March 9, 1917. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 489 home use, No. 3 Cleveland pig iron, No. 4 foundry and No. 4 forge all stand at 87s. 6d., and No. 1 is 91s. 6d.; whilst for shipment to our Allies, No. 3 is 97s. 6d. to 98s., sales having occurred at the latter price, No. 4 foundry 96s. 6d., No. 4 forge 95s. 6d., and No. 1 102s. 6d.; and for export to neutrals the minimum rates named are 105s. for No. 3 and 110s. for No. 1. So far as east coast haematite iron is concerned, home business is on a satisfactory scale, and consumers do not complain though some of them continue to experience difficulty in obtaining regular supplies owing to lack of wagons. Exports are proceeding as expeditiously as the tonnage situation permits. Permits for despatch of large supplies to a foreign land are expected, and the Government of the country importing are allocating quantities to their consumers over the next month or two. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are 122s. 6d. for home consumption, 137s. 6d. for shipment to France, and 142s. 6d. for export to Italy. Imports of foreign ore to the Tees so far this month amount to 28,321 tons. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel are very busy, and are still steadily adding to the large output. Iron and steel packing iron has been advanced 20s., parallel thus becoming <£13, and tapered £15 5s. Quotations of other descriptions are firm but unchanged. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The coal trade in this district is phenomenally busy, and there is every indication that it will be even busier during the next two or three months. Business is exceedingly brisk in all departments, there is a very strong enquiry for fuel, both for shipping and local consumption, and in some of the main branches it is now impossible to satisfy the wants of all users to the full. There is a clamorous demand for fuel for all accounts, and this week home needs are bigger than ever. The return of severe wintry weather has, of course, given a further stimulus to landsale, but local needs are still increasing quicker than they can be coped with, and requirements on all accounts are now so heavy that there has again been a marked shortage, both for shipping and home use. The pressure of orders in some of thb home branches is enormous. The demand for fuel for local use is keener than it was at the end of the year. The pits are inundated with orders, both on local and export accounts, and some of them have so much on hand locally, that they will be unable to deal with any shipping or out- side business for some time to come. A big proportion of the coal being raised is now required for local consumption, and the surplus that is left after this demand is satisfied is altogether inadequate to meet the needs of either outside or Irish customers. At present there is barely enough to go round, in spite of the fact that large quantities of fuel are being imported from outside districts. The pits are all working regularly, and every effort is being made to keep the production as high as possible. Some of the collieries are gradually increasing their outputs, but there is still room for improvement in the western portion of the coal field. There is increased liveliness in the house coal trade, and all the depots are as busy as they can possibly be. Orders for house coal are coming in freely, and some of the agents have already sufficient in hand to keep them exceedingly busy for the next few weeks. Gas coal is in steady request, and with the exception of shipping, the only consignments being sent away are on contract for the local councils and other consumers in the district. Loco-. motive fuels are very firm, but stocks are scarce, and consumers are still receiving more than one-half of their supplies from outside districts. Slacks, smalls and all varieties of fuel for industrial purposes are in keen demand, and requirements of local users are increasing. There is very little change to report in connection with the cross-channel trade. Owing to the increased demand on 4home account, supplies for export have been lower than usual this week, and shipments from Cumberland ports are now very much below the average. All varieties of fuel are in strong demand for the Irish market, but the collieries are still too busy to deal with much export business, and Irish customers are now only able to secure little more than one-half of what they were receiving a few months ago. During the week 10 vessels have sailed from Maryport, all with coals for Irish ports, and the shipments have amounted to 2,210 tons, compared with 3,580 tons at the corresponding period of last year, or a decrease of 525 tons compared with last week. The largest cargoes were for Londonderry, Donaghadee, Carrickfergus and Larne. The shipments for the month have been 11,575 tons, compared with 7,695 tons for January and 17,415 tons at this time last year. The coke industry is very busy, and all the by-product coke ovens in the county are in full operation. The whole of the production of local coke is being absorbed at the iron works at Millom and in West Cumberland. There is Current quotations: 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 continued activity in the by-products trade, and all the plants in this district are very briskly engaged. Prices of all sorts are firm, but unchanged. Best Cumberland coal at the pit is 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 17s. 6d. per ton. Best gas coal is 20s. per ton delivered in the district. Bunkers are in keen request at