February 9, 1917. _________________________ 289 Leicestershire. COAL. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. _______________________________________________________________ The week has proved even worse than its predecessors in its effects upon colliery administration, for to intense cold, snow and ice has to be added the trying difficulty of fogs. With great shortage of labour these are a formidable combination of adverse forces which are extremely hard to overcome, especially when the pressure for deliveries is so enormous. From many country districts comes the cry of a real shortage of deliveries, and country coal merchants have never had a worse time with snow and ice-bound roads. In some districts even well-to-do people are now running short of supplies, and in several cases even motor cars have visited the pits to secure a few hundred weight of coal to meet urgent necessities. At the great centres of population the consumption of coal by thousands of small consumers is at the maximum, and it is impossible to increase the deliveries. Kailway owned wagons are very short in supply, but there are ample numbers of privately owned vehicles. If further men are taken, it will be difficult to continue screening, owing to the scarcity of labour. There is a very keen demand for London and district for all classes of household, and the demand for both deep and main cobbles and nuts for special purposes is more than can be met. Country coal yards are quite bare of stocks and there are no reserves of any kind at the collieries. The call for coal for Government establishments is still expanding. Prices at pit. mills are doing little. The exports of galvanised sheets for January are only 3,501 tons, a drop of over 2,200 tons compared with January last year. Current quotation, at which business is done, is <£19 10s. An active demand for scrap is reported. Steel makers continue to have over- burdened order books, and civil business is crowded out in the pressure under priority certificates. _______________________ Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. The spell of very cold weather has added considerably to the difficulties of colliery owners in this district, not only by rendering more urgent the demand for all classes of domestic fuel, but the snow has interfered with the surface work to a very large extent. The pits have managed full time since last writing, but the supplies available are much below the requirements of traders. Orders from the inland merchants are very numerous, whilst shipments are fairly satisfactory. The demand for all steam qualities is exceedingly firm and much in excess of the production with the collieries in full work. Prices at pithead. Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). 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. 17/ —19/ 15/6-17/ 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ 14/6-15/6 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ 14/ -15/ 14/6-15/6 13/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 L’st week’s prices. 17/ -19/ 15/6-17/ 16/6-17/6 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ 14/6-15/6 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ Last year’s prices. 16/6-18/ 15/6-16/6 14/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-14/ 12/ -13/ 13/ -13/6 11/ -12/ 5/ - 6/ Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 24/ 24/ 21/6 Forest 23/ 23/ 20/6 Kubble 23/3 23/3 20/9 Nuts 21/6 21/6 19/ Kough slack Steam coal:— 13/ 18/ 11/6 Large ... 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ Small ... 16/ 16/ 13/6-14/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals ................ Superior seconds ..... Seconds .............. Ordinary steams ...... 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 Khondda— Current prices. __* 26/ -27/ 24/ -25/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 12/ -15/ 10/ -12/ 24/6-25,6 22/6-24/ 25/ -26/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 25/ -27/ 25/ -26/ 24/ -25/ 22/ -24/ L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. 14/ -15/ 14/6-15/6 13/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 13/9-14/9 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 13/9-14/9 12/6-13/6 _________________ South Staffordshire, Morth Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The continued frost is bringing serious troubles to people engaged in the coal trade. Supplies coming forward are limited to not more than half normal quantities, and works dependent upon water transit for their coal supplies have been greatly hampered owing to the freezing of the canals. Merchants are also hard put to it to meet customers’ requirements; stocks are reduced to almost nothing in many cases, and poor people, who get supplies from small dealers, are unable to obtain fuel. The roads, too, are still in bad condition, especially outside the city, and deliveries are delayed. Everything is being done to keep the munition works supplied. Prices at pit. _________________ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report an active demand for domestic coal in the South of England markets. Most of the house coal merchants may be said to be carrying on supplies in a hand-to-mouth manner, as they are now dependent on the railways for all their supplies. The severely cold weather of the past fortnight has caused an unusual demand, which has taxed the powers of the largest firms to cope with. Steam coal has been obtainable rather more readily than for several previous months, but prices of all kinds are maintained at late rates, and no stocks are accumulated. ___________________________________________ THE WELSH COAL AID IR0H TRADES. Thursday, February 8. ___________________________________________ ___* ! ______* ’ 26/ -27/ i 24/ -25/ ! 