28 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. January 4, 1918. ____________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ ft South Staffordshire,. North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. _________________________________________________ Birmingham. COAL. Work at the pits was not generally resumed at the collieries till Monday, and a good many miners were idle on New Year’s Day. Supplies dribbled through, and it. will take some little time for stocks to be replenished. The wintry snap has quickened demand for household coal, particularly among the poorer classes, whose stocks are always low. All the works in the district have been in full operation this week, so that there is again a full demand for industrial fuels. A certain amount of output is still being lost at the pits. In Warwickshire a report gives the number of shifts lost as 10, of which 5 per cent, is returned as due to sickness and non-preventable causes. The remaining 5 per cent, may be set down as avoidable loss of output. Some months ago pit committees were set up with a view to stimulating production, and while these have done a lot of good, the figures quoted suggest that their labours are by no means ended. THE WELSH COAL AND IRON TRADES. Thursday, January 3. Monmouthshire, South Wales, &c. Newport. COAL. A distinctly better tone manifested itself in the market after the Christmas holidays. Tonnage arrived in fair quantities (comparatively speaking), and the men resumed work at the pits with a very good percentage of the total. Early this week more wagons were available than had been the case for some time. Stocks with the exception of small coal appreciably diminished. Smalls still continued to drag. There was a very sharp demand for house coal—at one time more than the supply could cope with. Gas coal was also in great request. Patent fuel was quiet, but there was still a great enquiry for coke. Controlled prices were unchanged. Prices f.o.b. cash 30 days. Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s Staffordshire (including prices. prices. prices. Cannock Chase) :— House coal, best deep ... 24/6 24/6 22/ Do. seconds deep 22/6 22/6 20/ Do. best shallow 21/6 21/6 19/ Do. seconds do. 20 6 20/6 18/ Best hard 21/ 21/ 18/6 Forge coal 18/6 18/6 16/ Slack 13/6 13/6 11/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder.. 21/6 21/6 19/ Do. hand-picked cobs 20/6 20/6 18/ Best hard spires 22/6 22/6 20/ Forge (steam) 18/6 18/6 16/ D.S. nuts (steam) 17/ 17/ 14/6 Small (do.) ...... 17/ 17/ 14/6 Current L’st week’s Last year’s Steam coals:— ! prices. prices. ; prices. Best Black Vein large... 32/6 32/6 j 30/ -31/ Western-valleys, ordin’y : 31/6 ' 31/6 ; 29/ -30/ Best Eastern-valleys ... 31/6 1 31/6 i 28/ -29/ Secondary do. ... 30/6 1 30/6 26/6-27/ Best small coals j 23/6 i 23/6 18/ -19/ Secondary do ’ 22/6 I 22/6 12/ -17/ Inferior do 20/6 I 20/6 10/ -11/ Screenings * 25/6 ! 25/6 19/ Through coals 29/6 i 29/6 22/6 Best washed nuts 32/6 [' 32/6 Other sorts:— Best house coal, at pit... 35/6 I 35/6 24/ -25/ Secondary do. do. ... 33/3 33/3 22/6 Patent fuel 32/6 32/6 35/ -37/ Furnace coke 47/6 47/6 Foundry coke 47/6 47/6 — IRON. Plants are again running full time after the holidays, and the year has opened with full order books in nearly the whole of the branches. An anxious feature of the situation is the undoubted dearth of forge and foundry pig irons. Producers in Staffordshire, and also in the large supply districts of Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, have pledged their output for some time ahead, and are unable to respond to demands for additional supplies. The perplexity over the price question adds to the uneasiness of the position. Efforts are being made to increase supplies of scrap by systematic collection, but the demand seems to be largely in excess of what is available. Full maximum rates are executed. There has been no development regarding finished iron. The bar iron houses are full up, and the suspension or curtailment of the civil trade enables them to concentrate on Government requirements, which are very large. Merchant bars are firm at <£13 15s. net at makers’ works, and North Staffordshire bars are quoted at the same figure. Nut and bolt iron is retained at <£14 10s. delivered in the Black Country, and for small rounds, squares and flats outside essential national needs as high as <£17 10s. is ^quoted for three-eighths sizes. The sheet mills are running to about one-fifth of their capacity, and the galvanising pits are idle. Ordinary black sheets are sold at the maximum price of .