March 9, 1917. _______________________ 491 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. ________________________________________ _______________ owners are not favourable to the withdrawal of so many men for the Army as is called for, and others for timber cutting. House coals and patent fuel keep up their prices quite steadily. ; Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Staam coals:— i Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals ...... Secondary do........ ........ Inferior do........ ...... Screenings ............... Through coals ......’ Best washed nuts......! Other sorts:— j Best house coal, at pit ..j Secondary do. do. ...' Patent fuel .......... .......... Furnace coke..........J Foundry coke ........s Current iL’st week’s prices. ’ prices. 24/ -25/. j 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/6 15/ -16/ 12/ -14/6 8/6-10/ 16/ -17/ 20/ -21/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/6 15/ -16/ 10/ -14/6 7/6- 9/ 15/6 19/6-21/ 25/6-26/ 22/ -23/6 27/6-30/ 47/6-52/* 57/6-60/* 25/ -26/ 23/6-25/ 27/6-30/ 47/ -51/ 61 /—65/ Last year’s prices. 30/ -30/6 29/ -30/ 28/ -29/ ! 27/ -27/6 16/ -16/6 | 15/ -15/6 12/ -14/ 16/6 22/ -23/ 28/ —28/6 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 32/ -34/ 45/ -46/ 37/6-40/ Nominal. IRON. The iron and steel trades are showing greater activity than ever. There has been more application on the part of labour, and improved imports of ore, about which latter some anxiety was being felt. The tin plate trade is showing a healthy tendency. Pit wood remains dear at about recently quoted figures, viz., 72s. 6d. to 75s. for best fir. Cardiff. COAL. Little change has occurred in the position of the steam coal market. Tonnage is arriving in fairly substantial quantities, but there is nothing like sufficient to clear the heavy stocks that have now accumulated in the sidings, and there is much congestion in consequence. Admiralty requirements have been rather heavier than usual, and the market at the commencement of the week was more animated, but, generally speaking, the tone is not satisfactory. The announcement that the maximum freight rates to limitation ports had been abandoned caused considerable interest and discussion on ’Change, but up to the time of writing no official statement had been made, and definite informa- tion was not forthcoming. In the meantime, further business is rendered difficult owing to the element of uncertainty prevailing. For prompt loading figures are purely nominal, and buyers in favourable positions are able to make their own terms, especially for the shipment of small coal, of which very large stocks have accumu- lated. Second Admiralties are still quoted at 24s. to 25s., but business has been done at lower figures, and ordinary steams are about Is. lower. In Monmouthshire coals the position is practically the same as in Cardiff steams. Tonnage is scarce, and all transactions are guided by the relative positions of buyer and seller. Best Black Veins are 24s. to 25s., western valleys 23s. to 24s., and easterns anything from 21s. to 23s. The small coal market is easier, and buyers have been able to secure substantial concessions in order to release wagons, and keep the collieries working full time. Best bunkers are 14s. to 15s., ordinaries 13s. to 14s., and other descrip- tions range between 7s. and 13s., according to quality. There is little movement in bituminous coals, and there is practically no export demand, owing to the scarcity of shipping, and the high rates of freight. No. 3 Rhondda large is quoted at 24s. to 25s.; No. 2, 21s. to 22s., and other grades in proportion. Patent fuel rules steady at recent rates, best makes being 28s. to 30s., and seconds 27s. to 28s. Coke is unaltered. Arrivals of pitwood have been on a larger scale, but there is still a. shortage, and merchants have no difficulty in obtaining 75s. per ton for best French fir. A scheme has now been arranged for the utilisation of home-grown supplies, and the requisite labour will chiefly be drawn from the collieries for this purpose. Shipments from the principal Bristol Channel ports last week amounted to 153,816 tons, compared with 370,650 tons in the corres- ponding week of last year, or a decrease of 216,838 tons. These figures, of course, exclude shipments on Government account. Of this quantity Cardiff despatched 85,637 tons, against 214,477 tons, or a decrease of 128,840; Newport 24,174 tons, or a decline