from 21s. 6d. to 30s. per ton. At Maryport, best house coal delivered is quoted at 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. IRON. The west coast haematite pig iron trade continues exceedingly brisk. There is the same heavy demand for metal, both ordinary and special iron, and it is still impossible to cope with requirements. As far as production is concerned, a decided improvement has occurred since last week, and the outlook generally is now much brighter than it has been for some time. For the last few weeks smelters have been handicapped by the shortage of material, more particularly iron ore, and of late production has fallen off. The chief difficulty has been not only to increase outputs, but to maintain the furnaces which were already in blast. Up to the end of the year 30 furnaces were in draught in the district, but owing to the scarcity of material, smelters were unable to maintain production at that high level, with the result that about three furnaces were either put off blast or damped down, and up to a fortnight ago, only 27 out of the 30 were in full operation. Within the last few days, it is pleasing to note, there has been a marked improvement all round. One of the furnaces which was damped down has been restarted, and the other two will no doubt be put into blast again as soon as possible. At the back end of the year several furnaces were prepared with a view to relighting, and it was fully anticipated that two or three of them would have been lighted in January, but this was found to be impossible owing to the scarcity of iron ore. Since then, however, outputs have decreased; but the situation has improved so much during the last few days that it is believed that the production of the furnaces will very shortly be as large, if not larger, than it was in December. When there will be a further increase in the output of iron, it would, at present, be impossible to say, but it is stated that the difficulties that have stood in the way of expanding pro- duction are now being fast overcome. Of course, everything depends upon labour and raw materials, and if these are forthcoming it is probable that one or two of the furnaces which are ready may be lighted, and it is just possible that the number of furnaces may be very shortly increased from 30 to even 33 or 34. In both Cumberland and North Lancashire smelters are exceedingly busy in all branches of the iron and steel industry. Makers are pressed with orders, but very little business is being transacted. In fact, makers have more on hand at present than they can cope with, and they have booked sufficient business to. keep their plants fully engaged for months to come. Requirements of both local and outside consumers are still increasing, and they are likely to grow larger while the war lasts. There are 28 furnaces in blast in the district, and the entire output is going into immediate consumption. Practically all the Bessemer iron is reserved for use locally at the steel works, and the entire make of special and semi- special iron is being distributed to controlled users engaged on Government work in Scotland, the Midlands and other parts of the country. With such a clamour for iron, prices are easily maintained at the maximum fixed by the Government, 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 iron'is quoted at 135s. per ton, f.o.t. The position of ferro- manganese is unchanged. The steel trade is very brisk, and all the plants at Barrow and Workington are very heavily engaged. No rails are being rolled, but both places are maintaining a big output of special work for the Government. Steel rails, heavy sections, are quoted at from £10 17s. 6d. to £11 10s. per ton, light sections are from £14 to £14 10s. per ton, heavy tram rails are £14 per ton, ship plates are £11 10s. per ton, boiler plates are £12 10s. per ton, with billets at £12 per ton. Engineering is very busy, and all the shops in this district are very fully employed. The Cumberland iron ore industry is tremen- dously brisk. The iron ore mines are all working regularly, and are producing as much ore as they possibly can under the two-shift system. There is, however, a pressing need for larger production, and negotiations were commenced a short time ago with that object in view, and it is reported that the three-shift system will shortly be adopted at most of the iron ore mines in this district. It is stated that in Cumberland and the Furness district there are millions of tons of iron ore available, if it can only be worked. Pro- duction has been larger during the last week or two, but the amount raised is still inadequate to satisfy the needs of all users. Prices of all grades are unchanged. Best sorts are 38s. per ton, ordinary grades are from 21s. to 30s. per ton, and better sorts are from 31s. to 36s. 6d. per ton at the mines. The imports of foreign iron ore at the Senhouse dock, Maryport, for February, have amounted to 21,300 tons. South-West Lancashire. COAL. Severe weather keeps the household trade much in arrear with orders, and railway transit, if not so bad as three or four weeks ago, leaves much still to be desired. There is very little, if any, stock left at the various wharves, and where there is any, it is not through lack of demand, but through inability to find carting strength. Shipping remains much as it was. The tips are kept fairly steadily occupied, heavier Government requirements making up, to some extent, for the quieter demand for general bunkering and export due to the scarcity of tonnage. The still unsatisfactory working of the railway traffic, of course, affects supplies, there being very little free coal available. Quotations for Lancashire steam coals are still about 23s. 6d. to 24s. 6d. f.o.b. Slacks and small fuels of all grades are in demand, and the canal being available for traffic again, has increased the requirements from the collieries. So far as regards the coastwise and cross-channel trade for household coals the position summarised is that if more coal were available more could be placed. