January 19, 1917.

131

THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN.
_________________________________________________________________________________

Prices f.o.b. Sunderland.

	Current	L'st week’s Last year’	
Gas coals:—	prices.	prices.	prices.
Special Wear gas coals	30/ .	32/6	23/
Secondary do.	20/	22/	21/6
House coals:—			
Best house coals 		30/	30/	26/
Ordinary do	  Other sorts:—	24/	24/6	23/
Lambton screened 		30/	30/	26/
South Hetton do		30;	30/	26/
Lambton unscreened ...	19/	. 19/	21/6
South Hetton do		19/6	19/	21/6
. Do.	treble nuts	25/6	23/	22/
Coking coals unscreened	20/	19/	21/6
Do. smalls 			18/6	18/	20/6
Smithies				20/	20/	21/
Peas and nuts 		26/	23/	22/6
Best bunkers		21/	19/6	22/6
Ordinary bunkers			19/6	18/6	20/6
Coke:—			
Foundry coke 			42/6	42/6	40/
Blast-furnace coke (did.			
Teesside furnaces) ...	28/	28/	;	35/
Gas coke			30/ -31/	32/	|	28/

s

Middlesbrough-on-Tees.

GOAL.

A continuance of stormy weather has reduced arrivals of
steamers, and turns are disorganised. The lack of full
loading facilities has thrown a good deal of coal on the
market, with the result that some descriptions have fallen .
a little in price. Best Durham gas coal is now obtainable
at 25s., though many sellers name 26s., and second qualities
are in the neighbourhood of 20s. Bunker coal is easier.
Ordinary Durhams are 20s., and up to 22s. is asked for best
sorts. Household coal keeps steady and firm. Coking coal
is well taken up at round about 19s. Coke was in large and
still steadily growing demand for local use. Furnace kinds
continued to realise the fixed maximums. Thus average
sorts were 28s. at the ovens, and low phosphorus qualities
30s. 6d. at the ovens. Best foundry coke ranges from
42s. 6d. to 47s. 6d., and patent runs from 41s. to 42s. 6d.
Gas coke is put at 32s.

IRON.

characterise all branches of the
Production of pig iron promises
the near future by the blowing

Firmness continues to
iron and steel industries,
to be further increased in
in of more furnaces. Cleveland pig is in good request both
for home consumption and for shipment, and considerable
business is passing. For home use No. 3 Cleveland pig,
No. 4 foundry, No. 4 forge all stand at 87s. 6d., and No. 1 is
91s. 6d. For shipment to our Allies the general market
quotation of No. 3 is 98s., but rather large sales are
reported to have been made to Italy at 97s. 6d. No. 1 is
102s.-6d., No. 4 foundry 96s. 6d., and No. 4 forge 95s. 6d.
for despatch to the Allies. For shipment to neutral
countries the minimum rates named are 105s. for No. 3,
and 110s. for No. 1. Consumers of east coast haematite
iron report good and regular supplies coming in. Sales for
home use are fairly heavy, but export business is stagnant,
owing to continued difficulty in obtaining licences. Permits
for export of recent sales are not likely to be granted until
the arrears of loading against contracts made some little
time ago have been largely made up. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are
122s. 6d. for home use, 137s. 6d. for shipment to France,
and 142s. 6d. for export to Italy. Imports of foreign ore to

1 Middlesbrough are on a satisfactory scale. To date this
month the unloadings amount to 112,285 tons. Finished
iron and steel manufacturers are stated to have very full
order books. Production of mercantile shipbuilding
material is reported to have assumed very considerable
proportions and to be still steadily growing. Quotations
all round are very firm.