of 37,304 tons ; Swansea 22,760 tons, or a falling off of 23,865 tons ; and Port Talbot 21,245 tons, or a decrease of 26,829 tons. Patent fuel shipments were only 13,528 tons, or an increase of 2,605 tons compared with the corresponding month of last year, of which 6,495 tons were reported by the Crown Fuel Company. Coke exports were only 864 tons, or a decrease of 7,491 tons. On foreign service, outside Admiralty requirements, only 119 vessels left the four chief ports, of which 82 were foreign owned, and 37 British owned. Chartering was more active, the reported amount of tonnages taken up being 15,900 tons, against 4,500 tons in the preceding six days, or an increase of 11,400 tons. . IRON. The position of the tin-plate trade still remains in an unsatisfactory condition, although there was a decided improvement in the shipments last week. The quantity exported amounted to 23,568 boxes, compared with 13,146 boxes the previous week and 56,620 boxes in the corres- ponding week of last year. Receipts from works amounted to 36,374 boxes, against 31,011 boxes and 54,470 boxes a year ago, leaving 238,899 boxes in stock in the docks warehouses and vans, against 284,103 boxes at the corresponding date of 1916. For private purposes there is nothing doing, and only orders accom- panied by a class A certificate can be accepted. Makers are disinclined to increase their stocks owing to lack of accommodation, and some of the mills are working short time in consequence. The allocation of bars is working satisfactorily, but manufacturers complain that they are not able to realise their stocks, and therefore they are working in the dark. Prices are nominally 27s. 6d. to 28s. for Bessemer standard cokes on class A certificates, and other sizes in proportion. The whole output of bars is controlled, and no prices are quoted. In the galvanised sheet trade, the only work being done is on painted sheets, black plate and trench plates, for which there continues to be a fair demand. For 24-gauge corru- gateds there is practically no sale except for home consumption, the nominal quotation remaining about <£28 per ton. Spelter has advanced to <£58 per ton. In the general iron and steel trade all works are operating at the maximum pressure, and as the outputs are subject to Government licence, there is practically nothing going to the ordinary consumer except for munition purposes. Prices of pig iron are nominal. In the iron ore market there, is no change, and the same remark applies to scrap metals, for which there is a good demand. Swansea. COAL. The coal and patent fuel trades are very quiet, the shipments together amounting to 45,5*7 tons. On ’Change there was a fairly good attendance, but no improvement was noticeable in any branch of the coal trade. Tonnage was still short and stocks excessive, causing numerous pit stoppages. As the result, prices of both anthracite and steams were weak for early shipment. but duff fairly steady. The steam coal market is also affected by the tonnage question, and throughs and smalls are therefore not firm. Stocks are heavy and to clear wagons lower prices are accepted. Large kinds are fairly firm, with a good demand ruling from inland buyers for the better grades, which are therefore steady. Manufacturing .and house coals are going well, with not many spot lots offering. ___________________________________________________ THE LOmOl COAL TRADE. Thursday, March 8. The market still continues moving very strongly. The past‘ few weeks showed a considerable lessening in the number of orders from the general public, and merchants report that they have been enabled to execute a fair number of the orders on hand, some of which have been in arrear so long, but the return to colder weather has caused a run on the depots, and traders generally are utterly unable to cope with the number of orders continually pouring in. The stocks at the depots have been sadly depleted, and the quan- tities of house coal coming forward have been inadequate, so that once again the order books are overloaded. During the whole of the preceding week the cartage and delivery of coal at all the London depots proceeded fairly satisfactory, except in the very wet days, when many of the men abso- lutely refused to go. out; but the colder weather, with the rain and sleet, has considerably lessened the tonnage delivered at the different wharves and depots during the current week. Very few colliery representatives are