Januaby 12, 1917. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 79 there the matter must rest until the matters in dispute between this country and Norway are adjusted. Mean- while, it is to be noted that the enquiry of the Norwegian State Railways for 18,500 tons of Northumberland, Yorkshire and/or Derbyshire steams for delivery up to February 10 has been withdrawn, it being manifestly futile to persist with it under the circumstances. So far as Durham coals are concerned, the market is very active and increasingly firm, the Durham product not being so much affected by the prohibition regarding exports to Norway as are North- umbrian coals, and being in strong prompt demand by home consumers and by the Admiralty. A considerable quantity of tonnage for the carriage of Durham coal has been stemmed during the week, and supplies are now very scarce and dear. Gas bests have advanced by from 6d. to Is. on the week; seconds by 2s.; specials are from Is. to 2s. dearer ; coking coals are 2s. increased ; coking smalls are from Is. to 2s. more. With the shipping activity, the bunker market has taken a turn for the better, Durham bunkers being from 2s. to 3s. higher, and Northumbrian sorts Is. advanced. There is considerable pressure for coke supplies, and stocks being short, selling values are increasing. Foundry coke is nominally unaltered on the week but the tendency certainly favours sellers. Blastfurnace coke is from 2s. to 3s. dearer. Gas coke suffered a loss of Is. in price a few days ago but now tends to advance. There is no change of note in the market for household coal. An intimation has been posted on Newcastle Commercial Exchange to the effect that all coal shipments to the French colonies and to the South of France and Italy since October 31 must be promptly registered with the local Coal Exports Committee. During last week 31,454 tons of coal and 3,943 tons of coke were despatched from Dunston, a decrease of 2,766 tons of coal and 293 tons of coke when compared with the ship- ments for the corresponding week of last year. The Blyth clearances totalled 24,155 tons of coal and coke, a decrease of 25,049 tons. The authorities at Tyne Dock state that the Government has forbidden them to discontinue m'aking a public return of shipments from that place, a somewhat extraordinary state of affairs in view of the fact that public returns of shipments at other centres are still being made, as is evidenced by the figures just given. Late’-.—At the time of despatching this report, tonnage supplies have taken a turn for the worse, largely by reason of a recrudescence of wintry weather having interfered with the normal arrivals of vessels, and lower figures are reported to have been accepted for steam coals in order that stocks may be kept down and the necessity of temporarily stopping the pits obviated. Consternation is expressed amongst coal exporters at the news that, from Wednesday of this week, the “ limited” rates of freight to Mediterranean ports have been increased by 2s. 6d. per ton in the case of vessels not exceeding 2,000 tons. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. • Current L’stweek’s Last year’s Steam coals :■— prices. prices. prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... 29/ -30/ 30/ 25/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 28/6-30/ 29/ -30/ i 25/ Secondary, Blyths 22/6-25/ 24/ -26/ 21/ . Do. Tynes (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... 24/ -26/ 24/ -26/ 22/ Unscreened 20/ -22/6 20/ -22/6 19/ -20/ Small, Blyths 18/ —19/ 18/ -19/ 13/6 Do. Tynes 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 11/6 Do. specials 20/ 20/ -21/ 14/6-15/ 21/. ' Other sorts:— Smithies 20/ -22/ 20/ Best gas coals (New Pelton -or Holmside) 26/ -28/ 25/ -27/6 22/ -22/6 Secondary gas coals (Pelaw Main or similar) 22/ -22/ 18/ -20/ 20/ -21/ Special gas coals 32/ -34/ 30/ -33/ 23/ -24/ Unscreened bunkers, Durhams 19/ -22/ 17/ -19/ 20/ -22/ Do. do. Northumbrians 19/ -21/ 18/ -20/ 20/ -22/6 Coking coals 20/ —22/ 18/ -20/ 21/ —22/ Do. smalls 18/ -20/ 17/ -18/ 21/ House coals 27/6-30/ 40/ -45/ 40/ -41/ 27/6-30/ 23/ -25/ Coke, foundry 40/ -45/ 36/ -38/ Do. blast-furnace 37/ -39/ 33/ -35/ 28/ Do. gas 32/ —33/ 32/ -34/ Sunderland. COAL. The exports from Sunderland last week amounted to 49,490 tons of coal and 730 tons of coke, as compared with 53,895 tons of coal and 405 tons of coke for the corresponding period of 1916, being a decrease of 4,405 tons of coal and an increase of 325 tons of coke. In spite of the stoppage of the shipments to Norway, the tone of the coal market is steady. All classes of coal are firmer, and maintain the recent improvement in prices. Steady requisitions on the part of the Admiralty and shipments to Denmark and other European countries tend to counter-balance the loss of the Norwegian trade. Collieries are well stemmed. Wear 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 prices. 