726 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 13, 1917. scarce. Slack is coming into greater demand now that the Lancashire holidays are over, and orders for this class of fuel are plentiful. There is an active demand for gas coal as w’ell as for steam coal for locomotive use. There are no signs of any improvement in the export trade, in which the great scarcity of ships continues to dominate the position. Orders are fairly numerous, and licences are less difficult to secure, but steamers are almost unobtainable. The price of Derbyshire Top Hards stands at 27s 6d. to 28s. per ton delivered at Grimsby. The position of the coke trade is satisfactory, the demand being strong for all qualities, and the whole output of the ovens going steadily into consump- tion. Prices remain firm. Coking fuel is in active request. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Best house coals prices. 17/ prices. 17/ prices. 17/ Secondary do. 16/6 16/6 16 6 Cobbles 16/ 16/ 16/ Nuts . ■ 15/ 15/ 15/ Slack 12/6 12/6 12/6 IRON. Every establishment is in full operation, the whole trade continuing in a state of great activity. The make of pig iron is increasing. Nottingham. COAL. With the interference of the holidays, which extended from Thursday to Easter Tuesday at most of the pits in this county, the coal trade had not settled into its normal condition at the time of writing. Merchants have many orders in hand which they cannot fully execute without delay, owing to the limited supplies available at the collieries, and the continuance of wintry weather is tending to increase the demand for all kinds of households. The pressure on collieries for supplies by merchants shows no diminution. While owners are doing their utmost to maintain the output at as high a level as possible, they find it impossible to completely satisfy ordinary customer s’ requirements, in view of the urgent demand for war purposes. There is a very good demand for nearly all kinds of slacks. Prices at pithead. Hand-picked brights ..... Good house coals......... Secondary do............. Best hard coals.......... Secondary do ............ Slacks (best hards)...... Do. (second) ......... Do. (soft)............ Current prices. 19/ -19/6 18/ -18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ 10/6-11/6 11/ L’st week’s prices. 19/ -19/6 18/ -18/6 17/ -18/ 17/ -17/6 16/ -17/ 12/ -13/ 10/6-11/6 11/ I Last year’s prices. 18/ -19/6 16/6-17/6 15/6-16/ 16/6-17/6 15/ -16/ 11/9-13/ 10/6-11/ 11/ Leicestershire. COAL. With snow practically every day for ten days, the weather conditions have proved a very heavy handicap in the administration of the collieries in this district. The intense cold has caused extreme pressure to secure deliveries to meet the exceptionally large domestic consumption, and strict supervision of the sub-division of the available supplies has been essential. Fresh difficulties, too, are appearing, over which colliery managers have no control. It often happens that wagons which have been loaded and are ready for transport cannot be moved because of the shortage in locomotives. There is enormous pressure to maintain the total output of last year week by week, but that, is not always possible. Time has been lost by miners who could not possibly reach the pits on account of snowdrifts, and at the same time a new recruiting Campaign has been in full blast. Successful working has never been so difficult; hardships for want of deliveries have been inevitable. There is a very big demand for London and district for all classes of household and for deep and main cobbles and nuts. Small nuts for mechanical stokers are cleared as fast as they are produced. Country coal merchants are experiencing a most arduous time, with no sign of speedy relief. There are no reserves of supplies at the collieries or at country stations. Prices at pit. 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/ 15/6-17/6 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/ 15/6-17/6 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/ 16/6-17/ 16/ -16/6 15/ -15/6 14/6-15/ 12/9-13/6 12/ -12/3 6/ - 7/ 14/ -15/ 14/6-15/6 13/6-15/ 14/ -15/ 12/6-13/6 13/ -13/6 14/ -14/6 13/ -13/6 13/6-14/ 12/6-13/6 ..—....•<» South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. Business has been suspended for several days this week owing to the holiday. City merchants had no supplies from the pits from Thursday of last week till Tuesday, and work was not resumed at the collieries before Thursday in many cases. The wintry weather creates a heavy call on the depots, but supplies there are very inadequate, and are likely to continue so for some time. The result is that many orders remain unfulfilled. Little has been done in manufacturing fuels during the week, but with the works in full swing again demand will *be resumed in unabated degree. Here, too, the quantity available is insufficient. Prices at pit. 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/ 18/ Do. seconds do. 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 Ryder.. 