December 10, 1915. 1195 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. ________________________________________________________________________________ that many steamers have crossed the Atlantic in ballast in order to engage in the grain-carrying trade between America and this country. There is a firm demand for tonnage in all directions, and the shortage appears to be not merely local but world-wide. Notwithstanding these difficulties, a very hopeful feeling prevails both amongst buyers and sellers, the only fly in the ointment being the tonnage question. A considerable quantity of second Admiralty coals has been sold over next year at 24s. to 24s. 6d. per ton, and some firms are holding out for even higher figures. Best dry coals have been done at 26s , and very little less is being paid for the inferior grades. Bunker smalls on spot are fairly reasonable, being on the basis of 12s. 6d. to 13s., but over next yearns contracts have been entered into at 15s. to 16s. per ton. One very large colliery undertaking is understood to have closed its books at the former figure. For cargo qualities 8s. to 8s. 6d. is now quoted, but for forward business 12s. 6d. to 14s. is easily obtainable. The former, however, is looked upon as an exceedingly low figure. The Paris, Lyons and Mediterranean contract for 20,000 tons of patent fuel is stated to have been secured by a Swansea firm, but at what figure has not been disclosed. The Paris and Orleans business, it is believed, has not been concluded, because the authorities considered the tenders too high. Home business is proceeding methodically, and, although tenders are not being advertised as usual, it is reported that existing contracts have been extended, with an addition in prices all round. In the patent fuel industry order books are fairly full, the quotation for best grades being about 24s. to 25s., although the rates for next year are 28s. to 29s. The production of the works will be lower by 30 to 50 per cent., and, in all probability there will be a considerable scarcity of fuel in the near future. Charterings last week were rather disappointing, the amount of tonnage taken up being only 157,500 tons, com- pared with 162,650 tons in the preceding week, or a decrease of 5,150 tons. The shipments for the week amounted to 358,580 tons, compared with 339,173 tons in the corre- sponding week of 1914, or an increase of 19,407 tons. From Cardiff alone there were exported 194,427 tons, compared with 203,995 tons, or a decrease of 9,568 tons. From Newport the amount was 70,152 tons, against 61,127 tons; from Swansea 55,689 tons, or a decrease of 1,744 tons ; and from Port Talbot 38,312 tons, or an increase of 21,694 tons. Patent fuel shipments were a little over 20,000 tons. With regard to prices, it is difficult to indicate the market owing to the extreme variations which are being made for prompt shipment and business even a fortnight ahead. Spot rates are exceedingly moderate, and it is not likely that these will prevail more than a few days. Stocks are being reduced, and the stoppages on the non-unionist question helped to relieve the congestion which has been so impor- tant a factor during the last week or two. The arrivals over the week-end, however, were not so numerous as expected, probably due in great measure to fog and stormy weather, and as a matter of fact, on Tuesday several collieries were brought to a standstill, owing to scarcity of wagons. Ordinary steam coals are 20s. to 21s., with about Is. increase for better qualities. In Monmouthshire the same conditions prevailed, and the tendency to firmness was followed. Black Veins were 21s. 6d. to 22s., western valleys 21s. to 21s. 6d., and easterns 20s. 6d. to 21s., in each case f.o.b. Cardiff. Best bunker smalls were 12s. 6d. to 13s., ordinaries Ils. 6d. to 12s., and cargo sorts 8s. 6d. to 9s. Bituminous coals were unaltered, although there is an improving demand. For patent fuel 24s. to 25s. is obtainable for best grades, with a reduction of about 2s. for secondary qualities. Pitwood is still scarce, and merchants have no difficulty in securing 52s. 6d. per ton. Coke is firm and unaltered. • Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam coals * # 20/ -22/ Superior seconds * * 20/ Ordinary do 20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 17/6 Best bunker smalls 12/6-13/ 12/ —13/ 10/9-11/ Best ordinaries. 