£17 a ton for hard doubles, and a good trade is done in plate shearings at the maximum of <£10 7s. 6d. A heavy toll is made upon steel works to meet the demands of shipbuilding, the urgency of which is such that everything else has to give way. Stocks of copper and spelter are rigidly guarded. ________ Forest of Dean. Lydnty. GOAL. Extreme activity prevails at all the collieries, and the demand all round is greater than ever. Urgent calls are made to meet the larger domestic consumption caused by the very severe weather, and on the whole deliveries are well maintained. Shipments have been good since the holidays, and as a result stems have been much reduced, consequently there is less delay in loading vessels. Good quantities are leaving daily for the inland districts. A very active trade is ruling for all classes of steam coals ; the requirements \ of buyers are being substantially met, with a preference to those firms who are engaged on work of the most pressing national importance. Prices at pithead. IRON. Very little time was lost in the local iron and steel works over and beyond that allowed for the Christmas holidays. The maximum output was speedily restored in all depart- ments. Considering the high price of tin and the difficulty of getting steel the tin-plate trade has made fair headway in spite of a very vigorous control. The arrival of pit wood has been about the average, and the controlled price is now down to 60s. to 65s. for best French fir. Cardiff. COAL. A holiday tone has prevailed on the market this week, and little business has been done. The attendance on ’Change on Monday was very meagre, and on Tuesday the majority of the offices closed at noon. Fortunately the tonnage position is fairly satisfactory, and it is not antici- pated that there will be any irregularity of working for some days to come. Future prospects, however, are not bright, and outside official orders chartering has been at a very low ebb. The total tonnage taken up last week, which of course was a holiday week, was only 2,100 tons, and up to Wednesday only two fixtures, amounting in the aggregate to 2,000 tons, had been reported. Admiralty collieries are stated to be well placed with regard to stems, and loading is proceeding briskly, but supplies of small steams are still excessive, and there is difficulty in disposing of them. The deadlock with regard to the composition of the committee appointed to deal with arrears of contracts having been over- come, it is anticipated that the work will be proceeded with immediately. Although no details are obtainable it is reported that there is a difference of opinion as to the principle of allocation, and the matter is being discussed with the authorities. The question of irregular working in the coalfield due to lack of transport facilities and other causes is again discussed. A report was recently made to the Coal Controller, but no steps have yet been taken for the adoption of remedial measures, and a further meeting of the Commission was held on Tuesday. The proceedings, however, were private, and no Information has been com- Prices f.o.b. Cardiff (except where otherwise stated), plus 2s. 6d. per ton, except for shipments to France and Italy. municated either to the trade or to the press. With regard to the limitation of the price of pitwood the new schedule has already come into operation, and a cargo has changed hands this week at the controlled rate of 65s. per ton ex-ship. No regulation has yet, however, been disclosed as to the price at port of loading. In the meantime the quantities coming