19/ 19/ 19/ Do. hand-picked cobs 18/ 18/ 18/ Best hard spires 20/ 20/ 20/ 16/ Forge (steam) 16/ 16/ D.S. nuts (steam) 14/6 14/6 • 14/6 Small (do.) 14/6 14/6 14/6 IRON. The fact that the quarterly meeting of the iron trade fell this week had little influence on the market. The system of control is so comprehensive that for the time being there is practically no room for market fluctuations. Fancy prices may be paid here and there for the surplus which is open to outside competition, but the general stolidity of the situation is not affected thereby, and the attendance on quarter days is not so large as in pre-war days, especially from outside districts. Where controlled prices apply, the full maxima are obtained, and, in a general way, this even applies to pig iron, some grades of which have recently been on the weak side. Chief interest, indeed, centres in the pig iron position. South Staffordshire makers have now joined in the movement for a revision of prices, and claim that they have even a stronger case for an increase than Derbyshire and Northamptonshire makers, who made application some time ago. Pending a decision by the Ministry of Munitions, transactions are being made subject to any addition that may be granted, and quite a number of finished iron makers also insert a protective clause. Ruling quotations are :—Northamptonshire forge, 87s. 6d.; No. 3 foundry, 90s.; Derbyshire No. 3 foundry, 92s. 6d.; South Staffordshire common, 97s. 6d.; part-mine, 95s. No movement of importance has occurred in the finished trades. Marked bars remain at .£15 10s. maximum, less 2| per cent.; merchant bars realise the limit of <£13 15s.; nut and bolt iron, which is uncontrolled, commands from £14 5s. to as high as £15 for special lots, net, delivered in the district; small rounds, squares, and flats are in active enquiry on the basis of £16 10s. f sizes. The bulk of the material passed direct from producer to consumer. Galvanised sheets, of which only a small output is being made, command £28 10s., and black sheets con- tinue to be quoted £19 10s., though this figure would not be rigidly adhered to if a substantial order were offered. Strip makers are extremely busy, and quotations range from £15 to £15 10s., while steel strip is in the neighbour- hood of £18. ----------------------------------- Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. There is practically no change in the condition of the house coal trade of this coalfield during the week. The brisk enquiry of the past few months shows no sign of abating, the general tone of the market being exceedingly firm. The collieries have lost two or three days’ output as a result of the holidays, and this has thrown orders still further in arrear. The general demand for the steam qualities continues to be well ahead of supplies. Prices at pithead. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Block 24/ 24/ 21/6 Forest 23/ 23/ 20/6 Rubble 23/3 23/3 20/9 Nuts 21/6 21/6 19/ Rough slack Steam coal;— 13/ 13/ 11/6 Large . 20/ -21/ 20/ -21/ 18/ -19/ Small ... 16/ 16/ 13/6-14/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. A report that the Coal Controller will shortly issue his scheme for the control of the coal fields of Great Britain appears to be premature. The Controller has yet to con- sider many important matters, and has several difficult problems to solve. Miners’ Permanent Relief Societies. — The 44th annual meeting of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners’ Permanent Relief Society was held in the Wigan Mining and Tech- nical College on Saturday. Sir William Scott Barrett, who presided, referred to the quinquennial valuation of the society which had just been made, and said that although the society had been formed some 45 years, they had hitherto not been able to get a surplus on the valuation. Some 10 or 11 valuations had been made, and the deficits reported by the actuary had ranged from £53,000 to £13,000 as the lowest. The reason for that unfortunate position had invariably been the extremely high cost of disablement benefit. Solvency had been achieved at last, and the actuary was able to report a surplus of £2,513. In the election of officials for the ensuing year, Mr. Clement Fletcher, of Atherton, and Mr. James Robinson, of St. Helens, were elected to the vacancies in the list of honorary members of the board, while Messrs. J. H. Bibby (Aspullj, J. Cowburn (Westhoughton), E. Hibbert (West- houghton), J. Hilton (Ince), and I. Yates (St. Helens) were re-elected, and Messrs. L. Cameron (Platt Bridge), J. Guy (Ormskirk), and T. D. Jones (Atherton) were newly elected as ordinary members of the board. THE WELSH COAL AHD IROH TRADES. Thursday, April 12. North Wales. Wrexham. COAL. Work was resumed after the holidays on Tuesday, and, generally speaking, the percentage of absentees in this coal field was not very large. In most cases work was proceeding at the pits on Saturday. Excepting on the two holidays the output has been well maintained, but the demand greatly exceeds the tonnage available. Owing