and merchants are finding it rather difficult to get enough
to satisfy their customers. Orders are still coming in
quicker than they can be dealt with, and most of the
depots have already booked sufficient business to keep
them very busily employed till well on into the
next month. Gas coal is a very active trade,
and the only stocks going away at present are for the
public gas companies <in the district. There has been a
small shipment to Bangor this week, but with this exception
no stocks are being sent out of the county. Locomotive
fuels for the local railways are in very keen demand, but as
supplies of best steam coal are rather scarce, one or two of
the companies are still receiving some good consignments
by rail from Scotland and Northumberland. There is a
strong and growing demand for all kinds of works fuel, and
requirements of home consumers are still expanding. The
bulk of the production is going to the iron ore mines, the
iron and steel works and the engineering shops in West
Cumberland, and after these have been fully satisfied there
is not a big surplus left, either for outside or Irish con-
sumers. As far as the cross-channel trade is concerned,
the position is more satisfactory, and the outlook is
brighter than it has been for some weeks. It is still
impossible to send sufficient coal to the docks, and no very
great improvement is likely to. take place while home needs
are urgent, but it is possible there will be bigger supplies
for shipment when there is some easement on local land-
sale account. There is a very strong demand for all sorts
for Ireland, but the pits are still too busy locally to deal
with much of the business in the export branch One or
two good cargoes of manufacturing and house coal have
been shipped, but the collieries are still unable to spare
any supplies of small coal for the Irish markets. During
the week 12 vessels have sailed from Maryport with coals,
all for Irish ports, and the" shipments have amounted to
2,710 tons, compared with 4,860 tons at the corresponding
period of last year, or an increase of 2,210 tons compared
with the previous week. The largest cargoes were for
Belfast, Limerick, Carrickfergus, Donaghadee and Portrush.
The. imports this week also included two good cargoes of
pit timber from Dumfries, for the collieries in this locality.
Coke makers are busier than ever all over the district, and
there is a keen demand for local coke. All the by-product
coke ovens from Whitehaven to Oughterside are in full
operation, and the whole of the production is going to the
furnaces in West Cumberland and the Millom district.
Business is very brisk in the by-products trade, and all the
chemical works in this neighbourhood are very busily
engaged. There has been no alteration either in home or
export prices. Best sorts at the pit are quoted at from
22s. 6d. to 23s. 4d. per ton, with best washed nuts at from
20s. lOd. to 21s. 3d. per ton. Best shipping coal is 19s. 6d.
per ton f.o.b. at Maryport, with best washed nuts at 17s. 6d.
per ton. Best gas coal is quoted at 20s. per ton delivered
in the district. All varieties of bunkers are in very firm
demand. Best sorts for foreign-going vessels are 30s. per
tod, and best sorts for coastwise steamers are 25s. per ton.
At Maryport, best house coal delivered is quoted at from
Is. 5|d. to is. 6d. per cwt., or from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 4d. per
ton. At Workington, best house coal delivered is Is. 4d.
per cwt., or 25s. lOd. per ton, with beat washed nuts at
Is. 3d. per cwt., or 24s. 2d. per ton. Other current quotations
are as follow :—