11/6-12/ 11/ -11/6 10/3-10/6 Cargo qualities 8/6- 9/ 8/ - 9/ 7/6- 7/9 Inferior smalls 7/ -8/ 7/ - 7/6 6/ Best dry coals 25/ -26/ 24/ -26/ 18/6-19/6 Ordinary drys 22/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 17/ -17/6 Best washed nuts 25/ -27/ 251 -27/ 19/ Seconds ‘22/ -24/ 22/ —24/ 17/ -17/6 Best washed peas 17/6-18/6 20/ -21/ 15/6 Seconds 15/6-16/6 18/ -19/ 14/ Dock screenings 10/6—12/6 12/ -13/ 10/ Monmouthshire— AV/ Black Veins 21/6-22/ 20/ -21/ 17/ Western-valleys 21/ —21/6 18/6-19/6 16/6 Eastern-valleys 20/6-21/ 17/ -18/ 15/9-16/ Inferior do 20/ -20/6 16/ -16/6 14/6-14/9 Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 20/ Second qualities (at pit) 22/ —22/6 21/ -22/ 17/6-19/6 No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 17/6-18/ Through-and-through 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/6 15/ Small 19/6-20/6 19/6-20/6 12/ -12/6 No. 2 Rhondda— Large 18/ -18/6 15/ -16/ 14/ -14/6 Through-and-through 14/ -15/ 13/6-14/ 11/6 Small 11/ -11/6 10/ -11/ 7/6 Best patent fuel 24/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 17/ -17/6 Seconds 22/ -23/ 22/ -23/ 16/ -16/6 Special foundry coke 42/ -45/ 40/ -42/ 28/ -31/ Ordinary do. • 38/ -40/ 36/ -38/ 23/ -27/ Furnace coke 31/ -33/ 30/ -32/ 19/ -20/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 52/ -53/ 51/6-52/6 23/ -24/ * Nominal. IRON. A boom appears to have set in in the tin-plate trade, and prices now obtainable are the highest which have prevailed since the McKinley tariff came into operation. The volume of business done is not so great as might be expected, owing to the political conditions, but there is no doubt that much business which formerly went to Germany, especially from France, is now being secured by the Welsh manufacturers. The same thing applies in the Eastern markets, where the Americans are handicapped by lack of tonnage, and the home trade is able to hold its own. The high cost of raw material is exercising a deterring effect, but in many cases plates must be obtained at any price, although the orders may be small. Bessemer standard cokes are 22s. 9d. to 23s., and oil sizes 23s. 3d. to 23s. 6d. and 30s. to 30s. 3d. respectively. Shipments last week amounted to 86,228 boxes, against 84,135 boxes received from works, leaving 328,241 boxes in stock in the docks warehouses and vans. In the galvanised sheet trade there is still no improvement, but it is hoped that, with the fall in the price of spelter, a few substantial orders may be placed. This commodity, which a week ago had risen to <£100, has now fallen to <£85 per ton, and there are hopes that still lower quotations will follow. For 24-gauge corrugated £25 to £25 10s. is demanded, with a slight reduction for prompt shipment. Welsh pig iron has further advanced, and business ahead has been done as high as £7 10s. per ton delivered. Current rates, however, are on the basis of £7 to £7 5s., and it is difficult to supply the demand. Most of the works are working night and day, and every effort is being made to produce the maximum output. Welsh steel bars are scarce. Although the Association price was fixed at £9 10s. to £9 15s. a few days ago, makers are now obtaining 10s. to 15s. in addition to these rates. Rails are £9 10s. to £9 15s., with an advance of about 10s. per ton for light sections. Scrap metals are firm but practically unaltered. Llanelly. COAL. The coal market of the district is still in a very satis- factory condition, and most collieries are well placed with orders for some time to come. The stormy weather which has lately been experienced has, however, greatly interfered with tonnage arrivals, but it is hoped that the weather will now calm down again, and that vessels which have in some cases been very seriously delayed will now come along, and take cargoes which have been ready for them for a considerable time. This will naturally mean that more wagons will be at the disposal of the colliery people, who will be able to keep their pits working better time than has lately been the case. For all the anthracite qualities with the exception of rubbly culm and duff, there is an excellent demand. Big Vein large shows a very slight falling off for prompt shipment, but for forward bookings the present high prices are being well maintained. Red Vein large and machine-made nuts and cobbles are difficult to secure, as very small quantities of these sorts are available to meet the very heavy demand which now exists. The other machine-made sorts are keeping firm, and beans and peas are going exceedingly well. Rubbly culm and duff, however, are still very weak, and prices show no improvement. In the steam and bituminous markets the position gives every evidence of becoming more satisfactory, and it is anticipated that values for bunkers and small steams will rise. More manufacturing fuels are now required for most works throughout the district, as they are now working the full seven days weekly instead of the usual five and a-half. This week’s quotations approximately are: — Prices f.o.b. Anthracite:— Best malting large.... Secondary do. ....... Big Vein large.......