July 26, 1918. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN 183 Prices f.o.b. for prompt shipment. Current L’st week’s Last year’ Steam coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best, Blyths (D.C.B.) ... 37/ -70/ 37/ -70/ 30/ Do. Tynes (Bowers,&c.) 36/6-65/ 36/6-65/ 29/6 Secondary, Blyths 32/6-62/6 32/6-62/6 25/6 Do. Tynes (Hastings or West Hartleys) ... 34/ -62/6 34/ -62 6 27/ Unscreened 30 6-40/ 27/ -40/ 25/6-35/ 30/6-40/ 23/6-25/ Small, Blyths 27/ -40/ 20 Do. Tynes 25/6-35/ 18 6 Do. specials 27/6-40/ 27/6-40/ 20 6 Other sorts:— Smithies 32/ -40/ 32/ -45/ 25/ -30/ Best gas coals (New Pelton or Holmside) 32/ -45/ 32/ -40/ 25/ Secondary gas coals (Pelaw Main or similar) 30/6-37/6 30/6-37/6 23/6 Special gas coals 33/6-45/ 33/6-45/ 26/6-30/ Unscreened bunkers, Durhams 31 /—50/ 31/ -50/ I 24/ -25/ Do. do. N orthumbr ians 31/ -40/ 1 31/ -40/ : 24/ -25/ Coking coals ! 31/ -40/ 31/ -40/ 1 31/ -40/ : 24/ -25/ Do. smalls i 31/ -40/ 24/ -25/ House coals | 35/6—65/ 35/6-65/ ; 23/6-30/ Coke, foundry 49,6-65/ 49,6-50/ ) 42 6 Do. blast-furnace ......... 49/6-65/ : 49,6-50/ / 42 6 Do. gas I 40/ | 40/ i 29, -30/ Sunderland. COAL. The coal market is without any material change. Coal of all classes continues extremely scarce, but there are signs that the output is beginning to increase slightly, and this improvement, it is hoped, will make progress as the effects of the influenza wear off. There is a full supply of tonnage on hand to load, and for neutral shipment merchants find the greatest difficulty in obtaining cargoes, which are not infrequently made up of small lots from several collieries. Requisition shipments and home trade requirements still absorb the output. Neutral buyers are keen to purchase every description and class of coal at rising prices. Steam seconds command 45s.; gas, coking and manufacturing qualities 50s., and bunkers from 45s. to 60s. according to brand. Coke is fetching high prices for neutral shipment, best foundry being 65s. a ton f.o.b. Tenders have been sent in for 14,000 tons steam coal for the Norwegian State rail- ways over September-October on the basis of 70s. for best large and 45s. for smalls. Middlesbrough-on-Tees. COAL. Output of coal is far from satisfactory, and the question of men doing “ putter ” work (owing to shortage of young people) is causing trouble. A strike has occurred on this question. There seems little prospect of improvement in the supply, and after the heavy official requirements have been satisfied, there is practically no coal left for ordinary dealing. Forward quotations for neutral trade continue high, and the trend of this section of the market is still upward. Gas and manufacturing coals are put at 50s., and bunkers are in keen request at 45s. to 47s. 6d. for ordinaries ; whilst superiors are quoted anything from 50s. to 70s. No alteration to report in schedule prices. Scarcity of coke is more pronounced than ever. Neutral trade is practically at a standstill, but a transaction has occurred in foundry quality at 65s. Gas coke, for shipment, is round about 40s. The home absorption of all classes of coke is heavy. Absolute needs of the blast furnaces are only met with difficulty. Average furnace coke is 33s. at the ovens; and low phosphorus quality, 35s. 6d. at the ovens. IRON. The market is strong, with a good deal of business passing. Deliveries are large, but would be much heavier if means of distribution were better. Hitherto transport difficulties have been the obstacle to distribution; now it is shortage of labour Resumption of large demand of Cleveland pig for Scotland, with the termination of holidays north of the Tweed, cannot unfortunately be anything like fully satisfied. At present a great proportion of production of Cleveland pig iron is forge quality, with the result that this description is plentiful, and is being rather pressed on the market for both early and forward delivery, but output of foundry kind is considerably below what could be wished, and several customers have to go short. Substantial trade with France is passing, and ship- ments to that country are well maintained, but transactions with, and deliveries to, Italy are suspended pending completion of new arrangements