1196

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

December 10, 1915.

THE LONDON COAL TRADE.

Thursday, December 9.

The London coal trade for the past week has shown con-
siderable activity. Buyers are on the look-out for any
quantities offering, and eagerly buy up any odd wagons of
house coal that are available for delivery. Prices are
stationary, and are largely regulated by the Board of Trade
requirements, but the scarcity is making itself keenly felt.
The attendance on the Exchange is increasing, and speaks in
a language unmistakable as to the difficulty on all sides to
secure adequate supplies. The keenness with which odd
parcels are sought after, points conclusively to- the urgent
necessity of obtaining a better supply before the Christmas
stoppage begins. Twenty-nine contract cargoes were entered
for Monday’s market as arriving in the Biver Thames, and
13 for Wednesday, but none of these were for open market
dealing. Factories also along the Thames side are keenly
anxious to increase their winter supply, but traffic is brought
forward very slowly. The “ stop ” on barging stations con-
tinues, and the deliveries for Poplar, Blackwall, and Chelsea
is causing very grave anxiety. Barges are scarce, and the
railway companies decline to accept further consignments
for these stations until the present block of loaded wagons is
reduced; or, at any rate, barges are known to be waiting
for the coal in transit. Freights continue rising in the sea-
borne market. At all the shipping ports the market is very
firm, and tonnage is scarce. The fixtures from the Humber
ports show 15s. from Hull, and 15s. 6d. from Goole, to
London; and from the Tyne 16s. 6d. has been fixed for a
1,600-ton steamer to London. All the usual railborne
collieries sending coal to London are busy with the coal due
under contract, and are more than full of orders on hand,
and many of them have withdrawn all further quotations,
and have for weeks past declined outside orders. Factors
who had been offering small parcels of house coal are now
clear of supply, and are eager to buy further quantities.
Bakers’ nuts and kitchener cobbles are in good demand, and
fetch unusually high prices. Bunker coals are firm, at 18s.
per ton f.o.b., and 17s. for ordinary. Coke is also firm, and
difficult to obtain. The Swedish State Bail ways are in the
market for about 120,000 tons of steam coal required for the
next three months, January to March. The South Wales
market is firm; the best qualities are absorbed by the Navy,
and the second qualities are offering at 21s. to 22s. f.o.b.

From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Co.’s Report.

Friday, December 3.—The seaborne house coal market was
somewhat quiet to-day, no sales of either Durham or York-
shire cargoes reported. Cargoes, 19.

Monday, December 6.—There was a very good enquiry
for seaborne house coal at to-day’s market, the weather being
in favour of the trade, but no available cargoes offering.
Cargoes, 30.

Wednesday, December 8.—There was no alteration in the
seaborne house coal market to-day. The demand, however,
continued good, but supplies being short, and no sales were
reported. Cargoes, 13.

THE IRISH COAL TRADE.
Thursday, December 9.

Dublin.

Following the advance made last week of Is. per ton
all round in house coal, prices have again gone up another
Is. per ton this week, quotations being as follow :—Best
Orrell, 37s. per ton; Hulton Arley, 36s. ; best Wigan, 35s;
best Whitehaven, 35s.; best kitchen, 33s.; Orrell slack,
29s.; all less Is. per ton discount for cash. Welsh steam
coal, from 36s. per ton; Scotch, 31s.; best coke, 36s. 6d.
per ton delivered. Pit prices of Irish coal at Wolfhill
Collieries, Queen’s County, are :—Best large coal, 30s. per
ton; best household, 28s. 4d.; culm, all prices from 3s. 4d.
per ton upwards. Pit prices for Kilkenny (Castlecomer)
coal, outside of contract prices, are as follow :—Best small
coal, 23s. 4d. per ton; best large, 21s. 8d.; second quality,
20s.; bottom coal, 16s. 8d.; breakage, 11s. 8d.; culm, 5s.
to 8s. 6d. Business continues to be brisk in most of the
qualities. Freights which were 3s. 6d. before the war are
now 10s. The coal vessels arriving during the past week
amounted to 59, as compared with 57 the week previously,
chiefly from Garston, Preston, Partington, Swansea, Liver-
pool, Ayr, Newport, Troon, Campbeltown, Cardiff, Glasgow
and Whitehaven. The total quantity of coal discharged
upon the quays was 24,500 tons, as against 25,000 tons the
previous week. A contract is open in connection with the
Bathmines and Bathgar electricity works for coal supplies.

Belfast.

