817 _____________________ THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 27, 1917. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Steam coals: — Best Black Vein large... Western-valleys, ordin’y Best Eastern-valleys ... Secondary do. Best small coals __.... Secondary do........j Inferior Screenings Through coals ... Best washed nuts Other sorts:— Best house coal, at pit . ) Secondary do. do. ...| Patent fuel __........1 Furnace coke.......... Foundry coke ........i do. Current prices. 26/ -27/ • 26/ -27/ 25/ -26/ 23/ -25/ 15/ -16/ ,j 10/ -13/ . 7/6-9/6 17/ ,21/ -22/ 25/ -26/ 22/6—24/ 27/6-30/ * Nominal. L’st week’s Last year's ! prices. | prices. 24/ -25/ ; 45/ -50/ 24/ -24/6 i 45/ -47/6 ' 23/ -24/ ' 43/ -45/ 21/ -22/ ' 41/ -42/6 15/ -16/ f 24/ 26/ 11/ -13/6 ’ 22/ -24/ ' 9/ -10/6 18/ -20/ ; 14/6—16/ 25/ -26/ ■ 20/ -21/6 28/ -30/ i — 33/ -34/ I 25/ -26/ 23/ -24/ j 27/ -30/ 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ i 47/6-50/ | 45/ -47/6 | 55/ -60/ IRON. Changes in the iron and steel trades are few. All works are fully employed, and are turning out large quantities of goods. The tin-plate trade is still in an unfortunate position, with little change. A large arrival of pitwood is reported, but, with a still strong demand, best fir has commanded 75s. in the market. Cardiff. COAL. Much firmer conditions prevail on this market, chiefly on account of the- great pressure for shipment by the authorities, and, at the time of writing, nearly all quota- tions are Is. to 3s. per ton higher than they were a week ago. Tonnage has been arriving in fairly satisfactory qualities, but there is nothing like a sufficient number of vessels obtainable for the normal requirements of the port. •Chartering, last week, amounted to 53,480 tons, compared with 42,350 tons in the preceding six days. This is the biggest list of fixtures for several months past, and the immediate effect was the hardening of prices for all descriptions of coal. Best Admiralties and superior seconds are unobtainable, and the demand for ordinary qualities has been so great that attention has been chiefly devoted to such coals as are not usually in the greatest request. As much as 30s. has been asked for second Admiralties, but the ruling price is in the neighbourhood of 27s. to 28s., with a very strong tone for May shipment. Monmouthshire coals have been very strong, and the better descriptions have maintained their relative positions, as compared with Cardiff steams. Eastern valleys show the greatest improve- ment, and considerable orders have been booked at 25s. to 26s. per ton. A better tone prevails in the small coal market, best bunkers realising 16s. to 17s, ordinaries about a Is. less, and cargo descriptions anything from 13s. to 14s. There is little change in bituminous coals, but a slight upward tendency is also noticeable, especially for the inferior grades. No. 3 Rhondda large is 24s. 6d. to 25s. 6d., No. 2 22s. 6d. to 23s. 6d., and other qualities in proportion. Patent fuel is standing at 28s. to 30s. per ton. Fuel manu- facturers had a satisfactory interview with the Coal Controller, in London, on Monday. They discussed with him the question of patent fuel prices for neutral countries In the case of the Allies the maximum price of both coal and patent fuel is fixed at 30s., and the manufacturers asked the Controller that, when preparing his scheme for neutrals, special consideration should be given to them to meet the increased cost of production, so that the commercial interests of the industry should be safeguarded. It was pointed out that since the basis of 30s. per ton was fixed the conditions had undergone considerable changes, par- ticularly in respect of working costs. It was stated at the close of the interview that no definite arrangement had been completed, but in any scheme that might be prepared consideration would be given to the points that had been submitted. It was considered by the deputation that the ________________________________________________________ Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated). i Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals :— ; prices. prices. prices. Best Admiralty steam > coals | # * Superior seconds j # * Seconds j 26/6-27/6 24/ -25/ 49/ -51/ Ordinary steams j 25/ -26/ 23/ -24/ 47/ -49/ Best bunker smalls 16/6-17/ 14/6-15/ 28/ -30/ Best ordinaries 15/ -16/ 13/6-14/ 25/ -27/ Cargo qualities 12/ -14/ 12/ -13/ 19/ -23/ Inferior smalls 9/ -11/ 9/ -11/ 18/ -19/ ' Best dry coals 26/ -28/ 22/ -23/ 44/ -46/ Ordinary drys , 23/ —25/ 20/ -22/ 37/6-40/6 Best washed nuts 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 35/ -36/ Seconds 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 32/ -33/ Best washed peas 22/ -23/ 21/ -22/ 31/ -32/ Seconds 21/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 28/ -30/ Dock screenings 20/ -22/ Monmouthshire— z Black Veins 27/ -27/6 24/ -25/ 50/ -51/ Western-valleys 26/ -27/ 23/ -24/" 49/ -50/ Eastern-valleys 25/' -26/ 22/ -23/ 44/ -46/ _________ Inferior do 24/ -25/ 20/6-22/ 42/6-44/ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) 25/6-26/6 25/6-26/6 23/ -24/ Second qualities (at pit) 24/6-25/6 23/6-24/6 22/ -23/ No. 3 Rhondda— Bituminous large 24/6-25/6 24/ -25/ 1 48/ -50/ Through-and-through 21/6-22/6 21/6-22/ i 38/ -40/ Small 18/ -20/ 19/ -20/ i 30/ -33/ No. 2 Rhondda— Large 22/6-23/6 20/6-21/ ! 40/ -42/ Through-and-through 18/ —19/ 17/ -17/6 1’31/ —33/ Small 13/ -14/ 13/ -13/6 ! 22/ -23/ Best patent fuel 28/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 47/6-50/ Seconds 27/ -28/ 27/ -28/ 43/ -45/ Special foundry coke 62/6-65/ 62/6—65/ 57/6-62/6 Ordinary do. 50/ -55/ 50/ -55/ ( 52/6-57/6 Furnace coke 45/ -47/6 45/ -47/6 | 42/6-47/6 Pitwood (ex-ship) ......... 75/ | 75/ 35/ -36/ ® Nominal. interview had been of a satisfactory and hopeful character. Arrivals of pitwood during the past week were rather heavier, but there is still a scarcity, and the price of foreign wood still remains 75s. per ton. With regard to the utilisation of home-grown timber complaints are being made that some collieries are paying 60s., which is 5s. in excess of the basis arranged by the new association. Attention is being called to the matter, and an endeavour is being made to induce purchasers to adhere to the limitation rates which have been fixed. IRON. There is little change in the tin-plate trade, exeept that shipments and production both show an improvement as compared with the last two or three weeks. Receipts from works last week were 16,979 boxes, against 5,968 boxes in the preceding six days, whilst exports amounted to 10,238 boxes, compared with 8,253 boxes the previous week, and 86,763 boxes in the corresponding week of last year, leaving 207,569 boxes in stock, against 283,838 boxes a year ago. The improvement noted last week has been maintained, and there is a good enquiry for the particular sizes and descriptions placed on the free list by the Ministry of Munitions. Prices generally are on a higher basis, but all rates are nominal, and no official quotations are published. It is stated, however, that Bessemer standard cokes realise anything from 28s. 6d.to 30s. on Class A certificates, and other sizes are in proportion. All steel bar mills are busily employed, and outputs are strictly allotted by the Committee of Control. In the galvanised sheet trade there is no change, and works are mainly engaged in the production of black plate and painted sheets, for which there is a fair demand for Government purposes. Quotations are nominal. Spelter is rather lower, and is now offering at £54 down to £50 per ton. At the steel works maximum outputs are being maintained, but there is nothing coming on- to the open market, and prices are nominal. Rail mills are heavily employed,'especially for light sections, and the same remark applies to all the blast furnaces in the district. Welsh haematite -s unobtainable, except for Government purposes, and prices are nominal. The iron ore market is fairly satis- factory, the imports last week amounting to 28,050 tons, compared with 40,650 tons in the corresponding week of last year, or a falling off of 12,600 tons. There is no change in scrap metals. Swansea. COAL. The trade of the port showed a decrease on last week, the shipments of coal and patent fuel together amounting to 52,875 tons. There was a good attendance on ’Change, and the anthracite market showed further improvement, except large, which was in poor request. Steams and bunker coals were also a little better. .Tonnage arrived more freely. Prices are all net f.o.b. (cash in 30 days). Anthracite:— Best malting large (hand picked) ........ Secondary do. Big Vein Valley large... Red Vein large......__ Machine - made cobbles Paris nuts ........... French do............. Stove do.............. Beans ................ Machine - made large peas ................. Do. - fine peas .. Bubbly culm........... Duff.................. Steam coals:— Best large ........... Seconds ________________ Bunker throughs ...... Small ........ ...... Bituminous coals:— No. 3 Rhondda— Large............... Thro'-and-thro’..... Small .............. Patent fuel ............ Current prices. 25/ -27/ 22/ -24/ 20/ -21/ 18'6-19/6 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ 27/ -28,6 20/ -22/ 8/ -9/ 6/ - 6/6 25/ -26/ 23/ -24/ 18/ -20/ 9/ -11/ 26/ -27/ 18/ -19/ 28/ -30/ L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 25/ -27/ i 25/ -27/ 22/ -24/ ; 22/ -23/ 20/ -21/ ; 19'6-22/6 18/ -19/6 ; 20/ -25/ 33/ -35/ \ 30/ -32/ 33/ -35/ ; 31/ -32/6 33/ -35/ : 31/ -32/ '27/ -28/6 31/ -32 6 20/ -22/ 22/6-23 6 6/ - 6/6 ' 11/ -12/ 8/ - 9/ , 4/3- 4/6 I '23/ -25/ !' 36/ -42,6 22/ -22/6 29/6-33/ 18/ -20/ i 32/6-37/6 9/ -11/ j 17/6-19/ 26/ -27/ j 38/ -45/ 18/ -19/ ; 23/6-29/ 28/ -30/ j 38/ —/41 Llanelly. GOAL. The state of the local market is unchanged. Tonnage arrivals are still on the easy side, and colliery outputs are therefore below the normal, owing to the many idle days experienced through shortage of empties. Anthracite large kinds are freely offered, and, as stocks are heavy, sellers have difficulty in keeping prices firm. The machine-made qualities are none too busy, but prices for most sorts are well maintained, as stocks are not heavy owing to the reduced outputs. Culm is inclined to be firm, but duff is very easy, and difficult to dispose of Large steams are a fairly good enquiry, and for inland consumption orders are arriving daily. Throughs and smalls are unchanged. Manufacturing coals are very strong, with local works taking all supplies offering. 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 prices. 24/6-26/ 22/3-23/6 19/9-21/ 18/3-19/6 33/ -36/' 32/6-34/6 33/ -35/ 33/ -35/ 26/6-28/ 20/ -22/ 9/ - 9/6 5/3- 5/9 23/ -24/6 18/ -21/ 8/6-11/ 16/ -18/6 L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 24/6-26/6 25/ -27/ 22/6-23/6 22/ -23/ ! 19/9-21/ 20/ -22/ , 18/3-19/6 21/ -24/ ! 33/ -35/ 30/ -32/ ! 32/6-31/6 ' 30/ -32/ i 33/ -35/ 30,6-32/6 ' 33/ -35/ . 30/ -32/ 26/6-28/ : 30/ -32/ i 20/ -22/ .i 21/ -23/ ' 8/6- 9/ i 11/6-12/ ! 6/ - 6/6 4/ - 4/6 23/ -24/6 / 37/6-41,6 18/ -20/ 32/6-36/6 8/6-11/ 17/6-19/6 16/ -18/6 25/ -28/ THE L0M301 COAL TRADE. Thursday, April 26. ______________ Trade for the past week shows a slight improvement in supplies, and the warmer weather has modified the intense demand, so that the conditions are more promising. The railway depots, especially in the north and east parts of London, are still besieged by eager buyers for the smaller households, and a queue of folks with every variety of vehicle from a perambulator to a hand-cart are to be seen waiting to receive small quantities. Customers for the most part are now more promptly dealt with, and seldom go empty away. Both railborne and seaborne qualities have shown an increasingly available quantity during the week, and although many of the merchants who have very little contract coals coming forward are still complaining that the quantity is inadequate, yet, as a whole, London is far better supplied now, and the depots are kept open all day as heretofore. Colliery orders are still very far behind, and merchants are pressing the colliery represen- tatives to hurry forward the coal which has been on order so long. The wagon question has been very acute. The railway companies have frankly admitted their inability to deal with the traffic promptly, and the shortage of the staff and the limited engine power have been frequent causes of very serious delay. In many cases, the arrival of private wagons has been more than can be dealt with at the colliery sidings, whilst others in the immediate neighbourhood have been working short time for want of empties. Hard steam coal is still in strong demand, and with the heavy require- ments for factories and munition works, there is but a very small quantity available for ordinary manufacturing pur- poses. During the current few weeks coals from regions beyond the ordinary trade limits have come forward into the Metropolitan area, and it is no uncommon thing for Durham Wallsend to come by rail instead of by the sea. Gas coals are more plentiful, but the demand is still fairly strong. Forty-three contract cargoes came in to the River Thames for Monday’s market, and 15 for Wednesday, but they were principally for gas works, and none of them had any free coal to offer. Freights are still keeping very high, and with a tendency to rise. The quotation from the Humber to London has reached 20s. 6d., but few boats are