762 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 20, 1916. inadequate. Whatever falling off may be experienced in the number of orders for house coal, is more than balanced by the increasing demand for fuel for manufacturing purposes generally. Every industry is clamouring for supplies just now, and only those customers who have already made contracts for their coal requirements are able to count upon receiving even a portion of the tonnage they need. The large steel works of Sheffield and district, whose consumption in each case runs into thousands of tons per week, are in a position of great difficulty, and it is only by continuous pressure on the collieries that usually supply them with fuel are they able to maintain the full and regular working of their plant. The position causes much anxiety alike to the producer and the consumer of coal. Of small classes of fuel there is considerable scarcity, in spite of the fact that the exporting of these has practically ceased. The export trade of the Humber ports is exceedingly quiet, and is suffering severely from the great difficulty in obtaining the necessary licences from the Board of Trade. For such business as is possible in steam coal the price is firmer, and 28s. per ton delivered at Grimsby is now obtain- able for the best brands of Derbyshire Top Hards. There is nothing doing in washed nuts and washed slack, owing to the licence difficulty already referred to. The coke market fully maintains its strong position. Orders for all qualities of coke are plentiful, and prices are firm at the official limits. Railways and gas works are pressing for supplies of coal, as in each case they are anxious to put some into stock. Prices at pit. South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. In view of the Easter holidays the pressure for supplies has been maintained. It is understood that there will be no transport of minerals on the railways from Wednesday night till Tuesday of next week, so that during the week- end there is likely to be great scarcity. The miners, too, will “ play” for a few days. Practically no fuel is obtainable outside contracts. Collieries are heavily booked up. Business continues to be based on the following quotations: — Prices at pit. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Wednesday, April 19. Best house coals Secondary do Current prices. 17/ 16/6 L’stweek’s prices. 17/ 16/6 Last year’s prices. 18/ 17/ Cobbles 16/ 16/ 17/ Nuts 15/ 15/ 16/6 Slack 12/6 12/6 12/9 Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including Cannock Chase) :— prices. prices. prices. House coal, best deep ... 22/ 22/ 20/ ■ Do. seconds deep 20/ 20/ 19/ Do. best shallow 19/ 19/ 18/6 Do. seconds do. 18/ 18/6 18/ 17/6 Best hard 18/6 16/6 Forge coal 16/ 16/ 14/ Slack Warwickshire:— 11/6 11/6 10/ House coal, best Ryder.. Do. hand-picked 19/ 19/ 19/6 cobs 18/ 18/ 17/6 Best hard spires 20/ 20/ 18/ Forge (steam) 16/ 16/ 13/6 D.S. nuts (steam) 14/6 14/6 14/6 Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 11/6 IRON. Activity prevails throughout the iron trade, every department being full of work. Nottingham. COAL. There has been no particular change in the condition of the coal trade in this county during the past week, the demand being still very strong in every department. The pressure on the domestic fuel branch has been about the same so far as the collieries are concerned, notwithstanding that the public demand on local merchants is not so brisk as recently. On the approach of the holiday the merchants were eager to obtain the largest possible supplies, as were also leaders at the landsale depots. The demand was such, however, that the collieries have been compelled to con- tinue the practice of limiting the supplies. In fact, orders can only be executed in accordance with the daily output, as there is no surplus fuel at the pit heads. There is still a very heavy demand for steam coal. Although exports are on a comparatively small scale,, the home requirements, in consequence of war work, are absorbing the greater part of the fuel available. The decision to work an extra day per week at one of the hard coal pits in the Leen Valley should tend to increase the output. As in other branches, there is a shortage in the supply of slacks, and all small fuels are in very keen request. Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights ..... Good house coals......... Secondary do............. Best hard coals.......... Secondary do............. Slacks (best hards)...... Do. (second) .......... Do. (soft)............. Current prices. 18/ -19/6 16/6—17/6 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ 11/ L’stweek’s prices. 18/ -19/6 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ 11/ Last year's prices. 