THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. ' 565 _________ ___________ March 24, 1916. _____________________________________________________________________________ Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Gas coals:— Special Wear gas coals Secondary do. House coals:— Best house coals ..... Ordinary do........... Other sorts :— Lambton screened ..... South Hetton do....... Lambton unscreened ... South Hetton do....... Do. treble nuts Coking coals unscreened Do. smalls ......... Smithies...........__ Peas and nuts ........ Best bunkers.......... Ordinary bunkers...... Coke:— Foundry coke __........ Blast-furnace coke (did. Teesside furnaces) ... Gas coke.............. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 25/ 26/6 20/ 24/6 24/ 16/6-17/ 35/ 32/6 30/ 30/ 30/ 25/ 34/ 32/6 27/6 32/6 ’ 32/6 26/6 24/ 24/6 20/ 24/ ' 24/3 20/ 28/ 27/ 20/ 24/6-25/ 23/6 22/ 22/ 22/ 19/ ' 25/ 25/ 20/ 27/6 27/ 19/ 25/6 25/6 25/. 23/ 23/6 22/6 42/6 42/6 30/ 28/ 30/ 26/ 26/6 26/6-27/ 15/6 engine fuels for the local railways are at present in very strong request. There is an abnormal demand for works fuel. Very little manufacturing fuel is going out of the district, but a substantial tonnage is now going over the Border for landsale and other purposes. The export trade is exceedingly brisk, but when requirements are so large on home account, it is only possible to deal with Irish needs from hand to mouth. Last week the shipments from Mary- port to Ireland amounted to 4,495 tons. Coke is in firm request, aud all the Cumberland ovens are working at full pressure. The whole of the production is being absorbed, by local smelters. Prices of all varieties are very firm, but unchanged. Best house coal delivered at Maryport is quoted at from Is. 51d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton. and large consumers are unable to get anything like con- tract quantities. Efforts are again being made to influence the authorities, but the local coal committees which have the arrangement of supplies are no doubt doing their best under difficult circumstances. The limited output of washed furnace coke readily realises the full price of 24s. Except for short period contracts very little forward business is ^passing. The export of coke has practically stopped, and consequently iron and steel works are getting rather better supplies. Current pit prices. The coast branch of the freight market is firm, with hardly any tonnage offering. Bates for the Bay are stronger, while those for the Mediterranean have an advancing tendency. Becent fixtures include .-—London, at 16s.; Bouen, 40s.; St. Nazaire, 52s. 6d.; La Bochelle, 53s. 6d.; Havre, 35s.; Bordeaux, 55s. ; Marseilles, 93s. 9d.; Genoa, 97s. 6d.; Gibraltar, 62s. 6d.; Carthagena, 69s.; Monte Video, 70s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Some departments of the fuel market are irregular for prompt business, but the forward tone keeps steady and strong. Shortage of tonnage is interfering with the loading facilities of some of the collieries. But Durham gas coal is round about 26s., and second qualities 24s. ; whilst Wear specials are put at 27s. Bunker coal continues in good request, and ordinary Durhams are in the neigh- bourhood of 24s., whilst bests are 26s., and specials 29s. Durham steam coal is put at 32s. 6d. ( Coking coal keeps steady at 25s. Coke is in good request both for home use and for shipment. Local deliveries are rather heavy, and business continues to be put through at the fixed maximums for home consumption of 28s. at the ovens for medium blastfurnace kinds, and up to 30s. 6d. for qualities low in phosphorus. Good foundry coke for shipment runs from 40s. to 42s.- Gas coke ranges from 28s. to 30s. IRON. Pig iron is becoming more and more scarce, and the belief that the Government will prohibit exports of Cleve- land pig to neutral countries makes merchant exporters very cautious in their dealings. They are buying for prompt delivery only, and the business passing is on a very limited scale. Practically the only stock in existence is the 60,000 tons odd of Cleveland pig iron in the public warrant stores, and to meet current requirements it is this month being drawn upon at the rate of 1,000 tons per working day. The export quotation of No. 3 Cleveland pig is 90s. f.o.b., and No. 1 is about 4s. above that figure. For home con- sumption No. 3 and No. 4 foundry, and No. 4 forge all stand at the fixed maximum of 82s. 6d. Business in east coast haimatite pig is quiet. Home consumers are in the market to buy at the fixed maximum over the second half of the year, but makers are not disposed to commit themselves ahead at the price, and indeed many producers refuse to quote, intimating that they are booked as far ahead as they care to go. Very little, if any, iron is available for sale for supply until after June. Forward quotations of Nos. 1, 2, and 3 stand at 140s. for export, and at the fixed maximum of 122s. 6d. for home consumption. Though business has been done at less, marked rates for foreign ore are still based on 43s. ex-ship Tees for best rubio, but it is understood that consumers who buy at market quotations will receive from the Government the difference between such figures and the arranged maximum. _________________ South-West Lancashire. COAL. The difficulty or fully supplying the household demand has increased during the last week or two in consequence of the continued cold weather, and there is no