26

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.

January 7, 1916.

Board, of Trade has been able to induce coal
merchants to enter into an agreement td limit the
retail price of house coal within reasonable limits,
and it is understood that similar arrangements are in

force in other parts of the country.

Bor all these and other reasons the coal trade has
been placed outside the ordinary laws of supply and
demand. It is a wholly abnormal and unprecedented
position, which has arisen entirely from the war, and
few will deny the expediency and even the justice of
the measures which the Government has taken. But
at the same time no small part of the disorganisation
of the coal trade must be attributed to the action, or
inaction, as the case may be, of the Government
with regard to the indiscriminate enlistment' of
miners in the earlier stages of the war. The
number of miners enlisted may be roughly estimated
at 25 per cent., and it is certain that much of the
trouble has arisen from the shortage of colliery
labour and the diminution, in output arising there-
from. This has, unfortunately, been further accen-
tuated by the failure on the part of certain sections
of miners to realise what was their obvious duty
both to their country and to their comrades in the
trenches. We regret that we are compelled to put
on record this black spot in the chronicle of last
year’s coal mining. Strikes and absenteeism have
been far too frequent. Not only have the urgent
needs for increased output been ignored by these
men, but the energies of the Government have been
needlessly wasted, and their attention has been
distracted from more important matters by these
selfish and unpatriotic proceedings. We need not
further particularise, and the reproach belongs only
to a comparatively small section of the men, who, it
is to be hoped, are beginning to realise that their
responsibilities as citizens of the Empire should
outweigh individual propensities. It is painful to
think that any section of British working men
should take advantage of the nation’s difficulties in
order to secure mere personal ends. But this
thing has happened; and the history of British
mining will for all time be blackened by the
reflection that there are some, calling themselves
British, to whom their country’s needs make no
appeal.

Let us pass from this unpleasant topic to what
may be termed the mechanical factors which have
operated upon the coal trade in the past year. Of
these, by far the most important is the problem of
distribution. The dearth of wagons has been serious
throughout the whole year, and it is still a most
pressing feature of the inland trade. The rights of
private wagon owners have been greatly encroached
upon. To some extent this has been due to the
legitimate requirements of the military, to whom
must naturally be conceded priority in the matter of
transport. But it is impossible to admit that the
railway disorganisation of the past year was
altogether unavoidable. While making every
excuse for the urgency of military requirements in
the earlier stages of the war, it is to be hoped that
some means will shortly be found to facilitate the
transport of coal from the collieries. It is suggested
that the pooling of railway wagons would ameliorate
the difficulty, and, although private owners naturally
object to this proposal, there might possibly be some
advantage in it. At any rate, a solution of the
problem will have to be found if the coal trade is to
expect smoother working in the coming year. Colliery
owners have had many anxieties in the past year.
The cost of production has increased in more than
one direction. Wages, already high, have been
almost always on the upward grade. The cost of pit
timber has been seriously increased by the war. To
maintain output it has been necessary in many cases
to postpone “ dead work,” and to push forward the
exploitation of the most easily workable seams. Such
measures can only be justified by expediency, and
they must in due course bring about their retribution.
There will be hard times ahead for many collieries
when normal conditions return. But the owners are
doing their utmost to supply the fuel so urgently
needed for the efficient conduct of the war, which, at
the present time, is the only consideration that
matters. . .

A feature of the times, which has come into

prominence during the year, is the enormous national
importance of the by-product coke oven by reason of
the demand for benzol and toluol in our munitions
factories. This has stimulated the recovery of

distillation products, for which purpose the great
demand for coke for the blastfurnaces has been
advantageous. Certain by-products, such as pitch
and creosote, have, in the meantime, been over-
produced, but the country is fortunate in the
possession of unlimited resources for the manufacture
of high explosives.

It is usual to conclude this article with a forecast,
but no such prediction can be made until the end of
the war is in sight. To parody a well-known classical
line, inter arma silet rates. There is a pronounced
disposition to conclude that things will be worse before
they are better. We do not share this view, but
normal conditions will certainly not prevail during
the year that is now before us.

THE LONDON COAL TRADE.

Thursday, January 6.