pre- pared to accept any orders outside contract quantities, and the yards are reporting a disquieting scarcity. The railway companies are bringing forward the wagons invoiced with greater promptitude and regularity, but the return of the empty wagons still causes a large amount of anxiety. So many of the railway trucks have been removed to the Army front, that the scarcity is making itself felt on all sides, and in many cases collieries are refusing to accept orders unless in merchants’ own wagons. Some of the Durham qualities of house coal have been brought to London by rail recently, on account of the scarcity of shipping. The seaborne market has been fairly well supplied, and the boats are readily absorbed ; 24 cargoes were returned as entering the River Thames for Monday’s market, and eight for Wednesday, but no free coal was offering. All the vessels were contract cargoes. The Humber trade is suffering from want of vessels, and a large number of loaded trucks are kept waiting. South Yorkshire hards are quoted at 28s. per ton f.o.b., and Derbyshire hards 27s. The big inland demand has drawn away a considerable quantity of coal from the usual export trade, but the restrictions as to the selling prices in the Metropolitan and local’areas prevent any great quantity coming forward to London. The bulk of the vessels entering the river are for the large gas works. Freights are very firm, and tonnage is scarce. The New- castle reports show that a considerable quantity of coke has been shipped this week, principally for France. ____________________________ Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). ________ Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). | Current Steam coals:— prices. Best Admiralty steam i coals Superior seconds i Seconds ' j 24/ -25/ Ordinary steams ! 1 237 -24/ Best bunker smalls 14/ -15/ Best ordinaries 13/ -14/ Cargo qualities 10/ -13/ Inferior smalls 7/ - 9/ Best dry coals 22/ -23/ Ordinary drys : 21/ -22/ Best washed nuts 24/ -25/ Seconds 23/ —24/ Best washed peas 22/ -23/ Seconds . 22/ -23/ Dock screenings Monmouthshire— Black Veins 24/ -25/ Western-valleys 23/ -24/ Eastern-valleys 22/ -23/ Inferior do 21/ -22/ Bituminous coals:— i Best’house coals (at pit) 25/6-26/6 Second qualities (at pit) 23/6-24/6 No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 1 24/ -25/ Through-and-through 20/ -21/ Small 18/ -20/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large 21/ -22/ Through-and-through1 17/ -19/ Small j 14/ —15/ Best patent fuel 28/ -30/ Seconds 27/ -28/ Special foundry coke 62/6-65/ Ordinary do. 52 6-55/ Furnace coke 45/ -50/ Pitwood (ex-ship) 74/- 75/ L’st week’s prices. ___* __>:& 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 15/ —16/ 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 8/ -10/ 23/ -24/ 22/ —23/ 24/ -25/ 23/6-24/ 22/6-23/ 22/ -23/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 25/6-26/6 23/6-24/6 24/ -25/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -20/ ■’s Last year’ prices. __* 30/ -31/ 29/ -30/ 17/ —17/6 15/6-16/ 10/ -13/ 8/ -10/ 32/ -32/6 29/ —30/ 28/ -30/ 25/ -27/ 27/ -28/ 24/6-25/ 14/ -15/ 30/ -31/ 29/ —30/ 28/ -29/ 26/ -28/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 33/ -34/ 27/ -28/ 24/ -25/ 21/ -22/ 17/ -19/ , 14/ -15/ ' 15/ -16/ 27/ -27/6 23/ -24/ * Nominal. 28/ -30/ 27/ -28/ 62/6-65/ 52/6-55/ 45/ -50/ 74/ -75/ 35/ -37/ 32/ -33/ 50/ -55/ 47/6-50/ | 42/6-45/ 48/ -49/ Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) ........ Secondary do. Big Vein Valley large... Red Vein large ....... Machine - made cobbl es Paris nuts ........... French do............. Stove do.............. Beans ................ Machine - made large peas ................. Do. fine peas ......... i Rubbly culm..........! Duff_____................ Steam coals:— Best large .............. Seconds .................. Bunker through s .. .... Small ................ Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— ' Large.............; Thro’-and-thro’......... Small ............__ Patent fuel ............ Current prices. 27/ -28/ 22/ -25/ 20/ -22/6 20/ -21/6 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ 32/ -34/ 23/6-24 6 20/ -22/ 9/ -9/6 6/6- 7/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 10/ -15/ 28/ 30/ 18/ -20/ 28/ -30/ L’st week’s’Last year’s prices. prices. 27/ -28/ '■ 23/ -24/ 22/ —25/ - 20/ -21/ 20/ -22/6 ; 16/6-19/ 20/ -21/ : 18/ -20/ 33/ -35/ ' 30/ -32/6 33/ -35/ . 