immediate prospect of getting the order book straight. Forges and other users of screened round coal continue to take very heavy deliveries. There is little or no change to report as regards shipping. Owing to the scarcity of tonnage and limitation of supplies, shipments on ordinary bunkering and export account continue at a minimum, and there is very little open sale business; Prices remain about as before, viz., 22s. to 22s. 6d. f.o.b. for Lancashire steam coals. So far as regards the coastwise and cross-Channel trade for household coals, much more would be taken if it was available, and between the shortage of supply and the difficulty of fixing suitable tonnage, there is no doubt the merchants across the water are getting at the end of their stocks. Slacks and small fuel continue in the same position that they have been in for weeks, a distinct shortage of supply, and other fuel is requisitioned to fill the gap. 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 23/ -24/ 19/ 21/ -22/ 17/ 20/6 17/6-18/ 22/ -22/6 15/6-16/ 14/6 14/ L’st week’s Lastyear’s prices. prices. 20/9 ' 17/9 23/ -24/ , 21/ -22/ 19/ ] 16/ 21/ -22/ ! 19/ -20/ 17/ 13/9 20/6 i 18/ 17/6-18/ ' 14/ -15/ 22/ -22/6 ; 19/6-20/6 15/6-16/ 12/ 14/6 10/9 14/ 9/9 House coal:— Prices at pit (London) : Haigh Moor selected ... Wallsend & London best Silkstone best ........ Do. house .......... House nuts ........... Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best....... Silkstone best ....... Do. house .......... Other qualities....... Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal..... Gas nuts.............. Unscreened gas coal ... Other sorts:— Prices at pit: Washed nuts........... Large double-screened engine nuts .......... Small nuts............ Rough unscreened engine coal........... Best rough slacks..... Small do. ............ Coking smalls ........ Coke Price at ovens: Furnace coke ......... ______________ Current prices. 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 19/ —20/ 18/ -19/ L’st week’s prices. 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ i 19/ -20/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ Last year’s prices. 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 17/6-18/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ , 15/6-16/6 | 14/6-15/6 17/ -17/6 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 13/ -14/ 11/ -12/ 11/6-12/6 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 14/6-15/6 j 17/ -17/6 j 15/ -16/ | 14/ -15/ | 14/ -15/ | 13/ -14/ 11/ -12/ 11/6-12/6 22/ -24/ 20/ -22/ 19/ -20/ 17/ -18/6 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ 13/6-14/6 14/ -15/ 13/ -13/6 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/6 10/6-12/ 9/6-10/ 9/6-10/ 24/ j 24/ 16/ -17/ ________________ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was about an average attendance of members on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. Very little actual business was done, as few of the colliery represen- tatives had anything to offer. This applies really to all qualities of house and manufacturing fuel. The pressure for supplies is considerable. The demand for shipping coal keeps steady. Prices all round are very firm. The nominal list rates are about as follow :— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................ Medium...........__ Common.............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack ........... Common slack ......... Current prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ L’st week’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ Last year's prices. 18/ -19/ 16/9-17/3 14/ -14/3 14/ -15/ IO/ -Hf [ -X// j JS±I -±o/ 19/ -21/ j 19/ -21/ j 18/6-19/6 15/6upwds,15/6upwdsj 11/ -12/ 14/ upwds.|14/ upwds.j 9/6-10/ _________________ Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. Usually at the end of March there is a marked falling-off in all departments, more particularly in the home branches, but this year the demand is very much in excess of the supply. The pits continue to work regularly, and it is satisfactory to note that outputs are fuller, and every effort is being made by the collieries to deal with an exceedingly big demand. Landsale is now more active, and orders are coming to hand more quickly than they can be executed. Some of the depots, however, are at present seriously handicapped by a shortage of suitable labour. The position of gas coal for home use has undergone no change, but IRON. All prices are firm—good No. 3 pig iron can be bought at 92s. 6d. delivered. The small foundries on general work are very short, and buying of pig iron is only in small quantities. The heavy engineers are buyers of fair parcels for immediate work, and their foundries are kept fully employed. In the finished goods, the output is all for Government work. This applies both to iron and steel works. Wagon builders are fully occupied on repairs. Current quotations. Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s 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 pit 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 18/6 Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... 