32/6 22/ 30/ 24/6 30/ ' 30/ 19/ 19/ 23/ 19/ 18/ 20/ 23/ 19/6 18/6 42/6 28/ 32/ L’st week’s prices. 30/ 20/ • 30/ 24/6 28/6 28/6 18/ 18/ 31/6 18/6 17/6 20/ 24/6 19/ 18/ . 40/ 28/ 33/ 6 Last year’, prices. 22/6 21/6 25/ -26/ 22/ -23/ 25/ 25/ 22/ 22/ ' 22/6 21/6 20/ 21/6 23/ 22/6 20/6 40/ 35/ 28/ s special gas coals have realised 32s. 6d. Coking coal is in good demand, good brands being worth about 20s., the market range being from 19s. to 20s. All classes of bunkers have advanced, owing to a sharp prompt enquiry. Coke is firm, blastfurnace kinds being specially in request, owing to the lighting of additional furnaces in Cleveland, and foundry coke is still in good demand for export to France. Owing to the trouble with Norway, and the stoppage of coal shipments to that country, the enquiry of the Norwegian State Railways for 18,000 tons of steam coal has been withdrawn until licences and shipments can be arranged. Operations outwards are greatly restricted by the dearth of boats, and rates for outside destinations are firm and advancing. Recent fixtures are: London, 16s.; Gothenburg, 45 kr.; Huelva, 42s. 6d.; Algiers, 53s. 6d.; Barcelona, 60s.; Marseilles, 63s. 6d.; Gibraltar, 42s. 6d.; Oran, 53s. 6d.; Genoa, coke, 150s.; Port Said, 81s. option; Alexandria, 77s. 6d.; Dakar, 45s. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. The fuel trade is steady and firm, with the exception of steam coal, which is feeling the effect of prohibition of shipment. Ample tonnage is now forthcoming, and a brisk general business is passing. Best Durham gas coal runs from 26s. to 28s., and secondary qualities to 20s. to 21s. Bunker coal is in good request, and ordinary Durhams are realising round about 21s. ; whilst best sorts are 21s. 6d. to 22s. Rather heavy enquiries for coking coal are reported. Local absorption is large and growing, and demand for France is very considerable. For unscreened sorts 20s. is new generally asked. Household coal is in good request, and values show no change. Coke is very well taken up. Local consumption is heavy. For average blastfurnace kinds the fixed maximum of 28s. at the ovens continues to be readily realised, and the limitation price of 30s. 6d. at the ovens is still named for qualities low in phosphorus. Best foundry Coke varies from' 42s 6d. to 50s., and patent fuel is in the neighbourhood of 40s. Gas coke is quoted 32s. to 33s. IRON. There is a moderate business passing in Cleveland pig iron, and further sales for delivery this month to local consumers and to Scotland are expected, as some makers have already executed the orders allocated to them for January. A small sale is understood to have been made to Scandinavia, but licences for shipment to that quarter and to other neutral countries are still very difficult to secure. For home consumption No. 3 Cleveland pig iron, No. 4 foundry and No. 4 forge all stand at 87s. 6d., and No. 1 is 91s. 6d.; for despatch to our Allies No. 3 is fully 98s., No. 4 foundry 96s. 6d., No. 4 forge 95s. 6d., and No. 1 102s. 6d.; and for shipment to neutrals minimum quotations are 105s. for No. 3 and 110s. for No. 1. As regards east coast haematite iron a satisfactory home busi- ness is reported, consumers being able to cover their requirements without difficulty, but for the time being export sales are on a very limited scale. Licences for shipment of new business are withheld, as considerable parcels against contracts made some little time ago are overdue for loading. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are 122s. 6d. for home use, 137s. 6d. for shipment to France, and 142s. 6d. for export to Italy. So. far this month imports of foreign ore are heavy, and as further large arrivals are due during January, the unloadings for the first month of the year promise to be very satisfactory. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel have very full order books, and they report the production of mercantile shipbuilding material now large and increasing. Prices are very stiff. Common iron bars are .