There is a good demand, and this week house coal prices
have been advanced 2s. 6d. per ton, this increase, it is
stated, being rendered necessary owing to the shortage of
supplies and the growing cost of freight and labour. Current
quotations are as follow :—Best Arley coal, 38s. 6d. per
ton; best Wigan, 37s. 6d.; Scotch household, 34s. 6d.;
Orrell nuts, 37s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 34s. 6d. City merchants’
stocks are at present below the average. Coal laden vessels
arriving during the week were from Ayr, Ardrossan,
Birkenhead, Silloth, Garston, Glasgow, Ellesmere Port,
Sharpness, Maryport, Manchester, Partington, Irvine, and
Preston. The War Emergency Committee of the Corpora-
tion have decided to interview the local coal merchants, with
a view to having the present prices reduced.

THE TIM-PLATE TRADE.

Liverpool.

There is no change in the position—the tone of the market
continues very firm indeed, and no relief in prices can be
expected for some time to come. There is a good demand for
both home and export, and makers are not willing to commit
themselves ahead to any great extent, owing to the uncer-
tainty of being able to obtain their requirements of both
bars and acids. Present quotations are very firm, as follow :
Coke tins : I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), 22s. 6d. per box
and upwards; IC 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 45s.; IC 14
X 18f (124 sh. 1101b.), 23s.; I C 20 x 10 (225 sh. 1561b.),
32s. 6d. I C squares and odd sizes, 23s. basis and upwards.
Ternes are firm, at 39s. 6d. per box of I C 28 x 20. Char-
coal tins are quoted 25s. per basis box and upwards. Coke
wasters are in good demand. Prices rule firm, as follow :—
C W 14 x 20, 20s. 6d. per box and upwards; C W 28 x 20,
41s.; CW 14 x 18f, 20s. 6d.; C W 20 x 10, 28s. 6d.
AH f.o.b. Wales, less 4 per cent.

TRADE AND THE WAR.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Lord B. Cecil
presented a Bill to provide for the extension of the restrictions
relating to trading with the enemy to persons to whom, though
not resident or carrying on business in enemy territory, it is,
by reason of their enemy nationality or enemy associations,
expedient to extend such restrictions. The Bill was read a
first time.

On Wednesday, in the House of Commons, Mr. Wiles asked
the President of the Board of Trade if his attention had been,
called to the shortage of trucks on the railway lines, which
was causing congestion of traffic at nearly all important
points, thereby dislocating business; and, if so, would he
arrange for an absolute interchange of trucks between the
various railway companies, thus saving much waste of labour
and energy in dragging empty trucks backwards and for-
wards to the depots of the companies to which they belonged.
Mr. Bunciman, answering, said he was aware that there had
been congestion of traffic and difficulty in supplying wagons
in some districts. The matter raised in the latter part of
the question was receiving the consideration of the Bailway
Executive Committee.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr. Wing asked
the President of the Board of Trade if he was aware that the
pit at New Silks worth had been laid idle one day in the week
ending November 20, two days in the week ending
November 27, and also on December 3; had such stoppage
arisen from the commandeering of the ships usually carrying
the coal of the above-named pit; and had any partiality been
shown in commandeering a number of ships usually trading
from this pit, and no commandeering of ships serving
other pits in the county of Durham. Dr. Macnamara,
replying, stated that so far as he was aware, the
recent stoppages of the pit in question was not directly
due to the requisitioning of any specific ships, but to the
general shortage of tonnage. No partiality to any pit had
been shown in requisitioning ships for Admiralty purposes.

The Government have introduced a Bill to make provision
with respect to companies of enemy character. Where it
appears to the Attorney-General that any company registered
in the United Kingdom is, owing to the character of its
directors or of its shareholders, or to any cause of an enemy
character, he shall present a petition to his Majesty
in Council praying that such company may be declared to
be an enemy company. If a company registered in the United
Kingdom is declared to be an enemy company, it shall,
during the present war, be deemed to be an enemy within
the meaning of all Boyal Proclamations and Statutes dealing
with trading with the enemy, and all such disabilities and
other consequences, whether at common law or under any
Boyal Proclamations or Statute, shall attach to the company
and to its property.