available. The export trade is very firm. As arrears are beginning to be dealt with, the shipping market shows a corresponding hopefulness, and the outlook is more satis- factory. South Yorkshire hard steam coals are now quoted 28s. to 29s. per ton f.o.b. ; house coals, 27s. ; and the Tyne prices, 29s. best f.o.b. ; gas coal, 25s. 6d. ; best bunkers, 18s. ; and ordinaries at 17s. best foundry coke, 40s. ; and gas coke, 32s. South Wales prices are unaltered, but the tendency is upward, owing to the clearance of the stocks and the better return as to the arrival of ships for loading. Best Admiralties are not quoted, owing to the Government requirements, but seconds are quoted at 27s. ; bunkers, 16s. 6d. ; patent fuel, 29s. The bulk of the trade reports show an improving condition of the number of vessels arriving, and so far the tonnages for the River Thames have been well maintained. Some of the collieries in the Durham district are still reported to be working short time on account of the sparsity of vessels ; and London depots are certainly much clearer of stock than has been known for many years past at this season of the year; but the advent of the spring-like weather will undoubtedly tend to decrease the actual household consumption. A huge quan- tity of coal is still to be seen in stock on the Customs House quay, untouched for many months, and within a few steps of the London Coal Exchange. From Messrs. Dinham, Fawcus and Company’s Report. Friday, April 20.—Although the weather improved, the demand for seaborne house coal continued good, but no sales were reported. Cargoes, 16. Monday, April 23.—The weather still keeping cold, the seaborne house coal market continued firm, and the demand good, but no sales notified. Cargoes, 43. Wednesday, April 25.—Seaborne house coal was again in good demand, but through the scarcity of supplies no sales were reported. Cargoes, 15. _________________________ Colhery Sales Clerk Killed by a Runaway Wagon.—The Wigan borough coroner, Mr. H. Milligan, held an inquest at the Borough Courts, Wigan, on Saturday relative to the peculiar death of Thomas Walker, a colliery sales clerk, who had been in the employ of the Wigan Coal and Iron Company Limited for over 40 years, and who died in the Wigan Infirmary the previous Thursday night from injuries received whilst attempting to stop runaway wagons at the company’s Prospect pit, Standish. The deceased was 53 years of age, and resided with his wife and family at 32, Heaton-street, Standish. Mr. Siddall, H.M. inspector of mines, was present at the inquest; Mr. John Dean, J.P., colliery manager, representing the colliery company, and Mr. Stephen Walsh, M.P., the Miners’ Federation. According to the evidence, a stoker at the Prospect pit, who was conveying slack to the fire hole, had emptied one of two wagons, and had lowered the empty one about 10 yds. for the purpose of bringing the full wagon to the fire hole, when the empty one began to run, and jerked the full one by means of the tail rope to which both were attached, both wagons running away. The stoker could not get to the brake of the full wagon on account of the proximity of a wall, so he jumped on the brake of the empty one. The deceased, seeing what was happening, ran out of the colliery office, and jumped on the brake of the first wagon. The second wagon, which was loaded, came along and bumped into the first, throwing the deceased on to the metals, and the full wagon ran over his right arm and leg. He died later the same day in the infirmary. H.M. inspector of mines said that what the stoker ought to have done was to put the brake of the full wagon on, but he could not get at it. The deceased, of course, was doing something for his employers, but it was a question of this being out of his usual occupation. The jury returned a verdict of “Accidental death,” adding that in their opinion no one was to blame, and passing a vote of sympathy with the widow and family. The coroner said he was sure they would all associate themselves with the jury’s vote of sympathy. Mr. Dean said that, personally, he was deeply grieved at the sad death of the deceased, being present at the time it occurred. Mr. Walker had always given satisfaction to the company, for whom he had worked for 43 years, and he had been at the Prospect pit for over 30 years. He himself would miss him very much. On behalf of the company, he tendered sympathy to the widow and family. The Coroner: None of us ever like to lose a good old servant.