772 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 20, 1917. forward a larger tonnage of all descriptions of fuel, which of course interferes with the arrangement for supplies to other areas. There has been little improvement in the transport arrangements, with delays particularly on long journeys, which precludes the acceptance of Orders for distant markets by the collieries, consequent upon the short supply of wagons. A spell of finer weather would no doubt considerably relieve the situation, but at the present time the pits are unable to give satisfaction in regard to supplies. There is a promise of more animation in the export trade, but the short production must check any opportunity for expansion in that direction. Collieries which, in this district, produce a large percentage of steam fuel have still no difficulty in dealing with the production, despite the low export tonnage, and the railway companies are very pressing to hold what are deemed to be adequate supplies for their needs. Steam nuts are still unavailable for use other than by munition and other engineering works. All classes of small steam fuel are well enquired for, whilst the needs of gas concerns are such that frequent added requests are to hand for surplus lots of any descrip- tion of fuel. The need for larger supplies of coking slacks is marked, with the required larger tonnage of furnace coke still unsatisfied. The pressure for supplies of house coal is still keen for all districts, but few collieries are in the position of entertaining any new offers for a consider- able period ahead. Values remain of a strictly nominal character about as follow :— Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstono 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ 20/ -22/ Best Barnsley softs 18/6-19/ 18/6-19/ 18/6 Secondary do 17/ -17/6 17/ -17/6 16/6-17/6 Best house nuts 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ Secondary do 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ Steam coals Best hard coals 17/6-18/6 17/6-18'6 17/6-18/ Secondary do 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/ Best washed nuts 16/3-16/6 16/3-16/6 16/3-16/6 Secondary do 15/6-16/3 15/6-16/3 15/9-16/3 Best slack 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ 12/6-13/ Secondary do 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ 10/6-11/ Gas coals ••— Screened gas coals 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 16/6-17/6 Unscreened do 15/6-16/6 15/6-16/ 15/6-16/ Gas nuts 16/ 16/ 16/ Furnace coke 25/8 25/8 25/ Hull. COAL. The situation in the Humber coal export trade develops very slowly. Shipping tonnage is still abnormally scarce, and output after meeting the enormous home demand leaves little surplus for export. The position is, therefore, about balanced. Shipments of late have been very much below the average for any other period of the war, and there are still heavy commitments on hand for both France and Italy. Neutrals are subject to the difficulty of obtaining licences, and, where they can get a ship, are willing to pay hitherto unheard-of rates of freights. Large steam coal continues steady, but values do not approximate to the fixed scale for our Allies, largely owing to the limited demand. Manufacturing fuels are, however, quite strong, and in great request. Approximate values for prompt and April shipment are :—Best South Yorkshire hards, 28s. to 28s. 6d.; washed nuts, 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d.; washed small coal, 19s.; rough slack, 16s. 6d. to 16s. 9d.; Parkgates, 26s. to 26s. 6d.; screened gas and house fuels, 26s. to 28s.; West Yorkshire Hartleys, 27s. 6d. (at Goole) to 28s. 6d. (at Hull). Derbyshire steam hards are quiet, and quoted nominally 27s. 6d. to 28s. (at Grimsby or Immingham). Freight market quiet, and 140 kroners reported paid for a neutral steamer Hull to Christiania. Chesterfield. COAL. The demand for coal continues exceedingly strong, and all qualities are most urgently wanted. Unfortunately, supplies are substantially below consumers’ requirements, and this state of things shows no signs of any improvement. There is a great shortage of house coal, and orders are considerably in arrear. Coal for manufacturing purposes is in active demand, nuts being still the class of fuel most pressingly wanted. Slack for boiler firing is in much better demand and the whole production is readily disposed of. Locomotive coal is in strong demand and gas companies are in urgent need of gas coal. Colliery owners are doing all in their power to meet the needs of the market but the question of output dominates the position. The export trade has shown a slightly better condition of things during the past few days. There has been an increase in the number of ships available, and steam coal has been in improved demand. Supplies have been limited owing to the stoppage of work at the pits for the Easter holidays, and the shortage of coal has produced a firmer tone in the market. There is a good demand for coal for our Allies. The coke market maintains its firm character. Prices at pit. Best house coals Secondary do Current prices. 