In the House of Commons on Monday, in reply to a ques-
tion by Mr. Perkins, Mr. Bridgeman (for the War Trade
Department) stated that the Coal Exports Committee was
appointed by the Board of Trade in May last to consider
and advise on all questions relating to the exportation of
coal and ,coke from the United Kingdom to destinations
other than British Possessions and Protectorates, Allied
countries, and Portugal. It was not itself a licensing body,
but each licence specified the total number of tons authorised
to be exported. The licence did not specify the period within
which it was valid, but, under an arrangement between
the War Trade Department and the Board of Customs and
Excise, the licences were regarded as available for use
within a period of six weeks from the date thereof, or the
date of shipment named therein, whichever was later.

Sir E. Cornwall, in the House of Commons on Monday,
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he was
aware that the freight for coal from this country for Genoa
had reached as much as 60s. per ton, and the freight from
Newcastle to London as much as 16s. per ton, and that these
charges were primarily due to the conditions and want of
organisation in the shipping industry. Mr. Bunciman, in
reply, said the whole question of shipping freights was being
carefully watched. The governing fact in these problems
was the pronounced .and serious shortage of tonnage.
Further questioned, Mr. Bunciman stated that interned
vessels were entirely for the home trade—the coasting trade
—and in no case was the rate as high on interned vessels
as on vessels in the open market. Interned vessels had
acted as a drag on the market. Asked whether the rates
for interned vessels had risen from 8s., fixed by the Board
of Trade, to 12s., he said that might be possible; at the
same time, the outside rates had risen from 9s. to 13s.
—Questioned on Wednesday by Sir Edward Goulding,
Mr. Bunciman stated that he doubted whether the Excess
Profits Tax had had much to do with the present rise in
freight rates, which was mainly 'accounted for by the scarcity
of tonnage; 'and he did not think that legislation fixing
maximum freights would have the effect desired.

LAW INTELLIGENCE.

SUPREME COURT OF JUDICATURE.
COURT OF APPEAL.—December 3.

Before Lords Justices Pickford and Bankes and Mr.

Justice Neville.

Coal Shortage : Disputed Conditions of Sale.

Settle, Speakman and Company v. The Dinnington Main
Coal Company Limited.—This was an appeal by the defen-
dants from a judgment of Mr. Justice Sankey in an action
brought by the plaintiff to recover the sum of .£255 10s. as
damages for alleged breach of contract against the defen-
dants in respect of the sale and purchase of 1,500 tons of
coal.

Mr. Gordon Hewart, K.C., for appellants, said that after
certain admissions and agreements at the trial there were
really two questions before the learned judge in the Court
below. One was a question as to the true meaning of the
contract between the parties, and the second was whether,
supposing the finding was adverse to the defendants, the
damages which were claimed for the'plantiffs in the case
flowed from the breach alleged. The respondents, in respect
of the greater part of their business acted as agents for
the appellants, but on the occasion which gave rise to the
action they made a purchase of coal from them. That coal,
according to the submission of the defendants, was to be
delivered to the plaintiffs at the Dinnington Colliery, near
Chesterfield. The coal was ultimately sent on to Liverpool,
and it there passed from buyer to buyer until there had
been a series of five or six transactions. At Liverpool it was
found that the quantity of coal was less than the contract

weight, and thereupon the ultimate sub-purchaser com-
menced an action to recover damages for short weight
against his seller. The latter, in turn, brought an action,
and so on until the original damages claimed, about £34,
had mounted up by accumulated costs to the £'255 10s.
claimed in the present action. The circumstances were very
peculiar. The defendants’ submission was two-fold. In the
first place they said that as between them and the plaintiffs,
their purchasers, the goods had passed once and for all, and
the second ^as that in any event, they could not be held
responsible for all this accumulation of costs, because at the
earliest possible moment they made clear to the plaintiffs
that their position was that the weighings at the pits were
conclusive as between them. For the purposes of the trial
it was agreed that if the weight taken at Liverpool was to
be conclusive, the colliery had sent too little, and that if
the colliery weighings were conclusive the colliery had sent
enough. The coal in question went from the mine to
Stockport by the Great Central Bail way, and then to Liver-
pool over the Cheshire lines. The weighing took place over
a series of 25 days, so there were all sorts of possibilities of
loss and even theft. Before any of the litigation between
the sub-purchasers took place, the defendants wrote to
Messrs. Settle, Speakman and Company to this effect : “ Wo
fail to see why we should recognise the weighings of the
Mersey Dock and Harbour Board, as the coal was sold to
you at the pit.” That, he submitted, absolved the colliery
from liability for costs incurred by persons who had bought
or sold for delivery at Liverpool.

