750 THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. April 12, 1918. THE COAL AMD IRON TRADES. Thursday, April 11. Scotland.—Western District. COAL. There is no diminution in the demand for all classes of coal, and difficulty is experienced in keeping deliveries up to date. In the West of Scotland the demand for industrial purposes is as strong as ever, while household fuel con- tinues abnormally busy. Shipments, too, have been some- what better recently. If it were not for the difficulties of transport, business would be considerably larger. The ship- ments for the past week amounted to 112,383 tons, against 128,136 in the preceding week and 79,992 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Glasgow. the considerable needs of neutral customers. The same is true with reference to coke, the output of which is being readily cleared at fully firm figures. There is more dis- position in the market generally to offer and to entertain forward business. Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Steam coal 27/6 27/6 18/ -24/ Ell 26/6-28/ 26/6-28/ 19/ -21/6 Splint 28/ -30/ 28/ -30/ 18/ -31/ Treble nuts 23/ 23/ 23/6 Double do 22/ ' 22/ 22/ Single do 21/ 21/ 20/ Steam coals :— Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) Secondary, Blyths .... Do. Tynes (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... Unscreened ........... Small, Blyths ........ Do/ Tynes............ Do. specials......... Other sorts:— Smithies.............. Best gas coals (New Pelton or Holmside) Secondary gas coals (Pelaw Main or similar) Special gas coals .... Unscreened bunkers, Current |L’st week’s! Last year’s prices. | prices, i prices. 30/ -32/6 ; 30/ -32/6 30/ 29/6-32/ , 29/6—32/ ■ 27/ -28/ 25/6-28/ 25/6-28/ ; 21/ -22/ 27/ -29/6 ' 27/ -29'6 ' 22/6 23/6-27/6 ! 23/6-27/6 ! 18/ -20/ 20/ -22/6 i 20/ -22/6 18/ 18/6-21/ 18/6-21/ : 16/ -17/ 20/6-23/ 20/6-23/ i 19/ -20/ 25/ -33/6 25/ -33/6 i 20/ -21/ I I 25/ -27/6 I 25/ -27/6’ 26/ 23/6-26/ ; 23/6-26/ i 17/ -19/ 26/6-29/ ; 26/6-29/ ’ 30/ -31/ business is coming in slowly, but some of the depots have still sufficient orders in hand to keep them going for the next week or two. Manufacturing sorts are very much firmer. There has again been a marked shrinkage in the amount of Cumberland coal available for shipment to Ireland. Engine fuels are steady, and gas coal is in firm request. The coastwise branch is busier than it has been for the last three years. Coke is in very firm demand. Current quotations :— IRON. The Scottish iron trade continues to move on restricted and well-defined lines. Practically every class of material is under Government control, and very little is available for ordinary consumption. The pig iron market is still short of supplies, and orders are being divided so as to meet the urgent cases. Forge and foundry qualities are now very short, several grades being off the market for mercantile dealing. Exports are practically discontinued. Approximate pricesMonkland and Carnbroe f.a.s. at Glasgow, Nos. 1,140s., Nos. 3, 135s.; Govan, No. 1, 135s., No. 3, 130s.; Clyde, Summerlee, Calder and Langloan, Nos. 1, 150s., Nos. 3, 145s.; Glengarnock at Ardrossan, No. 1, 140s., No. 3, 135s.; Eglinton at Ardrossan or Troon and Dalmel- lington at Ayr, Nos. 1, 145s., Nos. 3, 135s.; Shotts at Leith, No. 1, 150s., No. 3, 145s. per ton. Manufactured iron producers are as busy as they can be with war work, and though they still receive numerous orders from ordinary home and overseas customers, very little can be done in that direction. Malleable iron works have urgent calls for all sections, more particularly small rounds, while their steel departments are turning out large quantities of bars. Tube makers are very busy, and the orders on hand for rivets, bolts and nuts are frequently beyond the capacity of the works. Black sheets are also unusually active. Durhams Do. do. Northumbrians Coking coals......... Do. smalls....... House coals ........ 26/6-32/6 j 26/6-32/6 ( 16/6-20/ 26/6-27/6 I 26/6-27/6 I 18/ -20/ 24/ -27/6 ‘ 24/ -27/6 ; 18/ -20/ 24/ -27/6 : 24/ -27/6 17/ -18/ ; 28/6-32/6 : 30/ -32/6 27/6-30/ Coke, foundry ............; 42/6-45/ 42/6-45/ . 37/6-42/6 Do. blast-furnace........1 42/6-45/ ; 42/6-45/ 37/6 Do. gas .................> 35/ -40/ ! 35/ -40/ , 30/ -32/ Sunderland. COAL. The coal market is distinctly firmer. Arrivals of shipping continue satisfactory, and the collieries are much better supplied with boats to load, and consequently there is a prospect of a fairly brisk time. Steam coals are parti- cularly strong on a heavy requisition demand, and most collieries are working to their full capacity. All classes are wanted, either for shipment or for the home market. Bunker coals also are in greater request, as the better brands are no longer over plentiful. As usual, steam smalls remain the weak item in the market, being superabundant and still unable to find an outlet. Coke is steady, home demand being brisk and export enquiry fair, though shipments are still restricted for want of tonnage. Prices f.o.b. Sunderland. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Seconds at pit ......... Washed nuts at pit...... Do. smalls „ ......... Do. peas „ ........... Buckhill best coal at pit... Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit ... Oughterside best coal at pit .................... Oughterside best washed nuts at pit............. St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit ............ St. Helens best house nuts at pit ................. Best Cumberl’nd coal, f.o.b. Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (for foreign-going steamers) .............. Best works fuel......... Best coal for gasworks ... Best washed nuts for gas- works .................. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices. 25/10 25/10 23/4 24/2 24/2 21/3 23/4 23/4 20/10 23/4 23/4 20/10 19/2 17/6 19/2 16/8 17/6 15/ 25/ 25/ 22/6 23/6 23/6 21/ 25/ 25/ 22/6 23/6 23/6 21/ 25/ 25/ 22/6 23/6 23/6 21/ 22/ 22/ 19/6 20/ 20/ 17/6 31/ 31/ 25/ 31/ 31/ 30/ 22/6 22/6 20/ 22/6 22; 6 20/ 21/6 21/6 19/ IRON. Undiminished activity prevails in all departments of the iron, steel and allied industries in West Cumberland and the Furness district. The haematite pig iron trade is very firm. All the output of low phosphorus iron is being allocated to approved users in Scotland, the Midlands, and other consuming areas. Prices are firm at the Government maximum. Rails are quiet, but plates and billets are very steady. The iron ore industry is pro’sperous, and all the mines from Cleator Moor to Hod barrow are fully employed. Scotland. -Eastern District. COAL. Conditions in the Lothians coal trade are comparatively satisfactory at present. All available outputs are quickly disposed of. Shipments are improving, and Admiralty orders are considerable. Clearances amounted to 16,462 tons against 19,238 in the preceding week and 19,146 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Leith. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. prices Best screened steam coal... 26/6 26/6 23/ -23/6 Secondary qualities 25/6 25/6 21/ Treble nuts 23/ 23/ 23/ Double do 22/ 22/ 21/ Single do 21/ 21/ 19/6 Conditions in Fifeshire are also favourable, the only drawback being the shortage of railway wagons. Shipments were 23,164 tons against 26,205 in the preceding week and 16,583 tons in the same week last year. Prices f.o.b. Methil or Burntisland. Current L’st week’s^Last year’s Gas coals:— prices. prices. prices. Special Wear gas coals 29/ -32/6 29/ -32/6 26/ Secondary do. 25/ -27/6 25/ -27/6 18/ House coals:— Best house coals 32/6 32/6 30/ Ordinary do 30/6 30/6 23/ Other sorts:— Lambton screened 31/ -32/6 31/ -32/6 28/ South Hetton do 31/ -32/6 31/ -32/6 28/ Lambton unscreened ... 26/6 26/6 17/ South Hetton do. 26/6 26/6 17/ Do. treble nuts 22/6 22/6 217 Coking coals unscreened 27/6 27/6 18/ Do. smalls 27/6 27/6 17/ Smithies 27/6 27/6 20/ Peas and nuts 27/ -28/6 27/ -28/6 22/ Best bunkers 27/6 27/6 18/ Ordinary bunkers 26/6 26/6 16/6 Coke:— Foundry coke 42/6-45/ 42/6-45/ 41/ Blast-furnace coke (did. Tees side furnaces) ...' 42/6-45/ 42/6-45/ 28/ Gas coke | 35/ -40/ 35/ -40/ 31/ South-West Lancashire. COAL. The demand for household coal is slightly on the increase. No doubt customers are replenishing stocks, which in some cases have served as their principal source of supply during the winter months. The difference between demand and. available supply is most marked in the better qualities. With regard to shipping, bunkering requirements on Admiralty account are strongly maintained. Ordinary bunkering, however, is only moderate, there being few orders outside contract requirements. Export is fairly good for present conditions. Supplies of fuel are not too plentiful, and the effect of the colliery holidays is more felt this week than last. Minimum prices are, of course, according to schedule. In the coastwise and cross-channel trade the enforced transfer of vessels to other work has had considerable effect upon the regularity of shipments of coal and in the tonnage passing. Slacks of all sizes and small graded fuel continue in urgent call, and it is a daily difficulty to allocate from the collieries the fuel in such a way that it will satisfy the demands that are made for it. Current prices. L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. Best screened navigation coal 29/ -31/ 29/ -31/ 30/ Unscreened do 24/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 25/ First-class steam coal 28/ 28/ 24/ 23/ 25/ Third-class do 24/ 20/ 24/ Treble nuts 23/ Double do 22/ 22/ 22/ Single do 21/ 21/ 19/ The aggregate shipments from Scottish ports during the past week amounted to 152,009 tons, compared with 173,579 in the preceding week, and 115,721 tons in the correspond- ing week of last year. The prices quoted are only applicable to French and Italian business ; for all other orders 2s. 6d. per ton must be added. Northumberland, Durham and Cleveland. Newcastle-on-Tyne. COAL. The local coal market continues to be in a condition which, by comparison with long periods since the outbreak of war, can only be described as excellent. Following the curtailment in output due to the Easter holidays, there was a positive shortage in many classes of coal, and, for the first time on record since war began, vessels were held up waiting for cargoes. Usually, the experience has been the reverse, collieries having been held up waiting for vessels. The goodness of the enquiry on official account continues unabated, and collieries whose business it is to satisfy that demand are working to their utmost