in regard to despatches thither. Home prices are not likely to follew last week's advances of export quotations. The adjustment, it is understood, will probably be by subsidy. For home consumption No. 3 Cleveland pig, No. 4 foundry, and No. 4 forge are all quoted 95s ; and No. 1 is 99s.; and for ship- ment to the Allies No. 3 and the lower qualities are 119s.; and No. 1, 124s. There is no abatement in demand for east coast haematite iron. Output is maintained, but the make is promptly absorbed by the home trade, and rela- tively little surplus iron is available for export. Mixed numbers remain at 122s. 6d. for home use, and 147s. 6d. for shipment abroad. Very considerable activity, and much firmness, characterise the manufactured iron and steel industries. Mary port. Cumberland. COAL. The situation in the Cumberland coal industry is slowly improving. All the pits are busily employed, and the out- put is rather better than it has been. The market for all classes of fuel remains very firm and brisk. Industrial fuel for local use is in very firm demand. Smalls and coking fuels are in good request and all the output of this class of coal, in addition to large stocks which are being regularly imported from Durham and Northumberland, are required to keep all the Cumberland by-product coke ovens in full operation. Landsale is very dull, and business at the depots is quiet, but any surplus that is available on this account can easily be disposed of in other directions. Locomotive fuels are in steady request, and there is a very strong enquiry for gas coal for home use. Stocks are still very scarce. The shipping trade to Ireland is very healthy. The shipments for the week have been 3,350 tons, compared with 3,915 tons last week and 4,315 tons this time last year. The imports this week have also included a good cargo of pit timber from Dumfries for the local collieries. Prices of all sorts are unchanged. Best coal at the pits is from 29s. to 29s. lOd. per ton, with washed nuts at from 27s. 6d. to 28s. 2d. per ton. Best export coal is 26s. per ton, and bunkers are from 35s. to 38s. per ton. Current quotations. Best Cumberl’nd coal at pit Best washed nuts at pit... Seconds at pit Washed nuts at pit Dg. smalls „ Do. peas „ Buckhill best coal at pit... Do. double-scrned washed nuts at pit O lighter side best coal at pit Oughterside best washed nuts at pit .. St. Helens (Siddicjr) 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 prices. • 28/4 26/8 25/10 25/10 21/8 20/ 27/6 26/ 27 6 26/ 27.6 26/ 23/ 21/ 33 6 36/ 25/ 25/ 24/ L’st week’s prices. 28/4 26'8 25/10 25/10 21/8 20/ 27,6 26/ 27/6 26/ 27/6 26/ 23/ ' 21/ 33 6 36/ 25/ 25/ 24/ Last year’s prices. 23/4 21 3 20/10 20/10 16/8 15/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 22/6 21/ 19/6 17/6 25/ 30/ 20/ 20/ 19/ IRON. The condition of the west coast pig iron trade is unchanged. Demand is much in excess of the supply. Coke is still very scarce, but the position as regards supplies of native ore is improving, and so far this month the imports of foreign iron ore at Cumberland ports are larger than they have been for some time. The situation on the whole is more favourable. Prices are still at the official maximum, and Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d. per ton, f.o.t., with warrants at cash at 115s. per ton. Special iron is 140s, per ton, and semi-special iron is quoted at 135s. 6d. per ton f.o.t. In the Cumberland iron ore industry production is fairly sati- factory, and all the mines are working full time. It is expected that there will be no stoppage over the August holidays this year. The demand for all grades of native ore is very strong, and local require- ments are now so heavy that no supplies can be spared for Scotland and the east coast. The imports of foreign iron ore for the past fortnight have amounted to 16,650 tons. South-West Lancashire. COAL. The disparity between the orders received in the inland household trade and the available supply seems to be even more marked as the weeks go on. The merchants are not receiving anything like enough tonnage to clear the orders on the books. As regards shipping, the position also is becoming increasingly difficult. Additional quantities