17/6 17/6 16/6 Bunkers 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 16/ Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- 19/3 19/3 15/ works 18/3 18/3 14/ _________________ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. Again a large attendance of traders representative of all branches, including Hull shippers and London merchants, at the market on Tuesday reflected the prevailing state of the demand for coal. If anything, the demand was keener than even during recent weeks, and supplies were quite inadequate. Many enquiries for forward quotations for gas coal were circulating. Colliery representatives reported full time work at the pits, and that the supply of empty wagons has been more satisfactory, but serious delays to long distance traffic still occur. The demand from London for house coal shows a slight falling-off since the weather became a little milder, but the collieries have still orders booked sufficient to occupy them for the next three weeks. According to reports from the London, depots, merchants have still a large number of orders on hand, and the public demand is far from satisfied. There is no change in the coastwise trade to record, except that the scarcity of boats is still more pronounced. Locally, supplies are chiefly on contract account, and in private wagons, current pit prices being unchanged. As to gas coal, full contract deliveries are being required, and a few works in the London district are still making purchases in the open market. Apart from this, there is not much new business, on account of the present uncertainty with regard to miners’ wages, and the possible alteration of the Act limiting prices. The great scarcity of manufacturing fuel has created a serious position, particularly in the Bradford and Huddersfield districts, where the needs are very heavy, Barnsley. COAL. The difficulties of business appear to have become accentuated rather than otherwise during the past week, and there is little hope expressed that an improvement is likely to be effected within the near future. The position at the pits remains the same, with the output substantially reduced. The enormous amount of preferential claims for supplies is leaving very little fuel available for distribution in other directions ; and the trouble arising from delay in transit also appears to be more acute at the present time, and there are repeated instances of wagons not reaching their destination within anything like a reasonable period. This factor is causing extreme trouble, particularly in regard to house coal, the stocks on hand in some districts being exceptionally low, whilst the continued cold weather is causing a big rush of orders to be handed in to merchants, who in turn have the greatest difficulty in placing a fair proportion of their needs with the collieries, which are still much in arrear with deliveries of this class of coal. The position of the traders who are not covered by contract is, indeed, a parlous one. The policy is being generally adopted of not accepting orders from any new customers who are thrown upon a very spare market, with the result that, practically speaking, no matter what prices they are prepared to pay, it is impossible to obtain anything like a satisfactory proportion of requirements. In regard to all classes of steam coal the position is unaltered. The demand of the railway companies, which are possibly much heavier than usual, that of the munition works and engineering concerns which are backed up by the Govern- ment, account for a very big percentage of the production, so that there is very little fuel available for extra require- ments, or for other industries. The business for abroad is still of a restricted character, owing to the with- holding of licences, but even then the requirements at home cannot be readily supplied. The. enquiry for steam nuts is particularly extensive. The situation with regard to gas coal contract is also unchanged, and, so far as has been ascertained, there has been nothing done in this district for the renewal of contracts on a conditional basis, in regard to the pending demand for an advance of wages. There still continues to be great pressure upon collieries for the supply of slacks and other coking fuel required by the by-product plants, and in some cases it has been almost impossible to obtain the tonnage which is required to keep the ovens fully employed, which, in turn, is affecting the production, amongst other things, of coke, for which there exists a very strong enquiry, with prices firmly maintained at the maximum rates. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstone 20/ -22/ 18/6 16/6-17/6 20/ -22/ 20/ -21/ Best Barnsley softs 18/6 19/ -20/ Secondary do 16/ -17/6 17/ -18/ Best house nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Secondary do Steam coals:— 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 15/ -15/6 Best hard coals 17/6-18/ 17/6-18/ 20/ -21/ Secondary do 16/6-17/ 16/6-17/ 18/ -19/ Best washed nuts 16/3-16/6 16/3-16/6 16/6-17/6 Secondary do 15/9-16/3 15/9-16/3 15/ -16/ Best slack 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 11/6-12/6 Secondary do Gas coals:— 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 9/6-10/6 Screened gas coals 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ Unscreened do 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 14/ -15/ Gas nuts 16/ 16/ 15/ -16/ Furnace coke 24/ | 24/ 17/ -18/ Hull. COAL. The position in the Humber coal market shows very little change. All the factors that have been in operation for weeks past press heavily on operations, which, so far as countries abroad are concerned, are reduced to narrow limits. With such a big demand on the output and so great a tax on the railways, it is most, difficult to get