182 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. . January 26, 1917. customs and privileges which are deliberately aimed, the decision with regard to the collieries appears to at restricting output and are distinctly detrimental to be not at all unreasonable, provided that substitutes efficiency. The author of The Times article sums are found in all necessary eases* The men who , them up under the following heads—viz., Pre- entered the mines for the sake of the protection thus vention of Unemployment, Maintenance of the afforded against the Conscription Act are not to be Standard Hates of Wages, and the Grant of a New Constitution. On the employers’ side, it should be also arranged that masters shall have complete freedom in the engagement of labour, and liberty to introduce any kind of machinery or process that may be deemed advanta- geous in facilitating production. But although these conditions are all essential to the maintenance of > complete harmony between capital and labour, there is at least one other point which does not appear to have been considered. We allude to the question of discipline and the sanctity of agreements. In too many cases in the past, agreements have been broken, and the men have ignored the authority of their own executive. If the employer is called upon to give effective guarantees On liis side, there should also be some real security that the men also will keep their part of the bargain. This' is a real difficulty, and it is not easy to find its solution. Under the Trades Disputes Act neither the employer nor the trade union executive can enforce adequate penalties against the men for the infringement of agreements or the breaking of contracts. The men can readily bring the employer to book, but ■ the latter is practically powerless against his employees. The only adequate guarantee would appearto-be some modification of the Act which would prevent the use oftrade union funds to support strikes involving breaches of collective agreements. This would not* hje the same thing as depriving the men of the right to strike. It1 would merely make it illegal to support strikes in certain circumstances. We are, of course, aware that the whole aim and object of a new settlement is to prevent any •, occasion for strikes. But it is unlikely that, with the best: feeling in the world, there will not be occasions when resort will be had to. this weapon, crude and wasteful as it is acknowledged to be. There will always be those who dc> not want the industrial machine to work too smoothly, and the utmost that can be done is to keep such people in a harmless minority. The thoroughness with which the Combing combing out process is being carried Out* out by the Government is manifest everywhere, and the collieries are no exception to the: industries affected. It is under- stood, , in fact, that the temporary exemptions granted to certain classes of ’ miners will now be withdrawn. It is not quite clear to what extent the decision is definite, or how far matters will be left to the discretion of the colliery recruiting courts. -The proposal affects three categories of miners—viz., men who entered the mines since August 14, 1915, ■ certain, surface workers, and persistent absentees. Upon the. general question . of withdrawing exemptions from these classes of miners, it can truthfully be said that the question of coal supplies is now daily becoming less pressing. Partly owing to the near advent of spring, blit more, perhaps, on account of the present position of the coal export trade, and the large economies that have been effected in home consumption, especially in railway requirements, we may fairly consider ourselves as being assured of. our immediate .needs for fuel. The Army, on the other hand, is in need of every available man. This is not necessarily due to immediate wants, but rather in view of future possibilities. For whatever may be the result of our next offensive, the strength of our armies must be maintained. Even in the contingency of an early peace, it is,necessary that our fighting forces should be kept at maximum strength, for there is no more potent argument in peace:negotiations than the possession of the power to enforce our demands. It is, indeed, clear that our enemies will; have but little respect for any other kind of persuasion. Admitting, then, the overwhelming importance of the military needs, the only other consideration that remains is their, adjustment with the least possible amount of industrial disorganisation. In this respect regarded as indispensable, because few of them can be looked upon as professional miners. In fact, they form a large proportion of the unskilled surface workers, who can easily be replaced by others unfitted for military service. To this extent two of the three classes mentioned above overlap in