to Carnforth, 21 of which are in Cumberland and the
remaining nine are in North Lancashire. In Cumberland the
Workington Iron and Steel Company have 13 furnaces
blowing at Workington and Maryport, viz.:—four at Derwent,
three at Moss Bay, two each at the Lowther^ and Oldside
Works, all at Workington, and two at the Solway Works at
Maryport. Cleator Moor and Distington have two furnaces
each in blast; Millom have four, and Barrow have five ; and
Carnforth and North Lonsdale have each two furnaces in
operation. All the furnaces with the exception of two, are
^busily engaged in special, semi-special and Bessemer iron,
'and the whole of the output is going into immediate con-
sumption The entire production of special iron, which is
now being allocated and distributed by the Government,
is being sent to consuming areas where it is most urgently
needed, but a large proportion is still going to consumers
engaged on important work for the Government in Scotland
and the Midlands. Some ordinary iron is now being sent
to users outside the district, but the bulk of the make
is still retained for use locally at the steel works. The
steel trade is exceedingly brisk. All the mills at both
Barrow and Workington are in full swing, and are steadily
increasing their output. No rails are being rolled, and at
present no peace business is being booked. Steel rails,
heavy sections, are quoted at from £10 17s. 6d. to .£11 10s.
per {ton ; light sections* from £12 to .£12 10s. per ton;
heavy tram rails, .£12 5s. per ton, and billets .£12 per ton.
Engineering is very busy, and most of the shops in this
district are very actively engaged on Government account.
The Cumberland iron ore industry is in a flourishing condi-
tion. All the iron ore pits in the district, from Cleator
Moor to Millom, are working full time, and although every
effort is being made to keep production as high as possible,
the output is still very much below actual requirements.
Sufficient high grade ores are being mined, but the amount
of ordinary sorts raised is inadequate for all the furnaces
on Bessemer iron. All contracts from users outside the
district have ceased, and the whole of the production from
the Cumberland iron ore mines is going to smelters in
West Cumberland and the Furness area. There has been
no alteration in prices. Ordinary grades of native ore are
from 21s. to 30s. per ton; better sorts are from 31s. to
36s. 6d. per ton, and best Hodbarrow ore is quoted at 38s.
per ton, all net at the mines.

______________

Cumberland.

Maryport.

The Cumberland coal trade remains exceedingly brisk.
With a fuller output the stringency of a week or two ago
has been somewhat relaxed, but the collieries are still very
busy, and they have enough to do to satisfy the needs of
their customers. The clamour for coal is very keen on all
accounts, and the output is still a long way short of what is
actually required, but production has improved so much
durino* the last few days that it has been possible to cope
more ^adequately with local needs, which have been so
pressing since the new year came in. All local consumers
who are on important Government work' are, of course,
* receiving practically as much coal as they need, but the
landsale depots and other users are having to go short, and
it is still impossible to satisfy the wants of the Irish
market. There is a very strong demand for house coal and
works fuel in both the home and export branches, and most
of the collieries have booked sufficient orders to keep them
extremely busy for some time. Supplies of all sorts are
still rather scarce, and since the new coke ovens at White-
haven were lighted the needs of the local by-product ovens
have been so great that it is now impossible to send any
stocks of small coal out of the district; in fact, the output
of small coal is barely sufficient to keep all the ovens in
full operation, and it is still necessary to import large
quantities of smalls from outside districts. Some time ago
the Whitehaven collieries were able to send some large
consignments of smalls into the W^orkington, Harrington
and Moresby district, but with the lighting of their new
ovens at Ladysmith pit they now require most of the smalls
that are being raised for their own use, and the ovens in
the Moresby and Harrington district are now being supplied
by pits in the eastern portion of the coal field. Although
important developments regarding the by-product coke
ovens in Cumberland are practically completed, require-
ments of the local ovens have not reached their maximum.
They are sure to become much heavier in the spring, when
considerably more local coke will be required and- it is not
too much to say that the coke ovens in West Cumberland
will be able to absorb every ton-of small coal raised in the
county while the war lasts. All the pits in the county are
working six days a week. There has been a good deal ot
sickness amongst the miners during the last week or two,
but in spite of this fact, production is now larger than it

’ at the beginning of December. Landsale is very brisk,

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 „ ......

BestCumberl'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	L’st week’s prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6	Last year’s prices. 23/4 21/3 22/6
21/	'	21/	21/
22/6	22/6	22/6
21/	21/	21/
22/6	22/6	■ 22/6
21/	21/	21/
12/6	12/6	12/
19/	19/	19/
19/6	19/6	19/6
17/6	17/6	17/6
25/	25/	19/
30/	30/	19/	________
21/6	21/6	17/ -17/6
25/	25/	17/ -17/6
20/	20/	19/3
19/	19/	18/3

IRON.