The market opened very strong for the new year, and
on Monday last was particularly well 'attended. The house
coal market is very sparsely supplied, and the depots report
■a. large number of orders on hand. The carmen have shown
•a better disposition to load up and deliver the coal standing,
so that the quantity taken out has considerably improved
during the week. Manufacturing qualities are still in very
strong demand, and small nuts, peas, and nutty slack are
selling freely, and prices are fully maintained. The eager-
ness to buy forward -shows that the bulk of the traders do
not anticipate any diminution in the demand during the
coming summer months. Collieries, however, do not show
any desire to entertain “ forward ” business. Smalls of all
kinds are freely bought up, factories generally working still
at high pressure. Fears are entertained that with the
shortage of smalls, manufacturers will be compelled to fall
back on large coal to keep the furnaces going. Kitchen
cobbles and bakers’ nuts are, if anything, a trifle more
plentiful, but orders are still considerably in arrears, and
whilst this is the case merchants are not eager to book
anything further than they are absolutely obliged. The
heavy stocks of coal on hand prior to the holidays and the
extra quantities brought forward by the railway companies
before the stop, has to a very large extent disappeared, and
all classes of railborne house coal are again in good request.
The quantities offering, however, are very small. Very little
Yorkshire coal is coming forward this week, and Derbyshire
qualities are scarce. Business has been wholly confined to
very small parcels. No quotations are given, but as the
new Bill regulates prices, there are very few changes to
record. Sharlston Wallsends are named at 20s. per ton at
pit. In the seaborne market, very little Durham coal is
coming forward, and all are for contract cargoes; 20 vessels
were returned on. Monday as entering the Biver Thames, and
18 for Wednesday’s market. At the close of the year
contract deliveries were greatly in arrear, and stocks are
by this time largely depleted at the depots, so that the
outlook is not very satisfactory. Freights continue very
high, and the recent fixtures have been at 16s. to 16s. 6d. for
London, but as coal supplies have been so short, the
steamers have met with considerable delay in loading.
The Admiralty claims, also, in the Tyne district, have been
unusually heavy, and new business has been declined.
Prices are, in consequence, largely nominal, but Durham
gas coals are quoted at 21s. to 21s. 6d.; and seconds, 19s.
to 20s. f.o.b. Furnace coke is quoted a>t 33s. per ton at the
furnaces, and gas coke at 32s. 6d. delivered London.

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

Friday, December 31.—The seaborne house coal market
was quiet again to-day—a part cargo of Yorkshire house was
disposed of, but no price quoted. Cargoes, 11.

. Monday, January 3.—The seaborne house coal market was
steady to-day, with no cargoes of either Durham or Yorkshire
on offer. Cargoes, 20.

Wednesday, January 5.—The seaborne house coal market
continued steady to-day, no available supplies of either
Durham or Yorkshire coming forward at present.
Cargoes, 18.

THE TIM-PLATE TRADE.

Liverpool.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to do business. Tin-
plate makers are all pretty full of orders for a few weeks to
come, and are not anxious to sell ahead at all, owing to the
great difficulty in obtaining supplies of steel bars and acids.
I C 14 X 20 have been done at 25s. fid. per box, and 28 X 20
at 50s. 6d. per box. Quotations may be called firm, as
follow:—Coke tins: I C 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), 25s. 6d.
to 26s. per box; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 50s. 9d. to
51s. 6d.; I C 14 x W (124 sh. 110 lb.), 25s. 9d. to 26s. 3d.;
I C 20 x 10 (225 sh. 156 lb.), 35s. 9d. to 36s. 3d. I C squares
and odd sizes, approved specifications, 26s. to 26s. 3d. basis.
Charcoals are quoted 28s. basis and upwards, according to
tinning. Terries are nominally at 41s. per box of I C 28
X 20. Coke wasters are very firm, and advancing. To-day’s
prices are about as follow :—C W 14 x 20, 23s. 9d. to 24s.
per box; C W 28 X 20, 47s. 6d. to 48s. fid.; C W 14 x 18|,
23s. 6d. to 24s.; C W 20 x 10, 32s. 6d. to 33s. All f.o.b.
Wales, less 4 per cent.

Mr. Ernest F. Hooper, who has been connected with the
Wear Fuel Works Company Limited, Sunderland, for about
20 years, has relinquished the control of that undertaking
in order that he might devote more of his time to consulting
work. Mr. Hooper, who is very well known in North of
England chemical trade circles, will be succeeded by Mr.
F. J. Colman.

THE COAL AND IRON TRADES.

Thursday, January 6.

Scotland.—Western District.

COAL.

The coal market in the west of Scotland district con-
tinues firm. With the exception of splints, there is now
more coal available for immediate disposal, but values
remain very firm all round. Ell coal is freely obtainable
for the first half of January, navigations are firmly held
round about 23s. to 24s. 6d. per ton, and ordinary steams
maintain their improved position. Smalls, with the possible
exception of double qjits, are more plentiful. Shipments
for the week amounted to 96,473 tons, compared with
102,888 in the preceding week and 123,194 tons in the
corresponding week 12 months ago.

Prices f.o.b. Glasgow.