£13 15s.; iron ship plates, <£13 10s. to <£14 10s.; iron ship angles, <£13 15s.; iron ship rivets, <£17 10s. to <£18 10s.; steel bars (no test), <£14 10s.; steel ship plates, £11 10s.; steel ship angles, £11 2s. 6d.; steel ship rivets, £19 to £20; steel boiler plates, £12 10s.; steel joists, £11 2s. 6d.; heavy sections of steel rails, £10 17s. 6d.; packing iron and steel (parallel), £12; and packing iron and steel (tapered/, £14 10s. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The greatest activity prevails in all departments of the industry, and the output of both coal and cokp is barely keeping pace with requirements. The market is very firm, the demand for all classes of fuel grows keener, and requirements, even on local account, are now greater than can be satisfied. In the home market the demand for works fuel and smalls is unprecedented. In all branches business is brisker than it has been for years. The pressure of demand is enormous. Nothing like it has ever been, experienced before in this district. The needs, of home' consumers have increased since Christmas, and with the* continued activity in the iron, steel and engineering trades,, they are likely to become much larger before the end of the month. There is such a clamour for coal for home consumption, and requirements are increasing so quickly, that it will soon be impossible to cater for the Irish trade- in fact there is now so much needed in West Cumberland, at the various industries that the pits are at present almost independent of the coastwise market. Supplies for ship- ment are scarcer than ever, and the tonnage from Maryport to Irish ports is lower than it has been for years. Local needs have been so heavy this week that the amount of coal sent to the docks has scarcely been sufficient for one good cargo. All the pits are inundated with business, mainly in the home branches, and at the moment they have' little or none to dispose of outside of the district. Some of them are phenomenally busy on manufacturing account, and one or two of the larger collieries are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the growing needs of the by-product coke ovens. The requirements of the Cumber- land by-product coke ovens have increased enormously during the last few months, and so much small coal is now needed, not only at the ovens in West Cumberland but also at Whitehaven, that the collieries are at present unable to send any supplies out of the country. All the collieries are fully employed, and there has been a larger output this week. The house coal trade is tremendously brisk, and the demand is still in excess of the supply. Some of the depots are almost as busy as they were at Christmas, and it is not- expected that there will be any diminution on this account while the present hard weather continues. Gas coal for local use is a steady trade, but supplies are not over- plentiful, and the only consignments going away at present are on contract. Engine fuels are in firm request all over the county, and consumers have been receiving better supplies, but with the restricted train service now in operation some of the companies do not require quite so much coal as they did some time ago. Slacks, smalls and all varieties of fuel for industrial purposes are in strong demand, and practically the whole of the output is going to the iron and steel and other works in West Cumberland. The cross-Channel trade has been quieter than usual over the holidays. There is a steady demand for all sorts for the Irish market, but the collieries have so little to offer, and so much on hand locally, that they are scarcely in a position to deal with a quantity of the business on export account. All varieties of fuel for shipment are very scarce, but smalls for export are almost unobtainable. Irish consumers are only receiving little more, than a third of their requirements. During the week only three small cargoes have been shipped from Maryport to Ireland —two for Carrickfergus and one for Ballydoran—and the shipments have amounted to 500 tons, compared with 4,230 tons at the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of 1,490 compared with last week. The coke industry is working at high pressure, and all the by-product ovens in the county are in full operation. There has been a marked increase in production of late, but the entire output is being absorbed at the furnaces in West Cumber- land. The output is still inadequate to satisfy all require- ments, and local smelters are using between 5,000 and 6,000 tons of