17/ 16/6 L*st week’s prices. i7/ 16/6 Last year’s prices. 17/ 16/6 Cobbles 16/ 16/ 16/ Nuts 15/ 15/ 15/ Slack 12/6 12/6 12/6 ^ottinyham. COAL. The continuance of cold weather has kept the demand for domestic fuel very active. At this time of the year local merchants usually experience a falling off in orders, but business since the holidays has shown no signs of declining. In fact, merchants are unable to keep pace with customers* requirements, and in most cases restricted supplies have to be resorted to. When warmer weather comes there is every likelihood that the pressure on collieries will remain for some time, as both city and country merchants have no reserve of supplies. A strong tone still dominates the steam coal branch. Railway companies are taking a heavy tonnage, and with the needs of firms engaged on war work being considerable, absorbing a large proportion of the output of nuts, ordinary manufacturing concerns cannot obtain adequate supplies of this class of fuel. Practically all the gas coal available is needed to cover demands on contracts. Slacks of all descriptions are in-good request. Prices at pithead. Current L’stweek’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. Hand-picked brights 19/ -19/6 19/ -19/6 18/ -19/6 Good house coals 18/ -18/6 18/ -18/6 1 16/6-17/6 Secondary do 17/ -18/ 17/ -18/ ' 15/6-16/ Best hard coals 17/ -17 6 17/ -17/6 | 16/6-17/6 Secondary do 16/ -17/ 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ Slacks (best hards) 12/ -13/ 12/ -13/ 11/9-13/ Do. (second) 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/6 10/6-11/ Do. (soft) 11/ 11/ ! 11/ Leicestershire. COAL. The coal position is causing great anxiety in all depart- ments, and the domestic consumption is still at the winter maximum. The persistent cold weather makes this inevit- able, and at many collieries not one half of the demands for urgent deliveries can be met. Coal merchants in large centres of population are inundated with orders, which they are powerless to deal with, as they cannot secure anything like adequate deliveries. Before current wants have been satisfied, many orders for large houses and public institu- tions are already coming to hand for summer delivery in order to lay in stocks to meet very important requirements during next autumn and winter. At present there is not the slightest prospect of these semi-national requirements being covered even to a limited extent during the next two or three months. Country coal yards are swept clean, the urgent demands having proved far in excess of all anticipa- tions. The aggregate output is being well maintained, and last week there was practically no loss of time from preventable causes. The quantities required for Govern- mental purposes is greater than ever, and the balance available for general purposes shows a corresponding decrease. Hand-to-mouth methods and sub-division are now enforced with the utmost stringency. All classes of household coal are in urgent demand for London and district, and deep as well as main cobbles and nuts are cleared off day by day. Small nuts for mechanical stokers are a very inadequate supply. The transport difficulties are becoming most acute, and no solution seems in sight. There are no reserves of stock of any kind at the collieries. 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/ - ii 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, Horth Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The situation in this district has scarcely eased during the week. Distributors report that slightly better supplies have been coming through from the pits than last week, but they are insufficient for requirements, and there, are no stocks to work upon. The open market is bare of both domestic and works fuel. Enormous quantities of the latter continue to be absorbed by munitions and other establish- ments, and the smaller grades, such as nuts and good class slacks, are on the short side. During the week-end the shortage of coal was keenly felt in some of the poorer parts of the city, and long queues were to be seen outside the depots. Prices at pit. IRON. A good business is passing in every branch of the trade, and all the works of the district continue to be actively employed. Current L’stweek’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 Ryder.. 