have to be found for our Allies, and bunkering requirements — particularly on Government account—are heavier; but supplies are more restricted, and after the Government and special demands are met, as they have to be, the quantity available for ordinary purposes is seriously. short. With regard to coastwise and cross-Channel trade—particularly the Irish portion of it—much pressure is being put upon the collieries to increase their supplies of household coal shipments. With respect to the use of manufacturing fuels generally, advantage is being taken of the holidays now occurring weekly in one or other of the manufacturing towns to transfer the temporary surplus to large works in other directions, in order to increase their supplies for present consumption or provide them with a little for stocking purposes to prepare for their increased winter consumption. Prices at pit (except where otherwise stated). House coal:— Best ................. Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Medium ............... Do. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Kitchen .............. Com. (f.o.b. Garston, net) Screened forge coal..... Best scrnd. steam coal f.o.b. Best slack ............. Secondary slack ........ Common do............... Current prices. 27/6-28/6 29/ -30/ 25/6-26/6 28/6-29/ 24/6 27/ -28/ 24/6 ____* 22/6 21'6 20/6 L’st week’s Lastyear’s prices. prices. 27/6-28/6 21/ -22/ 25/6-26/6 24/6 25/6 19/ -20/ 29/ -30/ 24/6 28/6-29/ 18/ 27/ -28/ 23/ upwds — 18/ — t 22/6 16/ 21/6 15/ 20/6 14/ * New schedule, f As per official list. South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. For the time of the year there was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. Business is unchanged. There are heavy demands for house coal, which are not able to be met. Engine fuel is also in good request, and the demand for bunker coal at Partington is steady. 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 ........ Current prices. 28 6 26/ -27/ 24/6-25/ 24/ -24/6 __* L’st week’s prices. 28'6 26/ -27/ 24'6-25/ 24/ -24/6 Last year’s prices. 22/ -23/ 19 6-21/ 18/ -18/6 17/6-18/ _____* 16/ upwds 14/6 upwds 22/6 upwds 22/6upwds 21 / upwds 21 / upwds * As per official list. IRON. There is no real change to report in the trade of the district. So far prices have not been advanced for iron and steel in order to cover the extra cost incurred by the latest advance in fuel. Nearly all the works are suffering, or have been suffering, from the effects of the influenza. The epidemic seems to have been particularly busy in some of the wire mills. The majority of the works are looking with considerable anxiety to their supplies of fuel. A good many works are already short. Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There is no new feature to record, conditions generally being the same as last week. The market on Tuesday was fairly well attended, but the shortage of supplies places a severe restriction on business transactions. There was nothing on offer worth mentioning, as in consequence of the comparatively low output and the demand for shipment to our Allies, supplies continue to be very short. Any coal available is distributed by the collieries and the supplies committees as fairly as may be practicable, having regard to the imperative importance of keeping essential industries well served. On the whole, little complaint is heard in this direction, but anxiety as to the future is increasingly felt. At present, the attitude of the trade generally is to regard prevailing conditions philosophically and as patiently as may be; but a good deal of concern is felt as to the approaching winter, when consumption, unless severely restricted, may be expected to be considerably greater than the highest output that may be hoped for. For the present, supplies seem to grow smaller each week, particularly in house coal and manufacturing fuels, in which the influence of the increased shipment is most felt. A good deal of the lower quality house coal is being transferred from the usual channels to France for steam purposes. The pressure on the collieries for house coal is extremely heavy, and it is impossible to meet the demand except by reduced deliveries. Merchants