9/6-10/ 8/ -9/ IRON. All forges and steel works still working full time and overtime. No. 3 foundry pig iron is now in the neighbour- hood of 79s. to 80s. The ordinary founder has not much work in hand, but reports more enquiry; the foundry engaged in special high-class work seems to be better employed. Engineers and boiler makers are full of work, also wagon builders. Crown bars associated price is now £12 10s. per ton, iron hoops £15 2s. 6d., steel bars £15, hoops £14 17s. 6d., billets £11 to £12, according to quality. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There has been no material change during the past few weeks in the conditions as disclosed on the Yorkshire Coal Exchange. At Tuesday’s market there was again a very numerous and representative attendance, including London and local merchants and Humber shippers, but* there was very little coal offering. For all descriptions, especially for manufacturing fuel, the demand was strong and keen. Colliery sidings everywhere are quite free from stocks. There is little or no improvement in regard to delay in transit of trucks on the railways, and in some instances the scarcity of empty trucks, aggravated by the foggy weather, has led to broken time at the pits. An improved position of affairs with respect to the attendance of work of miners was reported by many colliery managers, the degree of absenteeism being less, but there are fears that the advance of wages, due next week, will tend to check this improve- ment. There is great pressure for supplies for the London district. Most collieries are a month in arrears with deliveries of best coal, and most London merchants, who report an increased public demand following the advent of cold weather, are so hampered by the scarcity of carmen and loaders that their deliveries to consumers are consider- ably in arrear. Truck-hire rates now amount to Is. 6d. for London and Is. 10jd. for the south. Coastwise, there is very little doing, apart from contract deliveries, as the collieries are not in a position to offer cargoes, mainly owing to the serious delays to trucks which take place at the ports. A few parcels of house coal have been sold for shipment to France, the qualities chiefly in demand being medium Silkstone, which has sold at about 19s. 6d. f.o.b. Hull. In the local markets, supplies are scarce, merchants with their own trucks having an advantage over others. Satisfactory settlements with regard to winter prices continue to be made between merchants and the local authorities. Pit prices may be averaged as follow:—Haigh Moor selected, 21s. to 22s.; Silkstone best, 19s. to 20s.; Silkstone house, 17s. to 18s.; secondary sorts, 16s. to 17s. Buyers of gas coal who are not fully covered by contract are very anxious to secure spot parcels, in readiness for the Christmas holidays, but the collieries have practically nothing to offer, having no surplus outside Current pit prices. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’: Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 15/ Wallsend & London best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 14/ -15/ Silkstone best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 13/6-14/ Do. house 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 12/6-13/ House nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 11/6-12/ Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/6 17/ -17/6 Silkstone best 20/6-21/6 20/6-21/6 15/6-16/6 Do. house 18/6-19/6 18/6-19/6 13/6-14/6 Other qualities 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 13/ -14/ Gas coal:— Prices at pit : Screened gas coal 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 15/ -15/6 10/6-11/ Gas nuts 15/ -15/6 9/6-10/3 Unscreened gas coal ... 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/ - 9/6 Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts 16/ -16/6 16/ -16/6 10/6-11/ Large double-screened engine nuts 14/6-15/6 14/6-15/6 9/6-10/6 Small nuts 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/ - 9/6 Bough unscreened engine coal 13/6-14/6 13/6-14/6 9/ - 9/6 Best rough slacks 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 7/3- 7/9 Small do. 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 6/3- 6/6 Coking smalls 11/ -12/ 11/ -12/ 6/ - 6/6 Coke:— Price at ovens : Furnace coke 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 11/