THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 1243 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ June 30, 1916. ____________ THE WELSH C06L AHD 1ROH TRADES. Thursday, June 29. ___________________________________________ Monmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. The steam coal market has been almost stationary for the past week, there having been little move in values of any description. Tonnage supplies have improved a little, yet they are less than shippers would like, although quite sufficient to keep down the quantity of fire coal available. For best qualities there continues a big Government demand, which strictly limits other business. There is a fair enquiry met with on the market, but as yet little business has matured for next month beyond the first week. Chartering has been quiet, rates continuing to rule easy, especially for Mediterranean ports. Meanwhile buyers are watching with interest for the result of the negotiations over the French limitation of prices scheme, the working of which has not been too smooth. As the existing freight rates stand, they show inducements to owners to give preference to particular ports as offering more remunera- tive business. Adjustments may be looked for. Prices in all departments show practically no change since last writing, with no weakness in the undertone of the market. Pitwood is now quoted 41s. to 42s. ex ship, for good French fir. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. 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 ........I Best washed nuts......| Other sorts:— Best house coal........ Secondary do.......... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ......... Current prices. 49/ -51/ 48/ -49/ 47/ -48/ 39/ -43/ 26/ -27/ 23/ -24/ 20/ -21/ 26/ -27/ 25/ -30/ 30/ -33/ 23/ -24/ 22'/ -23/ 55/ -60/ 50/ -52/6 61/ -62/ L’st week’s prices. 49/ -51/ 48/ -49/ 47/ -48/ 39/ -43/ 25/ -27/ 23/ -24/ 20/ -21/ 26/ -27/ 26/ -30/ 30/ -33/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 55/ -60/ 50/ -52/6 61/ -62/ 5 Last year’s prices. . 26/ -27/ I 23/ -25/ | 21/ -22/ 19/ -44/ j 17/6-18/6 I 16/6-17/ I 15/6-16/ I 18/ -18/6 19/ -20/ 19/ -19/6 ' 28/ -29/ 26/ -27/ I 34/ -35/ 33/ -34/ 38/ -40/ despatched 27,170 tons, of which 8,582 tons went to Bristol and 7,270 tons to London; from Newport 46,637 tons, of which Dublin received 12,520 tons, Cork 8,130 tons, and Waterford 4,612 tons ; from Port Talbot 6,040 tons ; and from Swansea 18,490 tons, of which 7,050 tons went to Dagenham. With regard to prices the market shows little fluctuation. Best and superior second Admiralties are not quoted. Ordinary seconds are still 49s. to 50s., and ordinaries 48s. to 49s. In consequence of the heavy demands for Monmouthshire coals, particularly for Italy, prices have been well main- tained, and they command as much as second best Welsh steams. Black Veins are 49s. to 50s., western valleys 48s. to 50s., and the best of the easterns 46s. to 48s. per ton. There is a continued firmness in small steams, and supplies are not equal to the demand. Best bunkers range from 29s. to 30s., with an occasional rise even above these figures. Ordinary qualities are 26s. to 28s., and cargo sorts 20s. to 25s. according to variety. For inland purposes, there is still a heavy demand for all descriptions of bituminous coal, and quotations have been steadily upheld. No. 3 B/honda large is 49s. to 50s., through-and- through 37s. 6d. to 41s., and smalls 30s. to 35s. For No. 2 large 35s. to 37s. 6d. is given, through 29s. to 31s., and smalls 24s. to 25s. per ton. Arrivals of pitwood have been heavy and current quotations are wide, varying from 38s. to 42s. per ton. A local committee has been formed with the object of regulating pitwood freights, and an appointment has been made with a representative of the Ministry of Munitions with the object of arranging definite fixed rates from the chief Bay, Spanish and Portuguese ports. Patent fuel shipments last week amounted to about 25,000 tons, of which the Crown Company despatched over 10,000 tons and Swansea 11,500 tons. Prices are steady at 48s. to 55s., according to brand. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). _________________________________________________________ also the machine-made descriptions. Beans andb peas remained steady, whilst rubbly culm and duff were on the easy side. Steam large was well taken up, and throughs and smalls were satisfactorily placed. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash, in 30 days). Current Anthracite:— prices. Best malting large (hand picked) ...’. 33/ -34/ Secondary do. ...'30/ -32/' Swansea Valley large ...' 30/ -34/ Red Vein large ......| 25/ -29/ ........... ........... Machine-made cobbles 37/ -40/ Paris nuts ........... — French do............ 38/ -40/ Stove do.............. 38/ -40/ Beans ............... 33/ -34/6 Machine - made large peas ............. 21/ -22/6 ................. Do. fine peas .... — Rubbly culm......... 13/6-14/6 ......... Duff.................. 51 - 5/6 Steam coals:— Best large ........... 40/ -42/ Seconds .............. 38/ -40/ Bunker throughs __..... 32/6-36/ Small ....................... 20/ -22/6 Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large ______.......... 47/6-49/ Thro’-and-thro’......; — Small ............i 28/ -30/ ............ Patent fuel ............, 50/ -52/ IRON. There is little change to report in the local iron and steel trades. Prices are firm. Continued activity is seen at tin-plate bar mills, with quotations officially at <£14 10s. for both Bessemer and Siemens bars. Steel rails remain unaltered at values around .£14 for heavy sections, with very few free lots about. It is difficult to obtain quotations for Welsh haematite, official values of which are based upon £7 2s. 6d. delivered locally. Iron ore is a strong market. Tin-plates again remain unaltered on the week, official prices being based upon 37s. 3d. to 37s. 6d. for 20 x 14, and 74s. 6d. to 74s. 9d. for 28 x 20 either Siemens or Bessemer primes. Cardiff. COAL. The tonnage position has rather improved since last week> and arrivals over the week end were in excess of sailings? with the result that conditions, if anything, are rather easier. Shipments during last week showed a great falling off in quantity, and, in fact, were lower than at any time since the commencement of the war. The total exports from the Bristol Channel only amounted to 258,575 tons, compared with 362,346 tons in the corresponding period, or a decrease of 103,771 tons. These figures, of course, do not include shipments on Admiralty account. From Cardiff there were despatched 83,069 tons, against 195,757 tons, or a falling off of 112,688 tons, from Newport 75,596 tons, or a decline of 5,082 tons, from Swansea 57,933 tons, or a decrease of 19,269 tons ; and from Port Talbot 41,977 tons, or an increase of 33,268 tons. Outputs have again reached prac- tically a normal level, but the demands of the Government both for our own consumption and for that of the Allies are so great that very little free coal is available for ordinary commercial purposes. Best and superior second Admiral! ies are quite unobtainable, and even for other descriptions, including Monmouthshires, the Government demands are so great that there is a scarcity for export to neutral countries. As a matter of fact, out of the total exports last week the Allied countries received no less than 86 per cent., and neutrals only 14 per cent., and there is considerable difficulty in obtaining the necessary licences. The work of allocating exports and tonnage is not yet completed, but it is hoped that a start will be made with the new scheme in the course of a few days. Many ship owners are fighting shy of the schedule rates specified by the Government, and in a few instances they are offering their boats on time charter at a figure which is considerably in excess of the freights laid down by the new regulations. The advan- tages of this arrangement from a ship owner’s standpoint are obvious, as the risk of detention at French ports is transferred to the exporter. A number of fixtures on the basis of 50s. per ton for six months have been arranged, and it is argued that on these figures shippers with specified contracts run little risk of loss. Chartering last week showed a considerable improvement, the amount of tonnage taken up being 95,550 tons, compared with 58,160 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 37,390 tons. The statistical returns of the London Custom House, which have recently come to hand show that the average declared prices of the various descriptions of coal during the month of April wi Steam coals:— | Best Admiralty steam; coals ..............I Superior seconds ......I Seconds ........__..... Ordinary do........... Best bunker smalls.... Best ordinaries....... Cargo qualities....... Inferior smalls ...... Best dry coals ....... Ordinary drys ........ Best washed nuts ..... Seconds .............. Best washed peas...... Seconds .............. Dock screenings ...... Monmouthshire— Black Veins __....... Western-valleys .... Eastern-valleys .... Inferior do......... Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) Second qualities (at pit) No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large.... Through-and-through Small .............. No. 2 Rhondda— Large............... Through-and-through Small .............. Best patent fuel ....... Seconds ................ Special foundry coke ... Ordinary do. ........... Furnace coke ........... Pitwood (ex-ship) ......I Current prices. __* __& 49/ -50/ 48/ -49/ 29/ -30/ 26/ -28/ 20/ -25/ 20/ -21/ 47/6-48/6 44/ -47/ 36/ -38/ 33/ -36/ 32/ -35/ 30/ -32/ 49/ -50/ 48/ -50/ 46/ —48/ 40/ -45/ 23/ -24/ 21/ -22/ 49/ -50/ 37/6-41/ 30/ -35/ 36/ -38/ 29/ —31/ 24/ -25/ 50/ -55/ 48/ -50/ 62/6-65/ 60/ -62/6 50/ -55/ 38/ -42/ * Nominal. L’st week’sLast year’s prices. ! prices. 33/ -34/ 30/ -32/ 30/ -34/ 25/ -29/ 37/ -40/ 38/ -40/ j 38/ -40/ 33/ -34/6 21/ -22/6 13/6—14/6 5/ - 5/6 : 22,6-24,6 21/6-22/6 : 18/6-21,6 ; 17/9-18,9 j 28,6-31/ ' 29/ -32/ ’ 26/6-30,6 : 24/6-25/6 ' 17/ -18,6 ‘ 11/ -11,9 6/6 - 6/9 40/ -42/ ( 27/ —29/ 38/ -40/ 23/ -25,6 32/6-36/ 17/6-20/6 20/ -22/6 ■ 13/6-15 6 47/6-49/ ; 26/ -29/ 28/ -30/6 ; 19/6-21/ 50/ -52/ j 30/ -32/ as follows:— Cardiff. Newport. Swansea. Per ton. Per ton. Per ton. Per ton. s. d. s. cl. s. d. s. d. 24 9 .. .26 0 .. .26 0 .. .. 27 4 22 7 .. .22 6 .. . 19 1! .. . 18 10 16 9 .. . 18 10 .. . 15 3 .. . 15 7 — .20 0 .. .23 9 .. . 24 7 28 1 .. .20 0 .. .28 4 .. — Large steam ....... Through-and-through Small steam ....... Large anthracite... Household......... The coastwise shipments from the Bristol Channel during the month of May amounted to 71,964 tons, compared with 110,060 tons in the corresponding month of last year, or a decrease of 38,096 tons. From Cardiff alone there were L’st week’slLast year’s prices. | prices. __* ! __ ; __* i ________ ' 49/ -50/ : — i 4S/ -49/ 1 25/ —26/ i 29/ -30/ ; 19/6-20/ 26/ -28/ I 18/6—19/ 20/ -22/6 j 15/ -16/ j 19/ -20/ ; 14/ -15/ 1 47/6-48/6 i 26/ -27/ i 44/ -47/ ; 21/ —23/ ; 36/ -38/ 1 25/ -26/ 1 33/ -36/ j 24/ -25/ - 32/ -35/ I 22/6-23/6 ; 30/ -32/ ! 21/ -22/ i - J wl , 49/ -50/ ; 26/ -27/ 48/ -49/ 124/ -25/ 46/ -48/ ! 21/ —23/ 40/ -45/ ; 19/ -20/ 23/ -24/ ! 30/ ■ 21/ -22/6 ! 27/ -29/ 47/ -50/ 1 37/6-41/ 30/ -35/ I 38/ -40/ j 32/ -35/ 24/ -25/ 50/ -52/6 48/ -50/ 62/6-65/ 60/ -62/6 50/ -55/ 1 40/ -41/ ; 28/ j 25/ I 21/ : 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ ; 16/ -16/6 1 35/ ' 33/ ; 40/ -42/6 j 35/ -38/ i 30/ -33/ ; 27/ -27/6 IRON. The position in the tin-plate trade is practically unaltered. Works are busy, and the output as large as can be maintained considering the increasing shortage of labour and material. Receipts from works were 84,498 boxes, whilst the exports amounted to 93,259 boxes, leaving 198,384 boxes in stock in the docks, warehouses and vans. Prices are unchanged, Bessemer standard cokes being 37s., and oil sizes 37s. 6d. and 53s. respectively. Steel bars are nominally quoted at <£14 per ton, but makers who had been hard pressed have willingly paid 10s. in addition to these figures. As a result of the Conciliation Board meeting, which was held on Tuesday, the tin-plate workers are to receive an all-round additional advance of 12| per cent, as from Monday next. About 25,000 employees are affected, and the increase is stated to represent a sum of about <£187,000 a year. In the iron and steel trade all the works are exoeptionally busy, especially on Government orders, and for outside business it is extremely difficult to obtain quotations. The agitation for increased wages on the part of the men has at last been settled, and although they demanded an imme- diate advance of 30 per cent., the offer of the employers to concede 15 per cent, has been accepted. This will date from June 1. Welsh pig iron is without change, and is quoted as nominal. There is no alteration in the galvanised sheet trade, but makers are turning out large quantities of black plate, of which 2,500 tons were exported last week. With the cheapening of spelter, however, which is now down to <£65 per ton, with an additional discount for forward business, there is a prospect of a revival in the near future. Current quotations are <£27 to <£28 per ton. There is no change in the iron ore market, or in scrap metals, which continue at high prices. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port last week was only moderate. The coal and patent fuel trades were fair, the shipments together amounting to 83,704 tons. There was a good attendance on ’Change, but the anthracite market remained slow. The arrival of tonnage over the last few days has been more satisfactory, and a better position has developed in the superior grades. The lower qualities continue to suffer on account of insufficient steamers, and parcels were again offering at easy levels. Large coal of all qualities could be obtained at reduced prices for prompt shipment; Llanelly. COAL. The shortage of tonnage still continues acute, and is having a weakening effect on the market. Orders are plentiful, but the difficulty in giving clearance to wagons is handicapping collieries and making it difficult for them to work full time. It is therefore possible to obtain spot lots of practically all qualities at easier figures for prompt shipment. The Government and also the railway companies’ demands continue unchanged. Inland trade is firm, and collieries are at the moment able to rail better supplies to their customers. This week’s quotations approximately are as follow: — Prices f.o.b. I Current Anthracite :— ' prices. Best malting large .... 31/ -33/ Secondary do........; 29/6-30/6 Big Vein large __..... 28/6-30/ ' Red Vein do..........1 26/ -28/ Machine-made cobbles... 35/ -38/ Stove nuts............! 35/6-37/ French do........... 35/6-37/6 Paris do........................ 34/6—36/6 Machine-made beans ...; 31/6-34/6 Do. peas..........__ 22/ -23/ Culm' ................ 13/6-14/ .................. Duff.................., 5/ - 5/6 Other sorts :— 1 Large steam coal...... 36/6-38/6 ................ Through-and-through... 32/6-34/6 Small ................ 20/ -22/ Bituminous small coal... 29/ -31/6 L’st week’s prices. 33/ -36/ 31/ -32/6 32/6-34/6 26/ -30/ 35/ -38/ 37/ -40/ 37/6-40/6 36/6—39/6 33/6-34/6 22/ -23/ 14/ -15/ 4/6- 5/ 41/ -43/ 32/6-35/6 21/6-23/6 29/ -31/6 ? Last year’s prices. 22/ -24/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ , 17/ -18/6 0 28/ -30/ 25/ -28/ ' 28/ -32/ ' 28/ -31/ ; 23/ -25/ 5 16/6-17/6 11/6-12/6 ‘ 6/6- 7/6 ; 26/ -29/ ! 18/ -20/ 17/ -18/ ; 20/ -21/6 ________________ THE BY-PRODUCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—Business is quiet, and there is a slackness about the market generally. Nevertheless, prices keep steady, considering. Nearest values are :— Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. Benzols, 90’s ..................... l/0| ... — ,, 90’s North ................ /10i—/111 ... __ ............................ ,, 50’s North ................ 1/3—1/4 ... — Toluol ............................ 2/3 ... — Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... 3/4 ... — ,, crystals (40 per cent.) 1/3 ... — Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... 2/—2/1 ... — Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 190 degs.), as in quality and package... 2/1—2/2 ... — Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) .... /6|—/7 ... — Creosote (for ordinary qualities) .... /2|—/2J ... — ............ Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) .......... 15/ ... — ,, (f.a.s. west coast) ............ 14/—14/6 ... — Tar (per ton ex works) ............ 15/6—19/6 ... — [Benzols, toluol, creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at maker's works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch f.o.b. net.'] Sulphate of Ammonia.—The tone of the market is satis- factory, though the actual amount of business passing is somewhat restricted. Closing prompt prices are :— London (ordinary makes) ... £16/15 Beckton (25 per cent.) ____ £15/17/6 Liverpool ............... £16/17/6—£17 Hull .................. £16/15 ■ Middlesbrough .......... £16/17/6 Scotch ports ............ £16/15—£17/5 Wales ................. £16/12/6 Nitrate of soda (ord.) per cwt 18/44 Rise ( + ) or fall ( —) on the week. [Sulphate of ammonia, f.o.b. in bags, less 2J discount; 24 per cent, ammonia, good grey allowance for refraction, nothing for excess.] per cent. quality ; _______________________________ It is stated on good authority that important developments are likely to take place shortly in connection with the Cumberland coal field. A new company, it is said, is in course of formation, with ample capital, to sink a new colliery on ground which has already been proved in the Blaithwaite district at the north-eastern portion of the Cumberland coal field.