17/ -18/ i 16/ -17/ j 12/ -16/ ’ 10/ -12/ ! 21/ -25/ i 23/ -24/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 26/ -27/ 25/ -26/ 24/ -25/ 23/ —24/ __* ' 34/ -35/ I 33/ -34/ ! 19/ -20/ ! 17/ -18/ | 13/ -15/ I 11/ -12/ | 35/ -37/ I 33/6-35/ ; 26/ -28/ ! 23/ -25/ | 25/ —26/ { 22/ -23/ i 14/ -15/ 34/ -35/ 33/ -34/ 32/ -33/ 31/ -32/6 i 25/6-26/6 | 25/6-26/6 j 23/6-24/6 | 23/6-24/6 j Bituminous large 26/ -27/ Through-and-through 20/ -21/ Small ............. 18/ -20/ No. 2 Khondda— Large.............__ Thr ough-and-thr ough | Small ......... Best patent fuel ... Seconds ........... Special foundry coke .... ’ Ordinary do. .... Furnace coke ..... Pitwood (ex-ship) .. 24/ 22/ -23/ 26/ -28/ 22/ -23/ 18/ -20/ i 24/ -25/ I 18/ -20/ I 15/ -17/ 36/ -37/ 35/ -36/ 62/6-65/ j 55/ -60/ 24/ -25/ 18/ -20/ 15/ -17/ 35/ -37/ 33/ -35/ , 62/6-65/ I 55/ -57/6 ■ 47/6-52/6 I 47/6-52/6 I 62/6-65/ | 59/ -60/ I 33/ -34/ i 27/ -28/ i 24/ -25/ i30/ -31/ I 25/ -26/ : 16/6-17/6 I 35/ -37/6 i 32/ -33/ ! 43/ -47/ ! 38/ -42/ I 33/ -35/ 52/ -53/ * Nominal. ________________________ __________________________ Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including prices. prices. prices. Cannock Chase) :— House coal, best deep ... 22/ 22/ 22/ Do. seconds deep 20/ 20/ 20/ Do. best shallow 19/ 19/ 19/ Do. seconds do. 18/ 18/ 18/ Best hard 18/6 18/6 18/6 Forge coal 16/ 16/ 16/ Slack 11/6 11/6 11/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Kyder.. 19/ 19/ 19/ Do. hand-picked cobs 18/ 18/ 18/ Best hard spires 20/ 20/ 20/ Forge (steam) 16/ 16/ 16/ D.S. nuts (steam) 14/6 14/6 14/6 Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 14/6 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Newport. COAL. There has been another week of hope deferred. The non- arrival of sufficient tonnage has kept the steam coal market in the same depressed condition which it had assumed some weeks ago. Prices are still very easy and for prompt transactions there have been considerable sacrifices, except, of course, in the cases of best Admiralty coals, which are reserved. For later deliveries, however, the colliery proprietors are still maintaining a firm attitude in the matter of prices. House coal and manufactured fuel still keep up at former rates. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. IRON. The market was not largely attended, neither was there much fresh business to report. Manufacturers are working at full pressure, but owing to the restrictions in force there is little room for price movements or developments in other directions. Cost of production will be still further increased by the further advance of 2| per cent, in ironworkers’ wages, to which they became entitled under the sliding scale of the Midland Wages Board. The bi-monthly return shows that the net selling price of iron has risen by 5s. a tori to <£14 13s. 8d. The output has fallen by slightly over 600 tons, compared with the preceding two months, and this would be accounted for by the Christmas stoppage. Puddlers’ wages, including the bonus of 6d. granted in 1912, stand at the unprecedented figure of 17s. 6d. a ton. Pig iron smelters reported a certain amount of scarcity of foundry grades. Derbyshire makers include the proviso that any increase in the maxima will apply forth- with, though at the same time no change seems to be antici- pated. The fact that forge qualities are relatively weak is a hampering factor. Sales are steady for moderate quantities. Operations in many places have been hindered by the difficulty of obtaining supplies of fuel. The canals are frozen over, and boat loads are brought along only after long and strenuous labour. Works dependent upon water transit have had output seriously curtailed, and practically every class of building operation has been suspended. In the finished branches, manufacturers are so full up that they are compelled to refuse orders. Bar makers in many instances are committed six months ahead. Marked bars remain at <£15 10s. maximum, less 2^ percent.; merchant bars realise the limit of £513 15s. net; nut and bolt iron, which is uncontrolled, commands <£14 5s. to <£14 10s. net, delivered in the district; and small rounds, squares, and flats are in very active request on the basis of <£16 10s. The sheet | Current Steam coals:— i prices. Best Black Vein large... 26 / -27 / Western-valleys, ordin’y 25/ -26/ Best Eastern-valleys ... 23/ -24/ Secondary do. ... 22/ -23/ Best small coals ......j 16/ -18/ ...... ...... Secondary do........; 9/ -15/6 Inferior do..........j 6/ - 9/ Screenings ..............; 17/ -18/6 Through coals ........• 19/ -21/ Best washed nuts......i — Other sorts:— | Best house coal, at pit 24/6-25/6 Secondary do. do. ... 22/ -23/ Patent fuel ............ ’ 33/ -34/ Furnace coke..........I 47/6 -52 /6 Foundry coke ........i 57/ -60/ L’st week’s prices. 26/ -27/ 25/ -26/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 16/ -18/ 11/ -16/ 5/6- 7/6 17/6-19/ 20/ -22/ 24/6—25/6 22/ -23/ 35/ -36/ 47/6-52/6 57/6-60/ Last year’s prices. 