north-east coast coke weekly. There is continued activity in the by-products trade, and all the plants from Maryport to Workington are engaged at their fullest capacity. Prices of all sorts are firm but unchanged. Best Cumberland coal at the pit it quoted at from 22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from 20s. lOd. to 21s. 3d. per ton Best export coal is 19s. 6d. per ton f.o.b. at Maryport, with best washed nuts 17s. 6d. per ton. Best gas coal is 20s. per ton, with washed nuts at 19s. per ton delivered in the district. Bunkers are in very firm demand at from 21s. 6d. to 30s. per ton. Best house coal delivered in Maryport and district is quoted at from Is. 5|d. to Is. 6d. per cwt., from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at 25s. lOd. per ton, and seconds at 24s. 2d. per ton. At Workington, best house coal delivered is quoted at Is. 3d. to Is. 4d. per cwt., or from 24s. 2d. to 25s. lOd. per ton. Other current quotations are as follow:— Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Buckhill best coal „ Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit Oughterside best coal at pit Oughterside best washed nuts at pit St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit St. Helens best house nuts at pit Best dry small at pit Best steam nuts „ Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going steamers) Bunkers (mixed nuts and steam coal) (coastwise) Do. (foreign) Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- works Current prices. 23/4 ■21/3 ’ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/6 19/ 19/6 .17/6 25/ 30/ ’ 21/6 25/ 20/ 19/ L’st week’s prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/6 19/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ 21/6 ' 25/ 20/ 19/ Last year’s prices. 23/4' 21/3 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 12/ 19/ 19/6 17/6 19/ 19/ 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 19/3 18/3 IRON. The Cumberland and North Lancashire haematite iron trade continues to exhibit marked strength. All over the iron smelting district, the greatest activity is noticeable in the several industries, and the output of both iron and steel is now larger than it has been for some years. Each of the industries is doing its utmost to secure a production which is equal to the demand, but requirements on both local and general home account are far greater than can be coped with, and there is no doubt that this state of affairs will continue for some time, even though a big stride is taken in increasing the output of iron. There is a phenomenal demand for metal, both ordinary and special iron, and makers have sufficient orders on hand to keep them exceedingly busy for some months to come. Since last week no additional furnaces have been lighted, but preparations are still being made to increase the production, and it is stated that one or two of the iurnaces in West Cumberland, which are now almost ready for lighting, will be put into blast at the end of this month. With such a keen demand for iron, prices are easily main- tained at the Government maximum, and Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.t., with warrants at cash at 115s. per ton. Special iron is 140s. per ton, and semi-special is quoted at* 135s. ,6d. per ton f.o.t. There has been no change in "the position of ferro- manganese. The number of furnaces in blast on the west coast is 30, 21 of which are in Cumberland, and the remaining nine are in the Furness district. The Workington Iron and Steel Company have 13 furnaces in blast at Workington and Maryport, Millom have four, and Cleator Moor and Dis ting ton have two furnaces each in draught. In the Furness district, Barrow have five, and Carnforth and North Lonsdale have two each in blast. The entire output, which is going into immediate use, is being •distributed to consumers whose wants are deemed most important. Practically all the Bessemer iron is going into consumption locally at the steel works, and the bulk of the special and semi-special iron is being consigned to con- sumers in Scotland and the Midlands. A substantial tonna.ge is also going to controlled firms in other districts. The steel trade is heavily engaged, and the mills at both Workington and Barrow are as busy as they can possibly be. Both places are maintaining a big output of special work for the Government, but it will be very much larger • during the next few months, when more iron is available, and the new plant is put into full operation. The