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s! 'Last year’s House coal:— prices. prices. ! prices. Best 21/ -22/ 21/ -22/ 20/9 Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 25/6 25/6 23/ -24/ Medium 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ ; 19/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 24/6 24/6 21/ -22/ Kitchen 18/ 18/ 17/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston,net) 23/ upwds. 23/9 20/6 Screened forge coal 18/ 18/ 17/6-18/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. 23/6-24/6 23/6-24/6 22/ -22/6 Best slack 16/ ' 16/ 15/6-16/ Secondary slack 15/ 15/ 14/6 Common do. 14/ 14/ 14/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. The Manchester Coal Exchange was well attended on Tuesday. The demand for all classes of house coal remains as keen as ever, and the same remark applies to manufactur- ing fuel. Shipments are chiefly on contract account. The shortage of wagons at the collieries is still in evidence. 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/ L’st week’s prices. 22/ -23/ 19/6-21/ 18/ —18/6 17/6-18/ 25/ -26/ 16/ upwds <16/ upwds 14/6 upwds 14/6 upwds Last year’s prices. 21/ -22/ 19/ -20/3 17/ -17/3 16/ -17/ 19/ -21/ 15/6 upwds 14/ upwds IRON. There was a good attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday, but nothing new to report in the state of trade in this district. All works, as mentioned previously, are engaged on war work. ------------------ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a fairly strong representation of London firms on the market on Tuesday, but very few shippers from the Humber ports. There was a fair attendance of local merchants, and a strong demand for all grades of coal. The little extra freedom of offerings of steam coal, on account of shipping restrictions, still continues, but there is a good market for it. The railway companies are using an exceptionally large quantity of steam coal, and this applies also to many industrial concerns, which are taking steam coal in the place of nuts. Full-time work at the pits was reported, but there has been some temporary ground- stocking caused by the scarcity of wagons, which is still the most important question of the moment. There has been a little improvement this week, but complaints of delay, especially to the south, are frequent, as long as five weeks being occupied by the journey in some instances. Reports from London indicate a little falling off in public orders, but merchants have large arrears on their books, with stocks at the depots all but cleared and serious transit difficulties. Coastwise, such little shipping as is being done is in buyers’ boats, and mostly from Goole ; 18s. 6d. has been mentioned this week as a Hull to London freight, but very few boats are offering. Local house coal merchants are busy, the recurrence of cold weather having brought a fresh influx of orders. Gas coal presents no new feature. A few contracts which have been renewed on the same terms as last year are made subject to the approval of the Government. Very little gas coal is being shipped to France. In regard to manufacturing fuel, the efforts of the local control committee are meeting with fair success in keeping important consumers going. At the depots there is very little coal in stock, however, and supplies are mostly hand-to-mouth. Coking smalls are still in insufficient supply, and the same consequently applies to washed furnace coke, for which the demand is very heavy. Current pit prices. House coal:— Current L’st week’s Last year’s Prices at pit (London) : prices. prices. prices. Haigh Moor selected ... 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ Wallsend & London best 19/ —20/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ Silkstone best 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ Do. house 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ House nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ Silkstone best 22/ -23/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ Do. house 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ Other qualities 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Gas nuts 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/6 Unscreened gas coa] ... 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 14/6—15/6 Other sorts:— Prices at pit : Washed nuts 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 Large double-screened engine nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/. Small nuts 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ Rough unscreened engine coal 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ Best rough slacks 14/ -15/ 14/ -15/ 13/ -14/ Small do. 12/ -13/ 12/ -13/ 11 /—12/ Coking smalls 12/6-13/6 12/6-13/6 11/6-12/6 Coke Price at ovens: Furnace coke 25/8 25/8 24/ Barnsley. COAL. The return of wintry weather has had considerable effect on the working of collieries during the week. The* attendance of the workers residing at a considerable distance from the pit has been reduced, and the handling of the traffic on the railways has also been impeded. The