__ Red Vein do........... Machine-made cobbles... German nuts.......... French do.......... Paris do......... Machine-made beans ... Do. peas...... Culm ................ Duff................. Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small ... ........... Bituminous small coal... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 35/ -37/ 35/ -37/ 23/ -24/ 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ 21/ -22/6 35/ -37/ : 35/ -37/ 19/ -21/ 31/ -33/ 31/ -33/ 15/ -17/ 42/ -44/ 42/ -44/ 24/ -25/6 44/6-47/ 44/6-47/ 24/6-27/ 47/6-49/ 47/6-49/ 24/6-27/ 44/6—47/ 46/6-47/ 24/6-27/ 31/ -32/ 31/ -32/ 19/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 13/ -13/6 7/ - 7/6 7/6- 8/6 4/ - 4/6 2/ - 2/6 2/6- 3/6 2/9- 3/6 22/ -24/ 22/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 14/ —15/6 13^6-15/ 10/9-11/3 6/ - 8/ 6/ - 8/ ' 8/ - 9/ 15/6—16/6 15/6—16/6 9/ -10/ Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port last week showed a considerable decrease compared with the preceding week. The supply of tonnage continued much below requirements, and the shipments of coal and patent fuel were only 57,674 tons. A good attendance assembled on ’Change, and there was no material alteration to report in the general conditions prevailing on the anthracite coal market. Swansea Valley large was slightly easier for immediate delivery, but prices for forward shipment were maintained. Machine-made nuts and cobbles were very strongly held. Rubbly culm and duff remained weak. In steam coals there was an all-round improvement in the demand, and values generally were advanced. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). 1 Current L’st week’s Last year’s Anthracite:— prices. prices. prices. _____________________________ Best malting large (hand picked) 36/ -37/ 36/ -37/ 1 22/6-24/6 Secondary do. 34/ -36/ 34/6-36/ ■ 20,6-22/6 Big Vein large 35/6-36/6 36/6—37/6 1 19/6-22/ Red Vein large • 32/ -35/ 321 -35/ 15/6-17/ Machine-made cobbles, 43/ -45/ 43/ -45/ 24/6-26/6 Paris nuts — — — French do 47/ -49/6 47/ -49/ 26/6-27/6 Stove do 44/ -47/6 44/ -47/6 ; 25/6-27/ Beans 32/ -34/6 32/ -34/6 18/6-19/ Machine - made larged peas 18/6-19/6 18/ -19/6 12/6-13/6 Do. fine peas — — — Rubbly culm 1 7/3- 8/ 8/ - 9/ 3/9- 4/6 Duff 1 2/6- 3/ 2/6- 3/ -2/9- 3/6 Steam coals:— | • Best large 20/ -24/ 20/ -24/ 18/9-21/6 Seconds 17/ -19/ 17/ -19/ : 15/9-16/6 Bunkers 13/6-15/6 13/ -14/6 10/3-11/ Small 6/ - 8/ 6/ - 8/ | 5/6- 8/6 Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large 23/ -26/ 23/ -26/ 17/6-18,6 Thro’-and-thro’ 1 — — Small 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 10/ -10/9 Patent fuel 22/ -23/ ; 22/ -23/ 15/6-16/6 IRON. During the past week there was a heavy yield of pig iron at the blast furnaces in this district, and all the steel works were busy. Sunday work is being done at Cwmfelin, Landore, Duffryn, Forest, and Pontardawe. Employment at the various tinplate works continued to expand, although tin- platers in some instances were working short hours so that the work could be shared all round. All tin mills and bar rolling mills were going the same as during the previous week. Sheet mills were also fairly busy. The shipments of tinplates were 86,228 boxes, receipts from works 84,135 boxes, and stocks in the dock warehouses and vans 328,241 boxes. ____________________________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is very quiet. It is within the bounds of possibility that there may be some change in the price of benzols and toluol shortly, but as yet there is no alteration. Carbolics keep steady. Nearest values are :— Benzols, 90’s ....................... ,, 90’s North ................ ,, 50’s ,, ................ Toluol ............................... Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... ,, crystals (40 per cent). Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) .... .... Creosote (for ordinary qualities) . Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) ........... ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ........... Tar (per ton ex works) .............. Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. 1/Oi-l/l — /111—1/ — 1/4 — 2/3 — 3/5—3/6 — 1/4—1/6 — 2/2—2/3 — 2/2—2/3 — /6i—/7 — /2£—/3 — 17/—18/ — 16/—16/6 — 19/9—23/9 ... — [Benzols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.] Sulphate of Ammonia.—There is a continually advancing market, and although there does not seem to be very much actual business passing for future deliveries, holders are very firm, and offerings are light. Furthermore, nitrate of soda has also advanced 3d. on the week. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) Beckton (25 per cent.) ...... Liverpool ................. Hull ...................... Middlesbrough ............ Scotch, ports ................. Wales .................... Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt. Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. £16 ... +2/6 £15/10 + 5/ £16/12/6 ... +12/6 £16/7/6 ... +10/ £16 + 5/ £16/15—£17 ... +10/ £15/12/6 ... +5/ 14/71 ... +/3 [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2| per cent, discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey quality; allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] _______ Trade Notes. There appears to be an increasing demand for benzol and toluol for the production of explosives, and although this quickening of the demand has not resulted in any increase in price, it is calculated to put a number of manufacturers to inconvenience. The War Office has requested local 'authorities to recover these two products from their coal gas. Naturally producers will be anxious to know whether this new move will cancel the previously existing conditions under which it was permissible to trade in benzols that did not contain more than 3 per cent, of toluol. The question of the moment seems to be whether the Government will extend their request for the setting aside of a certain percentage of the sulphate of ammonia pro- duction for home consumption to the spring output. So doing might cause complications. At any rate it appears that the Sulphate of Ammonia Association in conjunction with other interested associations are endeavouring to put the case of the sulphate of ammonia manufacturers clearly before the Fertilisers Committee. The supply of nitrate of soda also continues to arouse considerable interest in many quarters, and although statistics point to there being a doubt as to the necessity for the steps taken by the Government to purchase supplies, it would now appear that no reliance can be placed in the figures given in the Board of Trade returns of imports and exports, as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture recently stated that these figures have no relevance to the question of supplies for agricultural pur- poses owing to the large and altogether exceptional demands for munition purposes. The returns for the week have been moderate, viz. :— Pitch, 391 tons, 288 barrels, 503 drums, and £11. Tar, 4,940 galls., 5 tons, 1 drum, 3 casks, and £85. Sulphate of ammonia, 2,576 tons. Imports of Pit Props in November.—During November 184,609 loads of pit props were imported into the United Kingdom, the value, being £606,556. The imports in November last year amounted to 183,805 loads, and the value £325,989. The total imports during the first 11 com- pleted months of the year were 2,028,199 loads, valued at £4,324,669, as compared with 2,343,534 loads, valued at £3,034,754, in the corresponding period of 1914. Hull Coal Imports.—According to the returns issued by Mr. W. H. Truman, coal inspector to the Hull Corporation, the quantity of coal brought into Hull during November was 324,614 tons—303,737 tons by rail, and 20,877 tons by river —as against 339,266 tons in November last year. The quantity imported during the first 11 months of the year reached 4,393,790 tons, as compared with 5,254.216 tons in the corresponding period of 1914. Coastwise shipments during November were 36,477 tons, the aggregate for the 11 months being 560,012 tons. Exports, exclusive of coal shipped for Admiralty purposes, or for the use of the Allies’ Governments, were 157,062 tons in November, as against 185,768 tons during the same month last year. The figures for the period January to November were 2,364,317 tons this year, as compared with 2,777,541 tons last year.