January 14, 1916. THE 7 COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 75 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13s. llffid. respectively in the corresponding periods of 1914 and 1913. Of the total exports of coal during December, the mean value of the large coal exported was 19s. 6 1d.; through-and-through (unscreened), 15s. 10 Id.; and small coal, 16s. 4*8d. The average value of all kinds of coal exported was 17s. 9'04d., a decrease of 3*5d. as compared with the previous month. Other- wise divided, it fetched the following Steam coal, 17s. 6-2d. ; gas coal, 15s. 2*9d. ; anthracite, 26s. 4'4d. ; household, 19s. 8'2d. ; other sorts, 16s. 8 06d. The average value of the coke exported was 28s. 2'4d. per ton, and of the manufactured fuel 23s. 10*7d. per ton. A meeting of the North Staffordshire Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers will be held at Stoke-on-Trent on Monday next, when a paper on . “ High Speed Air Compressors” will be read by Mr. J. M. Walshe. The Manchester Geological and Mining Society met on Tuesday. Mr. D. E. Thomas contributed a paper entitled “ The Value of . the Experimental Ean in the Mining Laboratory.” A lecture on “ Coal: Its Nature and Charac- teristics,” wrill be delivered by Mr. J. Samuel to-morrow (Saturday), at a meeting of the Monmouth- shire Colliery Officials’ Association. The first annual dinner of the Coke Oven Managers’ Association will take place at Sheffield to-morrow. At the national conference of the Miners’ Federa- tion of Great Britain, yesterday (Thursday), it was ________________ resolved that the Military Service Bill should be opposed, ?and that, in the event of the Bill becoming law, another conference should be called to decide upon future action. ____________________________ New and strange conditions have The Export confronted coal exporters during the Coal Trade past year, and the general position in 1915. has been one of perplexity and anxiety. It has been complained that even legitimate business has been unnecessarily hampered by the licensing restrictions, especially in the earlier stages of this innovation. For example, the dearth of imports of mining timber from Scandi- navia at one time threatened to be still further accentuated by the position taken up by the Swedish Government in refusing to allow pit props to be shipped to Great Britain unless coal was brought back as a return cargo. Although this trouble was adjusted, the curtailment of export licences to Sweden was a blow to the Scottish export trade in particular, as large contracts were on hand for the Swedish State Bailways. We quote this merely as a single instance of the widespread embarrassment that was caused by the new conditions created by the licence regulations. Much of this was due to the delay in issuing the licences, resulting in all probability from the nature of the official machinery set up for the purpose. But whether the fault lay with the Exports Committee, or with the Board of Trade it is impossible to say. South Wales exporters, for example, before the entry of Italy into the war, found great difficulty in procuring licences for the export of coal to that country, while trade with South America and Spain became almost impossible.. It must, we think, be freely admitted that the con- ditions arising from the war necessitated some regulation and restriction of coal exports. If, there- fore, criticisms are offered with respect to the methods adopted by the Government, these must be taken rather as prompted by the desire to throw light upon the actual results of these methods than to express unqualified disapproval of them. For instance, it can be shown that in some ways, these licence restrictions operated in favour of the enemy. Large quantities of German coal found their way into Denmark and Sweden in the early stages of the licence system, and Italy at that time was receiving both coal and coke from Germany. A more serious result, however, has been the diversion of a large part of the British coal export trade to the United States, a process which has been greatly facilitated by collateral factors such as the high freights resulting from the scarcity of available tonnage in British waters. A serious position has thus arisen. In the case of South Wales the inroads made by the United States into the coal markets of Italy and the Argentine have been marked, and there is some very natural anxiety as to