capacity. Best steams and best gas sorts are fully absorbed, secondary grades are in moderately good supply, but very firmly held, and smalls alone are offered excessively. Even in the bunker section the tone is distinctly better, considerable inroads having been made on existing stocks for the supply of the requirements of requisitioned steamers, and a market having been found for large quantities of bunkers for other trades. So far as those classes of coal which are largely dependent upon overseas transport are concerned, the present position is very good, and the prospects leave little to be desired. As to smithies, households and coking sorts, these continue to move off very quickly for inland and Allied consumption, and there is little surplus left to satisfy Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Little new enquiry is circulating in the coal market, but collieries are working much better, loss of time being exceptional. The tonnage situation is improved. Demand for manufacturing and gas coal continues heavy. Best Durham gas coal is 27s., second quality 20s., and Wear special 29s. Bunkers are in only very moderate request, and unscreened Durhams range from 22s. 6d. to 27s. 6d. Coking coal keeps steady, and is well taken up at about 27s. 6d. Coke is in good demand on home account, and as supply is quite plentiful, the market is rather active. Average blast- furnace kind is 33s. at the ovens, low phosphorus quality 35s. 6d. at the ovens, and foundry descriptions 38s. for home use. For shipment to neutral countries both foundry and furnace coke stand at 45s. Gas coke for export is 35s. IRON. A better supply of trucks is reported, but there is still great shortage. The improvement is facilitating distribu- tion considerably, and home deliveries of Cleveland pig promise to be fairly heavy this month. Allocations are issued very freely, and a fairly extensive home business is passing. Export transactions continue on only a very limited scale. For home consumption No. 3 Cleveland pig, No. 4 foundry, and No. 4 forge all stand at 95s., and No. 1 is 99s.; whilst for shipment to France and Italy No. 3 and the lower qualities are 114s., and No. 1 is 119s. The stringency in the east coast haematite department is less acute than it has been. Demand is still very heavy, but all essential home requirements are now adequately and regularly met, the still increasing output of basic iron tending to relieve the pressure. Surplus iron available for export is only small, and the bulk of it is going to France. Nos. 1, 2 and 3 are 122s. 6d. for home use, and 147s. 6d. for export to France and Italy. Manufacturers of finished iron and steel are working at maximum capacity, and there is heavy pressure for delivery. The huge shipbuilding requirements are being satisfactorily met. The whole of the distribution is strictly controlled. Quotations are stationary. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coal:— prices. prices. prices. Best 23/6-24/6 23/6-24/6 21/ -22/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 25/ -26/ 25/ -26/ 25/6 Medium 21/6—22/6 21/6-22/6 ) 19/ -20/ Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 24/6-25/ 24'6-25/ 1 24/6 Kitchen 20/6 20/6 18/ Com. (f.o.b. Garston, net) 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 23/ upwds Screened forge coal 20/6 20/6 18/ Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. 30/ 30/ 24/6-25/6 Best slack 18/6 18/6 16/ Secondary slack 17/6 17/6 15/ Common do 16/6 16/6 14/ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday, but little business passed, there being neither house or manufacturing fuel on offer outside contracts. Owing to scarcity of shipping there was little enquiry for fuel for such. Prices generally are as below:— Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ............... Medium............. Common.............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack .......... Common slack ......... j Current | prices. 24/6 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/ 20/ -20/6 __* 18/6 upwds 17/ upwds L’st week’s prices. ‘ 24/6 ! 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/ 20/-20/6 _______* j 18/6upwds > 17/ upwds i’Last year’s I prices. ! 22/ -23/ 19,6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ 25/ —26/ 16/ upwds 14/6 upwds * As per official list. IRON. There was a good attendance on ’Change in Manchester on Tuesday last, but no new feature in the state of trade to report in this district. All prices and deliveries are con- trolled by the Ministry of Munitions. All works are fully engaged on war materials. Cumberland. Maryport. COAL. The Cumberland coal industry is still suffering from the effects of the holidays. Production is considerably below normal. Business continues exceedingly brisk. House coal is a shade quieter, and it is evident that landsale will be down to summer level in the course of a week or two, unless there is a sudden change in the weather. New Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a keen and strong demand for every description of coal on the market on Tuesday, but the position in regard to supplies is much worse than it has been in recent weeks. The loss of output through the recent holidays has been increased since, by a good deal of irregular work-