some degree. The third class, the persistent absentees, deserve even less consideration. They have not realised that the exemption hitherto given to them was conditional upon services rendered to the national cause. The figures of absenteeism compiled by Mr. Finlay A. Gibson on behalf of the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners’ Association, ref er to avoidable cases,- without reckoning losses through strikes or want of tonnage. In the collieries in- Single do* eluded in this return the percentage of absenteeism, with relation to the possible number of attendances at the pits, during the six months ending December 16, 1916, was 8'05. Moral suasion seems to have had little effect. The reduction brought about by this means can be measured by the fact that the total percentage, amounting to 8’72 in the first quarter of the period referred to, was only re- duced to 7*35 in the second quarter. We have taken the South Wales figures because these are conveniently to hand, but the trouble has not been confined to this area, although it is undoubtedly worse there than in certain of the other coal fields. It is satisfactory, therefore, to know that in the great effort the country is determined to put forth in the spring, no continuance of this free and easy, work- as-you-like spirit is to be tolerated. Many of those who have indulged in this kind of conduct will possibly now be sorry they took so light a view of their responsibilities. They will get no sympathy, either in or but of the pit, and the suggested average of two shifts per week is by no means too stringent. With regard to the proposal that an opportunity is to be given to other miners to volunteer for military service, there will probably be some difference of opinion. In the early days of the war the miners were allowed to enlist with little or no regard for the maintenance of coal supplies. It is not likely that this mistake will be repeated, but there is a danger that the military authorities may betray too much zeal in the encouragement of voluntary enlistment, for there is no finer material than the coal miner, and a willing recruit of this class will be worth many of the kind that either habitually shirk work, or flee to protected industries for shelter. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, January 25. Dublin. No further advance in. prices of fuel has occurred, and business continues to be active,'more particularly in house coals, owing to the 'severe cold. Current quotations in the city are as follow’:—Best Orrell, 44s. per ton net; Yorkshire brights, 43s.; best Wigan, 42s.; best .slack, 36s.; retail prices,‘2s/ lOd. to 3s. per sack of 10 st.; steam coal, from about 40s. per ton; best coke, 44s. per ton. Irish coals from the Wolfhiil Collieries, Queen’s County, are.: Malting coal, 45s. per ton; house and gas coal, 40s.; coarse culm, 15s. per ton—all f.o.r. Athy,. the nearest railway connection with the mines. The coal vessels arriving in the port during the past * week amounted to 49, as compared with 46 the week previously, the total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays being 18,150 tons, as against 17,000 tons in the previous week. It is’stated that a company has been regis- tered 1 for the purpose of developing the well-known Arigna mineral’area, in county Leitrim, the intentions of the pro- motors being to develop the coal deposits in the district,^ to develop the iron ore deposits, and to construct a wide-gauge railway from Belturbet and Dromod to Collooney, tapping the Arigna and other mineral areas en route. Belfast. Business locally is still rather quiet in wholesale direc- tions, owing .to. the large stocks held by the principal con- sumers, and in retail branches demand is moderate, supplies of English and Scotch coals being now about normal. Prides of house coals are unchanged, as follow —Beet Arley, 43s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts,. 42s. 6d.; English house, 41-s. 6d.; Scotch house, 39s. 6d.; Orrell slack, 39s. 6d... Approximate prices of. steam coals are :• Scotch, 35 s. per'ton;; best English and Welsh steam ; coal,. 40s. per ton. .Gas coke runs from about 37s/ 6d. to 40s, per .ton, and ,foundry coke from ,60s. to 64s. per ton .delivered. From January I to' 13, the total number of coal-laden vessels entering the port was 100. A recent return of the Harbour Commis- sioners states that the imports of coal for the three months ended December 3’1 last year, amounted to 323,928 tqns, this being an increase of 8,018 tons -as compared with the corre- sponding period, of 1915. THE COAL AMD IRON TRADES. Thursday, January 25. ; Scotland.