to the weather the demand for house coal has been greater than usual at this time of year. Railway companies and buyers for controlled works take the bulk of the steam coal raised, while a proportion is sent down to Liverpool and Birkenhead for shipment. Gas companies are kept fairly well supplied, and enquiries are coming freely to hand for new contracts, which are being renewed on the same basis as expiring contracts were made. Nuts are scarce, but there is a fair tonnage of slack at present on the market. There is no falling off in prices, and the figures quoted in last issue are at present ruling. Best large house coal is quoted at 21s. to 23s. per ton at pit; seconds at 20s. to 22s. per ton. In the landsale depots the retail prices are 27s. 6d. to 30s. per ton for the best large house coal, and 25s. to 27s. 6d. for second grades. Household slack is offered at 15s. to 16s. 8d. per ton. Large steam coal is listed at 19s. to 21s, and gas coal at the same figures, with nuts at 18s. to 20s. Slack is quoted 12s. to 14s. 6d. per ton, according to quality; and gas coke has a ready sale at 22s. 6d. to 25s. per ton. The following is a complete list of current prices :— Current L’st week’sjLast year’s Prices at pit f.o.r.:— [ prices. prices, j prices. Best house coal 21/ -23/ 21/ -23/ ( 21/ -22/ Secondary do 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 19/ -21/ 20/ -21/ Steam coal 19/ -21/ 18/ -19/ Gas coal 19/ —21/ 19/ -21/ 18/ -19/ Bunkers 19/ -21/ 18/ -20/ 19/ -21/ j 18/ -19/ Nuts 18/ -20/ 17/6-18/6 Slack 12/ -14/6 12/ -14/6 ' 10/ -12/ Gas coke (at works) Prices landsale:— 22/6-25/ 23/4-25/ 21/8-25/ Best house coal 27/6-30/ 27/6-30/ 25/ -27/6 Seconds 25/ -27/6 25/ -27/6 22/6-25/ Slack 15/ -16/8 15/ -16/8 15/ -16/8 Monmouthshire, South Wales, Newport. COAL. The effect of the holidays has considerably interfered with the coal market in this district. Though the miners were asked to observe only two days’ holiday, ‘ it was recognised that an appreciable percentage of the men would not return to work on the third day. There was not a larger perceptible percentage of absenteeism than is customary after a holiday, but the usual dislocation of the output occurred, and the market was very uncertain. Generally speaking, values were unchanged, though sellers were willing to forego a trifle to effect prompt business. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Current Steam coals:— prices. Best Black Vein large... 24/ -25/ Western-valleys, ordin’y 23/ -24/ Best Eastern-valleys ..J Secondary do. Best small coals .....j Secondary do..........j Inferior do........... Screenings ........... Through coals ........ Best washed nuts...... Other sorts:— Best house coal, at pit... Secondary do. do. ... Patent fuel .......... Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ........ L’st week’slLast year’s 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 15/ -16/ 10/ -12/6 8/6-9/ 16/ -17/ 20/ -21/ prices. 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ . 21/ -22/ 15/ -16/ 10/ -12/6 8/6- 9/ 16/ -17/ 20/ -21/ prices. 45/ -50/ 45/ -47/6 42/6-45/ 41/ -42/6 22/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 15/ -18/ 23/ -24/ 26/ -28/ 31/ -32/6 24/6-25/6 23/ -24/ 27/ -30/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 42/6-44/ 45/ -47/6 55/ -60/ * Nominal. IRON. Little change can be noted in the iron and steel markets of the district for the week, a good output being main- tained. It is a favourable sign that nearly all 'matters in dispute between capital and labour are now amenable to mutual adjustment. But there is still a good deal of serious complaint at the unsuitability of the substituted labour which the authorities are placing at the disposal of firms. Cardiff. COAL. The market opened quietly after the holidays, and there was little change in the general conditions. Stormy weather delayed tomiage arrivals, but there was a sufficient number of vessels in the various docks to meet immediate necessities, both for the Admiralty and the Allies. There was nothing to spare for neutrals, and business continues to be practically confined to French and Italian ports. The heavy stocks which accumulated in the sidings during the last couple of weeks have been materially reduced, and collieries are now in a better position with regard to the supply of wagons than they have been for some time past. The result is that the outlook is more promising, and colliery salesmen are holding for higher rates, especially for loading at the latter end of the month. Buyers, on the other hand, look for a return of the old conditions, and are content to wait, in the hope of obtaining the concessions which have recently been the rule from the quoted prices. Charterings last week amounted to 20,750 tons, compared with 18,850 tons in the preceding six days. The total fixtures for the port since the beginning of the year only amount to 308,710 tons, compared with 1,677,590 tons in the corresponding period of last year. These figures, however, do not represent a week’s shipments in normal