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 IRON. The quarterly meeting left prices pretty much where they were three months ago, and also afforded indications of a continuance if not an extension of the stringent conditions that have marked the iron and steel trades for months past. Business continues active in all branches, but a very large proportion of the material is passing straight from the mills into the consumers* hands, and consequently does not affect the market. Chief attention continues to be devoted to pig iron, and smelters express themselves confident that some revision will be made of the existing maximum prices —a confidence based, to some extent, on the advance of 5s. granted for Cleveland iron, though it is pointed out that there is no necessary connection between the trade of the Midland and Cleveland districts. South Staffordshire makers, it is understood, had an interview with the Ministry of Munitions in the course of the week. Increased cost of limestone, ore, haulage, together with higher wages, constitute the basis of the claim for higher maxima. In connection with the ironstone mines, it may be mentioned that an innovation for the Midlands has been introduced in the shape of mechanical diggers, manual labour being so short. The scrap market is less active than it was some time ago, and new sources of supply are quickly tapped so that furnaces may be kept going at full pressure. The tendency of finished iron and steel is as strong as ever, in view of the increasingly big demand. Bar makers, indeed, are not in a position to entertain much new business. The bulk of the output is subject, to the official prices, namely <£15 10s. for marked bars, less 2| per cent., and £13 15s. for merchant bars, net. Uncontrolled prices are higher, the average net selling price of bars at last ascertainment of the Wages Board working out at £14 13s. 4d. Nut and bolt iron is in active request at £14 5s. to £14 10s. Forest of Dean. Lydney. COAL. The pressure experienced in the house coal trade of this coalfield during the past few months remains. New bookings are heavy, and all the collieries have a large number of arrear orders on hand. The inland merchants are still pressing for deliveries, many of them having no stocks. The demand on shipping account is well maintained and a number of boats have been loaded since last writing Prices at pithead. House coals:— Block Forest Rubble Nuts Rough slack Steam coal;— Large Small Current prices. 24/ 23/ 23/3 21/6 13/ 20/ -21/ 16/ L’stweek’s prices. 24/ 23/ 23/3 21/6 13/ 20/ -21/ 16/ Last year’s prices. 21/6 20/6 20/9 19/ 11/6 18/ -19/ 13/6-14/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. COAL. Messrs. W. Wade and Son report that the severe weather has caused a good demand for house coal, and stocks and further supplies have all been fully required to deal with the accumulation of orders. Prices are unaltered, and only limited quantities are being offered in the whole- sale market. No supplies are being received by sea, so that the two great railway companies are exercising great energy and ability in dealing with the situation. THE IRISH COAL TRADE. Thursday, April 19. Dublin. Little or no falling off in demand is evident yet, and supplies from the other side are coming in more freely. Quotations remain as follow .-—Best Orrell, 44s. per ton net; Yorkshire brights, 43s.; best Wigan, 42s.; best slack, 36s. ; house coal, retail, 2s. lOd. to 3s. per sack of 10 st.; steam coal, from about 40s. per ton ; best coke, 44s. per ton in the city. The coal vessels arriving in the port during the past week amounted to 75, the total quantity of coal discharged upon the quays being 30,000 tons. A contract is open for a supply of anthracite for the Blackrock and Kingstown Drainage Board. At a meeting of the Navan Board of Guardians, reference was made to the visit to Ireland of the Minerals* Development Commission, and the necessity was urged of taking action in connection with the large coal seams at Donore, co. Meath. Work in connection with the new line of railway from the Wolf hill Collieries, Queen’s County, to Athy on the main line, has been started, but it is expected that the original route will,be changed, owing to engineering difficulties. It is stated that operations are commenced to develop the Arigna coal fields, co. Leitrim. The Cavan and Leitrim railway, which terminates at Arigna, is to be extended about four and a-half miles to the centre of the coal fields, and a mixed gauge will be laid to enable the rolling stock of the Cavan and Leitrim Company to go up the valley. The line as now proposed will obviate the transhipment of the coal going to Dublin, Belfast, or the Midlands, thereby cheapening the cost of transit. Belfast. The heavy snowfall in this district has greatly delayed the carrying out of the coal traffic, both before and since the Easter holidays. House coal for immediate use is in fair demand, prices being very firm at late rates, viz.:— Best Arley, 43s. 6d. per ton; Orrell nuts, 42s. 6d.; English house, 41s. 6d.; Scotch, 39s. 6d.; best Orrell slack, 39s. 6d. Prices of steam coals are a shade easier. Irish coals at Craigahulliar, Portrush, co. Antrim, are 14s. per ton at the pithead. Lieut. (Temp. Capt.) Francis Ivan Leslie Ditmas, F.G.S., M.I.M.E., Reserve of Officers, Durham Light Infantry, has been decorated with the Military Cross for bravery in the field. Accompanied by two other officers, and at great personal risk, he extinguished a fire which had broken out in an ammunition dump. His gallant act undoubtedly saved many lives.