—Western District. COAL. Conditions in the Scotch coal trade show little alteration since last week. In the West of Scotland district1 the export department is still very much curtailed, and with outputs maintained there is a danger of stocks accumu- lating. The position is relieved to some extent by in- creasing industrial demands, but in most instances holders are disposed to accommodate buyers, with regard to prices, for prompt business, and quotations are somewhat easier. The shipments from the district during the past week amounted to 93,711 tons, compared1 with' 101,378 in the preceding week and 104,921 in the same week of last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. Steam coal..... Ell ........... Splint......... Treble nuts .. Double do. .. . . Current prices. ...... 18/ -24/ ...... 19/ -23/ ....... 22/ -31/ ....... 24/ . ....'. 22/ .......’ 20/ L’st week’s . prices. 18/6-24/ 19/ —23/ 22/ -31/ 24/ 22/ 19/. Last year’s prices. 18/6-21/ 21'6-21/9 25/ -32/ 21/ -21/6 20'6-20/9 19/ -19/6 IRON. There is no relaxation in the firm conditions existing in all departments of the iron trade. In pig iron the constant demand provides continuous employment for the furnaces, especially in the case of hsematite for consumption at the local steelworks. Ordinary brands, too, are now quickly taken up for the most part directly or indirectly oh Govern- ment account, and the supplies available for ordinary mercantile distribution are exceedingly small. Values are unchanged, and the export prices of makers’ iron are quoted as follow: — Monkland and Carnbroe f.a.s. at Glasgow, Nos. 1, 125s., Nos. 3, 120s.; Govan, No. 1, 122s. 6d., No. 3, 120s. ; Clyde, Summerlee, Calder and Langloan, Nos. 1,130s., Nos. 3, 125s.; Gartsherrie, No. 1, 131s. 6d., No. 3, 126s. 6d.; Glen- garnock, at Ardros&an,No. 1,130s., No. 3, 125s.; Eglinton, at Ardrossan or Troon, and Dalmellingtdn, at Ayr, Nos. 1, 126s. 6d., Nos. 3, 121s. 6d.; Shotts and Carron, at Leith, Nos. 1, 130s., Nos. 3, 125s. per ton. Pig iron warrant stocks now amount to 5,055 tons, against 5,338 tons -at the close of 1916 and 116,098 tons at the end of 1915. In the malleable iron trade mills are fully- occupied. In the steel department Government requirements still receive first attention, but a comparatively good general turnover in iron product is reported. Crown quality iron bars are quoted about. £14 12s. 61. to £14 15s per ton net for export and mild steel bars about £17 per ton for. basis sizes. Black steel, sheets are in large request; and continue firm at £18 5s. per; ton f.o.b.. Glasgow. In galvanised material there is nothing doing outside of war " work. "All branches of the engineering trade are exceptionally busy, and particularly, structural engineers. ■ Export business gene- rally is lagging, and there is little prospect of improvement urider present conditions. , r Scotland.—Eastern District. COAL. The position in the Lothians district is comparatively satisfactory. Tonnage is rather more. plentiful here, and coals are firmly held, with best qualities tending upward. Shipments amounted to 18,189 tons3 against 17,274 last week and 31,768 in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. ' ■. '' ; ■ ■" < ' - v ' Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Best screened .steam coal... 26/ 26/ 21 /6-22/6 Secondary qualities 24/6 24/6 . 20/9-21/ Treble nuts 25/ 25/' ' 22/ -23/ Double do. 22/6 22/6 20/6-21/ Single do. 20/ 20/ 19/ -19/6 Conditions in the Fifeshire coal trade continue quiet, and business is largely on a day-to-day principle, with forward buying receiving little encouragement. Clearances from the ports reached 36,024 tons, against 45J83 in the preceding week and 47,644 tons in the same week last year Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Best screened navigation coal.. Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. 30/ -33/ 30/ -33/ 26/ -27/ Unscreened do. .24/6-26/6 24 6-26/6 24/ -25/. First-class steam coal . 28/ ' 28/ 23/ -23/6 Third-class do 20/ 20/ 15/9-16/6 Treble nuts 24/ 24/ ■ 22/ -23/ Double do ;..... 22/ I ■ ■ 22/ 1 20/ -21/ Single do. 19/ 19/ 18'9-19/6 The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the past week amounted to 147,924 tons, compared with 163,835 in the preceding week and 184,253 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-upon-Tyne. COAL. The prompt coal market has been deadly dull this week, the same baleful influences which 'militated against the transaction of business last week continuing in operation, “ only more so.” ’ The tonnage shortage is at its height, with the result that, although f.o.b. quotations for prompt shipment show absolutely Yip alteration on the week, sub- stantial discounts are obtainable by purchasers who have vessels and licences ready. Such purchasers are almost non-existent. The official restrictions on the-Chartering of foreign tonnage continue to play their part iri preventing the transaction of business, the air being by nd means clear in this connection as yet. The embargo on the export