	Current	L’st week’s	Last year’s
	prices.	prices.	prices.
Steam coal		18/—22/	18/ -20/	11/ -13/3
Ell 		21/6-22/	21/6	13/9-14/
Splint				23/-30/	22/ -26/	13/ -16/6
Treble nuts 		' 21/ -21/6	21/	13/ -13/6
Double do		19/ -19/6	19/6-20/	11/9-12/3
Single do		18/6-19/	18/6	11/ -11/9

IRON.

A very firm tone exists in the Scotch iron trade, and
there is no diminution in the demand for materials of all
kinds. In the pig iron trade makers are now quoting stiff
prices, which are as follow:—Monkland and Govan f.a.s. at
Glasgow, Nos. 1,93s., Nos. 3, 92s.; Carnbroe, No. 1,96s., No. 3,
92s.; Clyde, No. 1, 103s. 6d., No. 3, 97s. 6d.; Gartsherrie,
Summerlee, Calder, and Langloan, Nos. 1, 102s. 6d., No. 3,
97s. 6d.; Glengarnock at Ardrossan, No. 1, 100s., No. 3,
95s.; Eglinton at Ardrossan or Troon, No. 1, 97s. 6d.,
No. 3, 95s. fid.; Dalmellington at Ayr, No. 1, 97s. 6d., No. 3,
95s. 6d.; Shotts at Leith, No. 1, 102s. 6d., No. 3, 97s. 6d.
per ton. Scotch haematite is still the outstanding feature.
The tone of the Glasgow pig iron warrant market is firm,
and at the closure Cleveland iron was quoted 78s. 3d. per
ton cash buyers, the highest level for the year. The
pressure for delivery of all classes of finished iron material
continues to increase. Quotations show a still further
advance, and black sheet makers’ price for 7 to 11 b.g. is
now <£16 15s. per ton, while in the malleable iron trade
“ Crown ” iron bars are named .£13 and over per ton, less
5 per cent, home delivery, and mild steel bars .£16 to
<£16 10s. per ton, less 5 per cent.

Scotland.—Eastern District.

COAL.

A brisk business has been done in the Lothians, and
collieries are fully sold for some weeks to come, particularly
in the case of all sorts of round coal. The supplies of
small coal are not quite so restricted. Clearances amounted
to 30,066 tons, compared with 31,017 in the preceding week
and 46,010 tons in the same week in 1914.

Prices f.o.b. Leith.

	Current	L’st week’s	Last year’s
	prices.	prices.	prices.
Best screened steam coal...	20/6-21/6	, 20/ -21/	12/
Secondary qualities		19/ -19/6	18/ -19/6	11/ -11/3
Treble nuts 		21/ -22/	21/ -21/6	12/6
Double do		19/—19/6	18/6-19/	10/9-11/
Single do. 		16/ -18/6	17/6	10/6

Collieries in Fifeshire are in much the same position, and
are not prepared to undertake fresh business at present.
Shipments amounted to 52,993 tons, against 54,893 in the
preceding week and 45,672 tons in the same week in 1914.

Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland.

Best screened navigation	Current prices.	L’st week’s prices	Lastyear’s prices.
coal			25/ -26/	25/	16/ -16/6
Unscreened do		23/ —24/	21/ -23/	14/6
First-class steam coal		22/ -23/	21/ -22/	13/
Third-class do		16/6-17/6	15/ -15/6	10/6-10/9
Treble nuts 		21/ -22/	21/ -22/	12/6-13/6
Double do		18/6-19/6	18/6-19/6	11/3-11/9
Single do		17/ -17/6	17/6-18/6	11/ -11/3

The aggregate shipments for the past week amounted to
179,532 tons, compared with 188,798 in the preceding week
and 214,876 tons in the same week in 1914, while the aggre-
gate shipments from Scottish ports for 1915 totalled
11,381,667 tons, against 13,893,221 tons in 1914, a drop of
2,511,554 tons. This decrease is wholly accounted for by
the restriction of exports on the east coast.

Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

COAL.

During last week there were shipped from Tyne Dock
78,512 tons of coal and 5,100 tons of coke, an increase of
8,557 tons of coal and 4,808 tons of coke when compared
with the shipments for the corresponding week 12 months
ago. The Dunston clearances amounted to 28,473 tons of
coal and 5,800 tons of coke, a decrease of 3,391 tons of coal
and an increase of 4,881 tons of coke. The Blyth shipments
totalled 52,444 tons of coal and coke, an increase of 13,881
tons. Thus, the total shipments from the three places
mentioned amounted to 170,329 tons, an increase of 28,736
tons when compared with the clearances for the corre-
sponding week a year ago, and a decrease of 17,070 tons
when compared with the shipments for the previous week.
So far as prompt business at least is concerned, the past
week has been almost an entire blank, and the position
which has been set up is probably unique. The situation
is perhaps most strained in the steam coal section, where
it is impossible to obtain spot supplies at any price, for