the future recovery of ihese markets, more particularly that of South America. It is estimated that between one-half and two-thirds of the South Wales trade with South America has been for the present lost to the United States. Almost for the first time in its history, also? the Northumberland coal trade has been face to face with United States competition. Not only have many steamers brought cargoes of American coal to Genoa, but even some part of the coal supply of the Swedish State Bail ways is said to have been derived from the same source. The position would have been far worse had it not been for the active demand by our Allies. ' The French demand both for coal and patent fuel was, indeed, altogether unprecedented. One of the most alarming features of the United States competition was the diversion of tonnage to American ports, and ultimately the Government endeavoured to afford someyelief in this direction, in the first place by the more liberal grant of licences, and later by regulations designed for the purpose of compelling British vessels to trade from home ports. It was certainly aggravating to find so many British vessels chartered for the conveyance of United States coal to the Mediterranean and South American ports. During the year, freight rates from American ports to the Mediterranean have ranged from about 9 dels, to 10 dols. in the early part of the year to as much as 12 dols. and 14 dols. in the autumn ; but a glance at the rates from British ports shows at once how easy it has become for American coal to penetrate European markets even without considering the ques- tion of licence restrictions at all. The present price of coal of any kind in Genoa, Barcelona or Marseilles could not fail to attract American trade. It is often assumed that the ship owners have reaped the whole of the advantage springing from the phenomenal rise in freight rates. This, of course, is not so. There have been heavy increases in costs, including wage advances and the increased cost of bunker coals, provisions and stores. In addition to this there have been the costs of longer detention at ports and other inconveniences which have combined to make the running expenses far heavier than usual. But even allowing that the latter have been two or three times the normal amount, freights in some cases have been seven or eight times higher, and profits have undoubtedly been large. But we doubt whether these profits can be called excessive in view of the increased risks incurred in trading in the war zone, to which must be added the effect of the excess profits tax, which can only be avoided by investment of surplus in additional shipping. It is possible, also, that some coal exporters have themselves been affected by the increased freight rates. Those who were in the position of having fixed up c.i.f. contracts may have been severely hit, and this is understood to have been the case with an Egyptian State Bail way contract for Monmouthshire steam coals, delivered at Alexandria. It is clear that c.i.f. quotations are risky business in war time. An interesting question arose during the year with regard to the position of foreign steamers in respect of bunker coal. The Government had to provide against the possibility of these vessels filling their bunkers with British coal for the purpose of trading with Germany. The Order issued in May with reference to bunkering, although not immediately put into force, certainly assisted in compelling Scandinavian and other vessels to confine their trade to British ports. A curious, although trivial, result of the rise in freights was to promote the bunkering of Eastern traders with Indian coal. It was, at one time, a paying proposition to fill up a portion of the cargo space with Indian coals in order to avoid coaling at Fort Said. In addition to the features referred to above, there have been many abnormal export conditions prevailing in the different coal fields. Thus, South Yorkshire, which in ordinary times sends about a quarter of a million tons of coal to France, has exported in the year nearly six times that amount from Hull. It is estimated also that nearly 60 per cent, of the Humber exports went to France, and South Wales increased her trade with that country by about 25 per cent, on the year. Another new feature was to be seen in the shipments of coal for the Bussian Navy from Northumberland ,to Archangel. It is probable that the new ice-free port on the Kola peninsula will ultimately develop into an important factor in regard to Bussian coal imports. When once suitable facilities are provided there, we may see a complete change in the conditions hitherto governing the Baltic coal trade. Exports of Coal, Coke and Manufactured Fuel, According to Description. 