19/ -21/ 17/6-18/ 15/ -17/ 20/ -22/ 18/ -19/ 13/ -15/ 11/ -12/6 11/ —12/ IRON. As usual in the week preceding a holiday, business has been on the quiet side. The weekly market on such occasions is a formal affair. Most of the iron works of the district will close till Wednesday or Thursday of next week, and the opportunity will be eagerly availed of to carry through much-needed repairs to machinery, which in these times is kept running at full speed. An event of some importance during the week was the publication of the official maximum prices for finished iron and steel. These are in accordance with the forecast in the Colliery Guardian a few weeks ago, except in the case of bar iron. In this branch there has been a readjustment, presumably to bring the rates into conformity with those fixed for pig iron. Second grade iron has been raised from <£13 5s. to £13 15s. a ton, net, f.o.t. at works, and marked bars are advanced by 5s. to £15, but this figure is subject to 2£ per cent. In normal times there is an accepted rule that marked bars should be 30s. a ton above merchant qualities, but in arranging the new prices this rule has been disregarded. Another change on the week is a further reduction in discounts on screwed and socketed tubes—in the case of gas, water, and steam qualities to the extent of 2.V per cent, gross, and in the case of galvanised, galvanised water, and galvanised steam qualities 5 per cent, gross. Fittings are not mentioned in connection with the altera- tion. The pig iron market is wonderfully strong, and as soon as the maximum prices are firmly established, as producers affirm they will soon be, negotiations will probably be opened with the Ministry of Munitions for an advance in these prices. A small business continues to be done in galvanised sheets at £27 10s. to £28 a ton. Prices for all kinds of steel keep exceedingly strong, and a surprise of the recently published schedule of prices is that there has been no readjustment in these branches, inasmuch as it is understood that prices well in excess of the maxima are offered, at any rate where the business did not come under Government control. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. The coal trade of North Wales is all that can be desired from the point of view of demand, but the sellers could do with a greatly increased output, were it possible to obtain this, but the prospects of doing so are at the present somewhat remote. The labour troubles at Liverpool and Birkenhead in connection with the dockers have now abated, at any rate for the present, and work has been resumed. All the collieries were able to work full time last week, and the demand is keener than ever this week on account of the prospect of closing down from Thursday night until Tuesday next week for the Easter holiday. The house coal trade is fairly well maintained, though naturally there is a slight falling off in orders as the weather improves. There seem to be very few contracts made for this class of fuel this year. In regard to gas coal, the demand remains steady, sellers being requested to supply as much as they possibly can on account of the existing contracts. Owing to the scarcity of slack, there will be fewer contracts for nuts made this year than in former years. Steam coal is especially strong in demand, both for railway and manufacturing purposes. All the large railway companies which have contracts with the local collieries are using every endeavour to get a good supply to carry them over Easter, and the same remarks apply to firms engaged on manufacturing goods for the Government. Other firms, therefore, have to take their chance of getting supplies, and it is pretty much the same in regard to the shipping of coal at the Mersey ports, though several cargoes of North Wales coal have been shipped during the week,* and there are a number of enquiries on the market. Slack is very scarce, and the demand far exceeds the supply. In reference to prices, the price of house coal is well maintained and for the best large quality 21s. to 22s. per ton is the standard price quoted, seconds being offered at the usual Is. per ton less. Gas coal is quoted at 18s. to 19s. per ton, but there is an indefiniteness about this business, and very few contracts’ have as yet been fixed up. Negotiations are being carried on with the railway companies in regard to prices, of their new contracts, but this matter again seems to harig fire, and in the meantime supplies are being taken pending a settlement of the price. There are very few contracts for steam coal being made just now, but the average selling price is from 18s. to 19s. per ton, and 6d. per ton less in some cases for bunkers. Slack is readily sold from 10s. to Ils. 6d. per ton and gas coke is selling at 21s. 8d. per ton up to 25s. at the gas works. At the landsale depots, the retail prices for house coal are still 22s. 6d. to 27s. 6d. per ton, with 15s. to 16s. 8d, for household slack. The following is a complete list of prices :— Prices at pit. Prices at pit f.o.r. Best house coal ...... Secondary do......... Steam coal............ Gas coal.............. Bunkers............... Nuts ................. Slack ................ Gas coke (at works)... Prices landsale Best house coal ...... Seconds .............. Slack ................ Current prices. 21/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 10/ -12/ 21/8-25/ L’st week’s'Last year’s prices. I prices. 21/ -22/ ‘ 18/ -20/ 20/ -21/ 17/ -18/ 18/ -19/ ' 16/ -18/ 18/ -19/ 1 16/6-18/ I 18/ -19/ 1 15/9-16/9 | 17/6-18/6 12/ -15/ 10/ -12/ j 7/6- 9/6 21/8-25/ ! 