are quite unable to satisfy their customers, and are only partly employed for the want of supplies. Munition works and the like require the bulk of the manufacturing grades, and there is a great scarcity, particularly of nuts and good quality rough slacks, so far as other users are concerned. Only very light stocks are held at the best, and in many instances hand-to-mouth supplies have to be depended upon. As to furnace coke, the difficulty of securing coking smalls in sufficient quantities is still restricting output. Larger stuff is being used at some plants to eke out smalls. Gas coal deliveries are on a reduced scale, and barely sufficient to keep the works going. Pit prices are nominal. Current pit prices. House coal:— Prices at pit (London) : Haigh Moor selected ... Wallsend & London best Silkstone best ........ Do. house .......... House nuts ........... Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best....... Silkstone best ....... Do. house .......... Other qualities....... Gas coal:— Prices at pit: Screened gas coal..... Gas nuts.............. Unscreened gas coa] ... Other sorts:— Current prices. 25/6-26/6 25/ -25/6 25/ -25 6 24/ -24/6 22 6-23,6 29/6-30/ 28/ -29/ 27/ -28/ 24 6-26 6 L’st week’s prices. 25/6-26/6 25/ -25/6 25/ -25 6 24/ -24 6 22/6-23/6 Last year’s prices. 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 19/ -20/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ 22/ -22/6 21/ -22/ 20/6 21'6 29/6-30/ 28/ -29/ 27/ -28/ 24 '6 -26 6 22/ -22,6 21/ -22/ 20/6 21 6 23/ -24/ 22/ -23/ 20/ -21/ 19/ -20/ 16/ -17/ 15/6-16/6 15/ -16/ Prices at pit: Washed nuts........... Large double-screened engine nuts ....... Small nuts........... Rough unscreened engine coal........ Bost rough slacks.... Small do. ........... Coking smalls ....... Coke:— Price at ovens Furnace coke ........ 22.6- 23 6 21.6- 22/6 20/6-21/6 20.6- 21/6 19/6-20/6 17/6-18/6 18/ -19/ 32/ 22/6-23/6 21.6- 22/6 20.6- 21,6 20.6- 21/6 19/6-20,6 17/6-18/6 18/ —19/ 17/ -18/ 16/ -17/ 15/ -16/ 15/ -16/ 14/ -15/ 12/ -13/ 12/6-13/6 32/ 25/8 Barnsley. COAL. So great is the demand that difficulty is experienced everywhere. Collieries have to carry out the orders of the Controller’s department, though this means extensive diversion of supplies which have to be regarded as of lesser importance for the present. The needs of France and Italy appear to be of a pressing nature, whilst a bigger tonnage of steams is also called for on behalf of some of the neutral markets. The Admiralty is calling for large deliveries from district collieries, and the pressure for large steams and all kinds of screened coal for the munition works is of an enor- mous description. The railway companies are having to make greater resort to stocks during the present period of diversion, which also involves the use of wagons as circum- stances demand. The position of textile and other indus- tries of lesser importance from the war standpoint is causing no little anxiety. Though some of these firms are engaged on war work indirectly, they are called upon to submit to a drastic cut-down of their contract supplies, with the result that strong representations are being made to the local distributing committees. Generally speaking, there is a dearth of screened coal of all descriptions, and the substitution of fuel has to be tolerated. A good deal of concern still prevails with regard to the supplies for the use of the electricity and gas plants. These are still Prices at pit. Current L’st week’s Last year’s House coals:— prices. prices. prices. Best Silkstono 27/ -28'6 27/*-28 6 20/ -22/ Best Barnsley softs 25/ -25/6 25/ -25 6 18/6-19/ Secondary do 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 17/ -17/6 Best house nuts 22 6-23/6 22 6-23'6 16/ -17/ Secondary do 22' -22/6 22/ -22/6 15/6-16/ Steam coals:— Best hard coals 24/ -25/ 24/ -25/ 17/6-18/6 Secondary do 23/ -24/ 23/ -24/ 16/6-17/6 Best washed nuts 22/6-23/6 22/6-23/6 16/3-16/6 Secondary do 22/ -22/6 22/ -22/6 15/6-16/3 Best slack 19/ -19/9 19/ -19/9 12/6-13/ Secondary do 16/ -17/6 16/ -17/6 10/6—11/ Gas coals:— Screened gas coals 23/ -23/6 23/ -23/6 16/6-17/6 Unscreened do 22/ -22/6 22/ -22/6 15/6-16/6 Gas nuts 22/ 22/ 16/ Furnace coke 32/ 32/ 25/8