Mr. MacKinnon, K.C. (for the respondents), said Mr.
Justice Sankey in substance found the truth of the matter
when, in summing up, he said : “ I think the reason for the
defence is that the colliery company said their weights were
right and the dock weights were wrong, and the various sub-
purchasers in their defence relied on this fact.” The colliery
company now said they were always asserting that they sold
at the pit mouth. That was quite inaccurate. It was true
there was a passage in an early letter to that effect, but then
there was a long pause in which nothing happened, and when
the matter was resumed and people began to litigate, the
colliery company never re-asserted it, and, in fact, everybody
had forgot about the suggestion.

Lord Justice Pickford, in delivering judgment, said that
looking at the documents, he come to the conclusion that the
order by the plaintiffs was for coal to be delivered at Hull or
Liverpool, and the rate was to be based on 11s. 3d. f.a.s.
Hull. That was to say, if it went to Hull it was to be
Ils. 3d. f.a.s.; if it went to Liverpool it was to be a corre-
sponding price, and based on that, but increased by the extra
expense of sending to Liverpool. The sale was for delivery
at Liverpool, but if that point failed, the question was : could
these damages be recovered as flowing from the breach. If
there were sub-purchasers, and in consequence of the defen-
dants’ breach of contract costs were reasonably incurred in
actions brought by the sub-purchasers against sub-sellers,
then those costs were treated as being damages properly
arising from the breach. The great point made here was
that the defendants told the plaintiffs that the sale was a
sale of coal to be delivered at the pit, and therefore they had
nothing to do with the delivery weights at Liverpool. It was
quite true they did raise that point after a time, but the first
point they raised was not that at all. Their first point was
that their weights were right, and that the dock weights were
wrong. It was on that, in his opinion, that these purchasers
relied in resisting, as far as they did resist, the actions that
were brought. It seemed to him that if the defendants wished
to stop all this expense, they had certainly the opportunity
of doing so. But thev did not avail themselves of the
opportunity. He thought the judge’s decision was right.

Lord Justice Bankes and Mr. Justice Neville concurred, and
the appeal was accordingly dismissed.

Shipments of Bunker Coals.—The quantity of coal, etc.,
shipped for the use of steamers engaged in the foreign trade
during November was 931,614 tons, as against 1,249,955
tons in November 1914, and 1,755,090 tons in November
1913. The aggregate so shipped during the 11 months
ending November 30 was 12,677,086 tons, as compared with
17,287,364 tons and 19,189,501 tons in the corresponding
periods respectively of 1914 and 1913.

War Bonus Calculator.—We have received from Mr. C.
Evans, East Fairfield, Norton, Near Doncaster, an excellent
table, enabling additions involved by the recent 14-8 per
cent, war bonus to be calculated at a glance. The exact
amount of the bonus on any amount ranging from Id. to
£4,000 can be very easily obtained, and the table should
prove extremely useful to those now having to make com-
putations on the bonus.

Exports and Imports of Mining Machinery.—Imports and
exports of mining machinery during November were as
follow :—

November.	Jan.-Nov.

1914.	1915.	1914.	1915.

Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.

Imports ............. 39	...	207 ... 1,336 ... 1,223

Exports .......... 1,741	... 1,144 ... 20,994 ... 15,292

The value of the imported mining machinery in November
was £13,825, as compared with £4,906, and, in the 11
months, £88,104, as compared with £94.440. These figures
are not inclusive of prime movers or electrical machinery.
According to destination, the value of exports was as under :

	November.  	A			Jan.-Nov.
	1914.	1915.	' 1914.	1915^
To—	£	£	£ £
Countries in Europe .			5,497.	.. 2,018..	. 862,110... 105,554
United States of America	30		60..	963...	99
Countries in S. America 2,155.		.. 3,471..	50,803... 32,398
British South Africa.			1,635.	.. 1,764..	. 41,305... 37,324
,, East Indies .			5,840.	.. 1,679..	. 43,974 25,471
Australia 				1.370.	.. 1,236..	31,432 ... 21,781
New Zealand				1,062.	379..	. 11,203... 5,692
Other countries 				2,945.	.. 4,652..	. 89,279... 35,467
Total 			 20,534.	.. 15,259..	.1,131,069. ..263,786
The following shows	the values	of prime	movers exported,
other than electrical			
	November.  	A			Jan.-Nov.
	1914.	1915?	1914.	1915. 1
	£	£	£ £
Rail locomotives ..	.... 356,798. ..129,189. .3.654,840.. .2,357,211		
Pumping 		.... 22,334...	19,247 ..	432,621... 418,180
Winding 		499...	125...	26,193... 12,709