1914. 1915. _______________ _______________ Average Average Quantity. value Quantity, value per ton. per ton. Coal:— Tons. s. d. Tons. s. d. Anthracite .... 2,389,190... 16 0'6... 2,227,231...21 0'6 Steam........ 42,633,565...13 8'7...31,150,530...17 1’6 Gas ........... 10,080.345... 12 4'8... 7,274,649... 13 10'6 Household .... 1,490,243... 13 0'01.. 1,041,079...17 10:8 Other sorts.... 2,446,537... 11 10'5... 1,841,282... 14 3'7 Laro-e ......... 32,117,985... 15 4'09...20,913,104...18 9'6 Thrfi-and-thro^ 12,626,511...12 3'01... 10,935,854... 14 5'2 Small ......... 14,295,384... 10 5'7...11,685,813...15 1'4 Total & avge. 59,039,880... 13 6'04...43,534,771... 16 8'6 Coke .......... 1,182,848... 15 11'7... 1,010,302 23 2'6 Manufactured fuel 1,607,757...17 4'1... 1,225,071.. 20 6'6 and average.. 61,830,485... 13 7'8 ...45,770,144...16 11'5 Coal shipped in hunkers ....... 18,535,616... — ...13,630,964... — Exports of Coal, Coke and Manufactured Fuel by Months. 1914. 1915. ________________ Month. Average Average Quantity, value Quantity, value per ton. per tom Tons. s. d. Tons. s. d. January ........ 6,088,971... 14 1'3... 3,769,598... 13 8'2 February ...... 5,974,608... 14 0'4... 3,784,894... 14 2'3 March........... 6,170,720... 13 9'2... 4,143,756... 15 4'1 First quarter ....18,234,299... 13 11 7...11,698 248...14 5*2 April ............ 5,445,728... 13 9'03.. 3,985,846... 17 2'3 May............... 6,469,463... 13 8'7... 3,967,657... 17 10'3 June.............. 5,999,417... 13 7’4... 3,725,423... 17 10'1 Second quarter ...17,914,608... 13 8’6...11,678 926...17 7’5 First six months...36,148,907...13 10 05 .23,377 174...16 0’4 July.............. 6,917,853... 13 7'7... 3,731,932... 17 4'4 August ............... 3,209,399... 13 3'1... 3,853,794... 18 0'2 September ....... 4,096,453... 13 2'3... 4,096,637... 18 0'7 Third quarter...14,223,705.. J3 5’1...11,682,363...17 9 9 October ......... 4,151,381...13 3'2... 3,771/'69... 18 1'3 November ....... 3,427,099... 13 3'09.. 3,469,302... 17 10 1 December ....... 3,879,393... 13 5'3... 3,470,236... 18 2'4 _______ ___________ Fourth quarter ...11,457,873...13 3*9...10,610,607...18 2-7 Twelve months ...61,830,485... 13 7*8...45,770,144... 16 11’5 Exports of Coal to Foreign Countries. 1914. 1915. Tons. Tons. Russia 3,087,805 .. 42,559 Sweden 4,250,255 .. .. 2,659,995 Norway 2,462,200 .. . 2,643,187 Denmark 3,059,162 .. . 3,130,642 Netherlands 1,7*2,215 .. .. 1,792,951 France 12,330,545 .. .. 17,601,572 Portugal 1,169,625 .. 1,022,755 Spain and Canaries 2,940,148 . .. 2,067,763 Italy 8,625,254 .. .. 5,788,460 Greece 578,757 . 309,198 Egypt 2,633,581 . 1,388,914 Brazil 1,176,780 ... 498,340 Uruguay 550,876 .. 322,541 Argentine Republic 2,883,064 ., 1,618,603 Chile 377.482 .. 46,407 Algeria 910,211 . 939,846 Exports of Coal to Foreign Countries from the Various Districts in the United Kingdom. 1913. 1914. 1915. Tons. Tons. Tons. Bristol Channel ports ...29,875,916...24,475,551... 18,602,107 North-western ports.... 751,819... 600,719... 524,214 North-eastern ports....23,023,810... 19,241,980... 14,132,040 Humber ports ........ 8,883,353... 6,049,741... 3,791,392 Other ports on east coast 424,536... 292,328... 36,893 Other English ports.... 3,487... 955..L 18 East Scotland ........ 8,253,023... 6,177,065... 3,723,935 West Scotland ........ 2,184,174... 2,201,244... 2,724,005 Ireland _____.................... — ... 297... — __________ __________ __________ Total ..........73,400,118...59,039,880... 43,534,771 The export figures accompanying this article tell their own tale. It is satisfactory to note that the inevitable disturbance caused by the licence restric- tions showed signs of improvement towards the close of the year, and the general outlook for 1916 is decidedly better than at one time seemed possible. But there will still be trouble in regard to tonnage, and it has also to be borne in mind that the large contracts made by the United States with Italy and other countries will extend well into the present year, and markets, even under the most favourable con- ditions, will not at once recover their normal equilibrium.