34/6-35/ 34/6-35/ 33/6—34/ 32/6-33/ 18/ -18/6 j 16/6-17/6 j 13/6-15/ 18/ -18/6 i 23/ -24/ I 27/ —28/ 23/ -24/ 22/ —23/ 33/ -34/ 37/6-40/ 45/ -46/ IRON. The iron and steel works are still very busy, and makers are reluctant to accept orders for early delivery. Several of the works are installing additional plant to cope with the pressure of work. There is an improvement in the attitude of labour in some districts towards the strenuous pressure which of necessity the national demands entail. Pitwood has become scarcer, and has advanced in price to 65s. per ton for best fir. Cardiff. COAL. There is little alteration to report in the general condi- tions of the market, except that, if anything, it is slightly easier than it was a week ago. The governing factor is the tonnage position, and the outlook is not promising. Charterings last week amounted to 45,700 tons, compared with 34,050 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 11,650 tons, but it is obvious that these figures do not in any way meet the ordinary trade require- ments of the port. From the four principal ports of the Channel there were shipped last week 201,317 tons, com- pared with 379,935 tons in the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of 178,618 tons. This big falling off is accounted for in some measure by the fact that sailings were suspended for several days, but the decrease, outside Government shipments, show a big decline, which is entirely accounted for by the fact that shippers are unable to obtain the necessary tonnage. The withdrawal and diversion of neutral vessels is being severely felt, and it has been found necessary to post notices on the Exchange, calling attention to the obligation of time charterers to comply with the regulations, otherwise the steamers will be allocated for the carrying trade to France at schedule rate, irrespective of any arrangements that might have been entered into by the time charterers. It is con- sidered, however, as pointed out last week, that the inducements offered to neutral owners are not sufficiently attractive, owing to the war risks and the high rates of insurance, and that the diversion from British ports will continue, unless increased freights are paid. For instance, it was reported on ’Change on Tuesday that one neutral owner had no less than seven or eight vessels in Bristol Channel ports, but he had declined to allow any of them to sail unless he obtained more favourable terms than those prevailing. Of the 135 vessels which left Cardiff last week, no fewer than 100, or 74 per cent., were foreign owned, and 26 per cent. British. The shipments from Cardiff repre- sented a decrease of no less than 100,326 tons, the aggregate being 115,204 tons, compared with 215,530 tons in the corresponding week of last year. Newport despatched 46,236 tons, against 59,942 tons, or a decrease of 13,706 tons; Swansea 25,617 tons, against 64,082 tons, or a decline of 38,465 tons; and from Port Talbot there were exported 14,260 tons, against 40,381 tons, or a falling off of 26,121 tons. These figures, of course, do not include shipments on Admiralty account. Patent fuel shipments for the week only represented 11,856 tons, of which nearly 8,000 tons were despatched by the Crown Company. Swansea shipments were abnormally low, and only reached 831 tons, chiefly due to dearth of tonnage. Although not directly affecting the market, there is another factor which contributes to the feeling of uncertainty which prevails. When the Government granted the men an advance of 15 per cent, shortly before Christmas it was stated that this should be subject to the result of an independent audit as to the increased cost of production. Two months have elapsed, and no attempt has yet been made to audit the books of the coal owners. This has caused considerable disappointment amongst the employers, and it is said that some firms are feeling the increased cost so severely that matters are becoming serious. The coal owners submitted loyally, if not cheerfully, to the action of the Government, but they feel that they are not being justly dealt with in the prolonged delay which is taking place before the exact circumstances have been ascertained. In an indirect manner, this condition of affairs has a bearing on prices, and contributes to the irregularity now pre- vailing. Collieries which are favourably situated are able to stand out for nominal quotations, but, in other cases, concessions of shillings per ton are obtainable by buyers who are able to accommodate sellers in the matter of loading and shipment. Prices are more or less nominal, but for late February and early March loading rates are much firmer than for prompt despatch All transactions, however, are more or less a matter for individual arrange- ment, and the prices indicated in many instances do not represent the true position of the market. Second Admiralties continue fairly steady, but for other descrip- tions the tone is rather easier, ordinary steams being obtainable at 24s. to 25s. per ton. The same conditions prevail in the Monmouthshire coal field. The difficulties of shipment tend to depreciate market quotations, and, in sympathy with Cardiff coals, the rates are a trifle lower than they were a week ago. Black Veins are 25s. to 27s., western valleys 6d. to Is. lower, and best easterns 24s. to 25s. The small coal market is dull, and, with stocks accumulating, buyers are able to obtain material reductions for prompt shipment. Best bunkers now only realise 16s. 6d. to 17s. 6d., ordinary qualities 15s. to 16s., and cargo sorts anything from 12s. to 15s. It will be noticed that all these quotations are considerably below the limitation rates to France and Italy, and in some instances sellers who are well situated refuse to do business under the maximum prices allowed under the regulations. Washed and dry coals are steady, and show little altera- tion. There is little enquiry for bituminous coals, and rates are not much affected, except by the scarcity of the necessary tonnage for export purposes. No. 3 Khondda large is 26s. to 27s., No. 2 24s. to 25s., and other grades in