13/4-16/8 25/ -27/6 25/ -27/6 j 23/4-26/8 22/6-25/ 22/6-25/ 20/ -22/6 15/ —16/8 15/ —16/8 10/10-13/4 Leicestershire. COAL. Business is being carried on under strenuous conditions, and with a very urgent demand for speedy deliveries of all classes of coal, colliery managers are compelled to carry out a policy of small consignments on account. There is an enormous demand for household and special classes of coal for the London district, while country coal merchants are pleading day by day for any class of coal to keep their trade going. Hundreds of coal yards are actually without a bit of coal, and any unforeseen stoppage would involve great hardships. The orders for manufacturing fuel keep pouring in, with the note that anything that can be sent will be accepted. There are no stocks of any kind at the collieries, and the railway companies, in order to mitigate the emer- gency, made special clearances of all full wagons in the colliery sidings on Sunday. The supply of railway-owned wagons is most irregular, and private wagons have to be used freely as the only ones available. Arrangements have been made to work on Good Friday, and to make holiday on Saturday and Monday. The following are the quotations, subject to special modifications, which are now generally in operation at the collieries in this district:— Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. The weekly record of the condition of affairs in this district is one of great difficulty in maintaining production at a sufficiently adequate level to meet the heavy demand for house and steam coal. The orders on hand for both qualities are considerably in arrear, and there is little chance of picking up for some time to come. Prices at pithead. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 21/6 21/6 21/6 Forest 20/6 20/6 20/6 Rubble 20/9 20/9 20/9 Nuts 19/ 19/ 19/ Rough slack Steam coal:— 11/6 11/6 14/ Large 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ 20/ -21/ Small 13/6-14/ 13/6-14/ 15/ -16/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Best household coal ..... Second, hand picked .... Deep screened cobbles ... Deep large nuts ......... Bakers’ nuts............ Small nuts............... Deep breeze ............. Peas ................... Small dust .............. Main nuts for London kitcheners............... Steams, best hand picked Steams, seconds ......... Main cobbles for kitcheners Main breeze.............. Current prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/ 16/ -16/6 15/ —15/6 14/6-15/ 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 L’stweek’s prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/ 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6 14/6-15/ 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ Last year’s prices. 18/6-19/6 17/6-18/6 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/ 14/ -14/6 13/6-14/6 11/9-12/ 3/ - 3/6 Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that during the past fortnight the south-western ports have received very little coal by sea, and rail supplies have been coming forward very slowly, which has resulted in some of the smaller buyers and remoter townships running rather short of coal. The stocks held by the larger importers have been able to redress this state of things, and on the whole this province has been fairly well supplied with 'coal. This applies also to the factories and gas and electric works. Although supplies have been scarce, there is now more coal on offer for forward delivery but at slightly higher prices. Monmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. The steam coal market maintains the exceedingly firm conditions described last week, great pressure being experienced for supplies. Collieries are not able to supply sufficient coal to meet the demand of tonnage now waiting to load, and which clamours to get away before the holidays. For this week there is practically no free coal for sale, while for the rest of the month any coal in the hands of middlemen commands big figures. Under present conditions colliery owners show no disposition to increase their bookings, while buyers seem rather inclined to hold back in the hope of seeing values become easier for May loading. At present these anticipations seem to have but slender foundations, as tonnage continues to arrive in considerable quantities—quite enough, in fact, to replace the steamers sent away, while chartering is not at all unsatisfactory, although, because of the stemming difficulty, rates are irregular and easier. Colliery outputs, too, are going to be much reduced next week, as, though the holiday is officially limited to two days, not a half of an ordinary week’s outturn can be reckoned upon. Smalls relatively are stiffer values to-day than any other sorts. Pitwood now rules easier than for some time, values basing on 35s. for good wood ex ship. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Current L’stweek’s 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 15/9-16/9 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 15/9-16/9 13/ -14/ Mr. Thomas Harrison Burdess, Cinderford, left estate of the gross value of £5,587. The Consolidated Mines Selection Company Limited has provisionally agreed to advance £300,000 to the Transvaal Coal Trust Company Limited, and will have an option during five years to purchase 100,000 Coal Trust shares (£1) at 65s. each. Steam coals: — Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals ..... Secondary do.......... Inferior do........... Screenings ........... Through coals ........ Best washed nuts...... Other sorts:— Best house coal....... Secondary do.......... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ......... prices. 45/ -50/ 45/ -47/6 42/6-45/ 41/ -42/6 22/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 15/ -18/ 23/ -24/ 26/ -28/ 31/ —32/6 | prices. I 45/ -50/ 1 45/ -47/6 1 42/6-45/ 41/ -42/6 22/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 15/ -18/ 23/ -24/ 26/ -28/ 31/ -32/6 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 42/6-44/ 45/ -47/6 55/ -60/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 42/6-44/ 45/ -47/6 55/ -60/ prices. 33/6-35/ 33/ -33/6 32/ -33/ 30/ -31/ 18/ -19/ 17/6-18/ 17/ -17/6 18/6-19/ 23/ -24/6 24/ -24/6 28/ -29/ 26/ -27/ 33/ -34/ 32/ -33/ 37/ -39/