32/ -34/ 32/ —34/ 317-33/ 23/6-24/6 32/6-34/ 20/ -22/ ' 21/ -22/ 9/ - 9/6 8/9- 9/6 6/6- 7/ j 3/9- 4/ j 24/ -25/ : 31/6-35/ 23/ -24/ ‘ 28/ -31/ I 18/ -20/ ; 21/ -23/6 i 10/ -15/ ; 13/6-16/ i i i 28/ -30/ : 31/ -35/ i 18/ -20/ 19/ -22/ | 28/ -30/ : 32/ -34/6 From Messrs. Dinham Fawcus and Company’s Report. Friday, March 2.—The demand for seaborne house coal was slightly easier, but no sales reported. Cargoes, 17. Monday, March 5.—The return of colder weather caused a better tone in the seaborne house coal market. No sales reported. Cargoes, 24. Wednesday, March 7.—The seaborne house coal market continued firm to-day, in consequence of the very cold wind prevailing, but no cargoes were on offer. Cargoes, 8. _____________________ TOE BT-PRDDDCTS TRADE. Tar Products.—The market is steady, and practically without change. Solvent naphtha is the turn firmer, but pitch and tar are unaltered. Nearest values are :— Rise ( + ) or fall (-) on the week. Benzols, 90’s W — ,, 90’s North /W—/ii| — ,, 50 ’b North 1/3—1/4 — Toluol 2/3 — Carbolic acid, crude (60 per cent.)... 3/4 — ,, crystals (40 per cent.) Solvent naphtha, south (90% at 160 1/3 — degs.), as in quality and package... Solvent naphtha, north (90% at 160 degs.), as in quality and package... Crude naphtha, north (in bulk) 2/3 ... +/3 1/8—1/9 /6|-/6| — Creosote (for ordinary qualities) '. /3i-/3f — Pitch (f.o.b. east coast) 16/—16/6 — ,, (f.a.s. west coast) Tar (per ton ex works) ■. 15/6—16/6 — 20/—21/ ... — Llanelly. COAL. No improvement is shown in the local market. Tonnage supplies are still far from satisfactory, and collieries are therefore working short time, and heavy stocks of some qualities have accumulated. There is not very much business doing, and buyers who can promise fairly prompt clearance to wagons are able to get more favourable prices quoted them. Large anthracite kinds are very weak gnd stocks heavy. Machine-made kinds are fairly steady, with beans and peas most in demand. Culm is still very weak, [Benzols, toluol creosote, solvent naphtha, carbolic acids, usually casks included unless otherwise stated, free on rails at makers' works or usual United Kingdom ports, net. Pitch, f.o.b. net.'] Sulphate of Ammonia.—Propagandisation is to the front more than anything else, since export is rigorously restricted, despite the absence of home supplies in America. Nitrate of soda continues to advance persistently. -Home values are unchanged. Prices f.o.b. Anthracite:— Best malting large .. Secondary do. ...... Big Vein large....... Red Vein do.......... Machine-made cobbles... • Stove nuts.....__..... French do......... Paris do......... Machine-made beans .. Do. peas......... Culm ................ Duff................. Other sorts:— Large steam coal..... Through-and-through... Small ............... Bituminous small coal... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 26/6-28/ ■ 27/ -28/ 21/ -24/ 22/6-25/ : 22/ -25/ : 19/ -21/ 20/ -22/6 20/ -22/6 16 6-i7,6 20/ -21/6 / 20/ -21/6 16/6-17/ 33/ -35/ , 33/ -35/ 28,6-316 32/ -34/ '32/ -31/ 28/ -30; 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ 28,6-31/6 33/ -35/ ' 33/ -35/ '■ 28/ -31 6 24/6-26/6 ; 24/6-25/6 32/ -34/ 20 -22/ j 20/ -22/ ' 20/ ^22/ 8/6- 9/ \ 8/6- 9/ 9/ - 9/6 6/6- 7/ • 6/6- 7/ 3/6- 4,6 24/6-25/6'24/ -25/ 32/ -36/ 18/ -20/ ‘ 18/ -20/ 23/6-25,6 10/6-14/6 j 10/6-14/6 , 14/ -16/ 17/ -19/6 j 18/6-19/6 i 20/ -22/ _________________________ TOE TIBI-PLATE'TRADE. Liverpool. A comparatively fair amount of business has been placed the last few days for class “ A ” and “ B ” work, and the prices paid range round 26s. 6d. for I C 14 x 20 cokes, and 27s. basis for squares and odd sizes, f.o.b. Wales. The majority of works, however, are pretty well booked up; many decline to quote, for new business at all, while others are asking higher figures up to about 28s. basis. Current quotations are about as follow Cokes : IC 14 x 20 (112 sh. 1081b.), 26s. 6d. to 27s. 6d. per box; I C 28 x 20 (112 sh. 216 1b.), 53s. to 55s. per box; IC squares and odd sizes, 27s. to 28s. basis. Wasters are quite nominal, at : C W 14 x 20, 26s. per box; C W 14 x 18|, 26 s. 6d.; C W 28 X 20, 51s. 6d.; CW 20 x 10, 34s. 6d. Charcoal tins rule firm, at 30s. basis and upwards, according to finish, f.o.b. Wales. All less 4 per cent. __________________________ Mr. W. Carter, J.P. (assistant secretary of the Notts Miners’ Association) has been selected as the nominee of the Labour Party at the next Parliamentary election in, Mansfield.