forward are being allocated by the committee appointed to deal with the matter, collieries on the Admiralty list receiving the first preference. There is a firm demand for bituminous coals and also gas producing descriptions for furnace work, supplies of which are limited. • Coke is also in short supply, but patent fuel is plentiful. All business continues to be done on the basis of the scheduled prices, plus the extra 2s. 6d., except on shipments to France and Italy. IRON. There was a falling off both in the shipment and pro- duction of tin-plates last week, but this was only to be expected owing to the Christmas holidays. Receipts from works amounted to 19,622 boxes, compared with 31,337 the previous week, and shipments only totalled 3,491 boxes, against 31,639 in the previous six days, thus leaving stocks in the docks warehouses and vans at 128,912 boxes, com- pared with 192,081 boxes a year ago. Owing to the recent order of the Ministry of Munitions, which prevents specu- lation in block tin, there has been a considerable decline in price. After exceeding <£304 a ton, the quotation has now fallen to <£280 for spot business and to <£277 for forward transactions. In accordance with the sliding scale arrange- ment, there has therefore been a reduction of 6d. per box in the price of Bessemer standard cokes, which are now obtainable at Is. advance on the controlled rates, with other sizes in proportion. There is still a heavy accumu- lation of oil size wasters, and makers urge that if they are not required for the Allies or cannot be exported through lack of tonnage, they ought to be allowed to be utilised for home consumption for the purpose of packing foodstuffs for the Army and Navy. The supply of steel bars, is well maintained, and the outputs from the blast furnaces are up to the maximum. AU quotations are nominal. Rail mills continue exceedingly busy, especially in the production of light sections. There is no new feature in the galvanised sheet trade, and prices of 24 gauge corrugateds are nominal. Iron ore supplies continue satisfactory. Scrap metals are scarce, and maximum rates are being obtained. Swanma. COAL. The trade of the port, last week, was fairly satisfactory considering there were only three working days. There was only a limited shipment of coal, but the exports of patent fuel were substantial. There was an excellent attendance on ’Change. No improvement in the general condition of the anthracite market. Large was rather more freely offered for immediate loading, but machine-made nuts and cobbles were steady. Rubbly culm and duff are not enquired for. Steam coals were very irregular, and devoid of any noteworthy movement. Llanelly. COAL. Not much activity exists in the local market. Stocks have not been reduced to the extent anticipated, and this is making the position of practically all qualities easy. The difficulty in getting supplies forward to inland customers is also affecting the position, and loaded wagons are therefore being held up at the docks and also at the various railway junctions. Large anthracite grades are available for prompt business, and even the better sorts are offering freely. The lower grades are easy, with good supplies available for anything like prompt clearance of wagons. Cobbles are also not firm, and nuts and beans are more easily obtainable than has been the case for some weeks past. Peas are not firm, and as stocks on hand are on the heavy side, orders are executed without any undue delay. Culm and duff are both slow, and sellers find it difficult to clear off the daily make. Stocks are also very heavy in trucks and at collieries. The lack of clearance affects the position of the steam coal market, and business is on the slow side. Large kinds of the lower grades are not moving briskly, and the better qualities are also not as active as sellers would wish. Throughs are also not in heavy demand, and good supplies offering for prompt business. Small coals are inactive, with stocks on hand heavy. Manufacturing coals are firm, and house coals are also in strong demand. Prices f.o.b. House coals:— Block Forest Rubble Nuts Rough slack Steam coal;— Large ... Small Current prices. 