The Cumberland and North Lancashire haematite iron
trade continues in a very strong position. There is marked
activity in all branches of the iron and steel industry, and
production is probably as large as it can possibly be until
more furnaces are put into blast. The chief feature for
many months past has been the keen struggle which makers
have had to keep pace with the ever-growing requirements
of consumers. There is the same heavy demand for iron,
ordinary, special and semi-special, and the requirements
of both outside and local users are greater than can be
satisfied, but some relief will no doubt be afforded in a
somewhat stringent situation by the lighting of three or
four more furnaces, which is expected to take place early
in the spring. Makers have more orders in hand than
they will be able to deal with for some time, and as so
much is now being taken by the Government, they are
unable to accept more than a very small proportion of the
business which is now being offered. At the moment
very little business is being transacted, and it is almost
impossible to obtain metal for ordinary commercial purposes.
In fact, there is such a keen demand for iron, that it is
doubtful whether it. is possible to cope with the needs of
all users while the war continues, even if there is a very
substantial increase in production. Prices are still at the
maximum fixed by the Government, and Bessemer mixed
numbers areagain quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton f.o.t,with
warrants at cash at 115s. per ton. Special low phosphorus
iron is 140s. per ton, and semi-special iron is quoted at
135s. per ton f .o.t. Ferro-manganese is firmer, the present
quotation being about £35 per ton f.o.b. There are at
present 30 furnaces in blast in the district from Maryport

________	________

South-West Lancashire.

COAL.

The household demand is strongly maintained and depots
and wharves are strained to their utmost in trying to keep
pace with orders. Forges and other users of screened
round coal for manufacturing purposes have got well into
work again after the short break of the new year, and are
taking full tonnages. As regards shipping, there is little
change. Shipments, on the whole, are fairly good, mainly
on contract and Admiralty accounts. Open sale business
continues quiet. At the moment there is very little free
coal about, apparently more because of the railway traffic
than of actual shortage at the collieries. Quotations for
Lancashire steam coals remain at about 22s. 6d. to 23s. 6d.
f.o.b. with slightly higher rates in special cases. In slacks
and small fuel generally the demand has apparently over-
taken the supply, and it is with difficulty that the full
tonnages are got out that are necessary for present con-
sumption. In the coastwise and cross-channel trade for
household coals the difficulty of fixing suitable tonnage
relieves the situation to some extent so far as the producer
is concerned.

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	L’st week’s
prices.	prices.
21/ -22/	21/ -22/
25/6	25/6
19/ -20/	19/ -20/
24/6	24/6
18/	18/
23/ upwds.	23/ upwds.
18/	18/
22/6 upwds	22/6-23/6
16/	16/
15/	15/
14/	14/

Last year's
prices.
20/9
23/ -24/
19/
21/ -22/
17/
20/6
17/
22/
15/
14/
13/

South Lancashire and Cheshire.

COAL.

The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on
Tuesday. The demand for all classes of fuel, house and
manufacturing, is much in excess of the quantities offering.
Shipping coal is rather quiet, but steady. Prices generally
are as below :—

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.
22/ -23/
19/6—21/
18/ -18/6
17/6-18/
25/ -26/
16/upwds
14/6 upwds

L’st week's
prices.
22/ -23/
19/6-21/
18/ -18/6
17/6-18/
25/ -26/
16/ upwds.
14/6 upwds

Last year's
prices.
21/ -22/
19/ -20/3
17/ -17/3
16/ -17/
19/ —21/
14/ -15/
12/ upwds

IRON.

There was a fair attendance on 'Change in Manchester on
Tuesday. No change has occurred in the position of affairs.
New material is extremely hard to secure in anything like
a reasonable time. All works are very busy on war
material. Prices and deliveries are fixed by the Ministry
of Munitions.

________________

Yorkshire and Derbyshire.

Leeds.

COAL.

Tuesday’s market was attended by a big gathering, which
included a strong representation of London factors and
merchants, as well as West Riding merchants anxious to
secure extra supplies. Generally speaking, they met with
little success. House coal is very scarce, be;ng practically
limited to contract deliveries. The enquiry for nuts was