26/6 25/6 25/9 24/ 15/6 22/6-23/6 18/ -19/ L’st week’s prices. 26/6 25/6 25/9 24/ 15/6 22/6-23/6 1 18/ -19/ Last year’s prices. 24/ 23/ 23/3 21/6 13/ 20/ -21/ 16/ -17/ Prices 2s. extra f.o.b. Lydney or Sharpness. ________ ________ Devon, Cornwall, and South Coast. Plymouth. Messrs. Wade and Son report that local stocks proved sufficient to carry the merchants over the Christmas season, and that the mines having resumed working, coal is being forwarded in restricted quantities. The promised Midland coals are still very difficult to obtain, the scarcity of wagons in that area being the chief difficulty. It is thought by the coal merchants that the authorities should be able to carry through their promise of two-thirds of Maland house to one-third of Welsh, by taking railway wagons and dividing them equally for each district. If severe weather be experienced during the remaining half of the winter, that part of No. 13 area which lies farthest from the colliery districts would soon run perilously short of coal, as the margin for supplies now in hand is a very thin one. ______________________________ In the West of Ireland turf, which is the staple article of fuel, is scarce, and the price has gone up from 5s. a horse load to 15s. and 17s. Current prices. L’st week’s prices. Last year’s prices. Best malting anthracite... 30/ 30/ 29/6-32/ Seconds 29/ 29/ 27/6-30/ Thirds 27/6 27/6 Red Vein large 25/6 25/6 24/ -25/ Machine-made cobbles 42/6 42/6 37/6-40/ Seconds 41/ 41/ Thirds 39/ 39/ Red Vein cobbles 36/ 36/ Machine-made nuts 42/6 42/6 Seconds 41/ 41/ Thirds 39/ 39/ Red Vein nuts 36/ 36/ Machine - broken beans (best) 35/ 35/ 28/6-29/6 Seconds 34/ 34/ Thirds 33/ 33/ Red Vein beans 31/ 31/ Peas (all qualities) 20/ 20/ 20/ -22/ Rubbly culm 13/ 13/ 10/6-11/6 Red Vein culm....; 11/ 11/ Breakers duff 8/ 8/ Billy duff 6/6 6/6 6/ - 6/6 Steam:— Best large steam 30/ 30/ 27/ -28/6 Seconds 27/ 27/ Cargo through 23/6 23/6 19/6-22/6 Seconds 22/ 22/ Bunkers through 23/6 23/6 Smalls 19/ 19 / 13/6-17/ Second smalls 17/ 17/ Bituminous:— Bituminous through ... 27/ 27/ — Smalls 24/ 24/ 17/ -19/6 Gas through 23/6 23/6 Gas smalls 21/ 21/ — jL’st week’s Last year’s i prices. Current prices. 33/ 31/6 30/9 30/ 21/6 21/ 20/6 20/ 19/6 19/ 18/6 18/ 30/ 28/6 30/ 28/6 27/6 26/6 Steam coals:— Best Admiralty steam coals .......__.......__ Superior seconds .... Seconds.............. Ordinary ............ Steam smalls No. 1 ... Do. 1 Do. ’ : Do. Do. 1 Do. ( Do. ' Do. i Best dry coals .... Ordinary drys .... Best Washed nut Seconds ........ Best washed peas. Seconds ........ Monmouthshire— Black Veins .... Western-valleys ......... ( Eastern-valley s i Inferior do________ Bituminous coals:— Best house coals (at pit) Second qualities (at pit) J No. 3 Rhondda— ; Bituminous large....■ v Small ........ ............ No. 2 Rhondda— ! Large.............. Through-and-through1; 22/ -23/6 prices. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 30/ 29/ 29/ 28/ 33/ 30/9 30/9 26/ 27/ Small ......... Best patent fuel ... Seconds............ Special foundry coke .... Ordinary do. .... Furnace coke ..... Pitwood (ex-ship) .. 117/-19/ I 30/ ! 1 30/ 47/6 i 47/6 ; 47/6 , i 65/ ■ ! Nominal. 33/ 31/6 30/9 30/ 21/6 21/ 20/6 20/ 19/6 19/ 18/6 18/ 30/ 28/6 30/ 28/6 27/6 26/6 30/ 29/ 29/ 28/ 33/ 30/9 30/9 26/ 27/ __* 30/ -32/6 30/ -31/ 19/ -20/ 18/ -19/ ! 15/ -17/ 14/ -15/ 29/ -30/ 26/ -27/6 25/ -27/6 25/ -26/ 24/ -25/ 23/ -24/ 30/ -31/ 29/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 26/ -28/ 25/6-26/6 23/6-24/6 28/ -30/ 18/ -20/ 27/ 27/ -28/ 22/ -23/6 | 21/ -23/ 17/ -19/ 30/ 30/ 47/6 47/6 47/6 75/ : 18/ -20/ 35/ -36/ 34/ -35/ 62/6-67/6 55/ -60/ 47/6-52/6 i 52/ -53/ ___________________________ At the end of the year, Aid. P. Walls, of Workington, relinquished the position of secretary of the National Feder- ation of Blast Furnacemen, Ore Miners’ and Kindred Trades, a position he has held for 28 years. He will be succeeded by Mr. T. McKenna, Middlesbrough, president of the Federation.