November 1, 1918. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Current BestCumberl’nd coal at pit Eest washed nuts at pit... Seconds at pit .......... Washed nuts at pit.....:.. Dg. smalls „ ______ Do. peas „ ............ Best dry small, at pit .. Buckhill best coal at pit... Do. double-scrnod washed nuts _____........ Oughterside best coal ____ Oughterside best washed nuts... ...........______ St. Helens (Siddick) best coal at pit ............ St. Helens (Siddick) best house nuts at pit ... ___ Best Cumberland coal. f.o.b__________________ Best washed nuts, f.o.b. ... Best bunkers (coastwise) Do. (foreign)... Best works fuel.......... Best gas coal............ Best washed nuts for gas- works __......... .... ___ quotations. Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices. 29'IO prices. 29/10 25/10 28/2 28'2 24/2 23'4 27/4 27/4 27/4 23'2 27,'4 23/4 23/2 19/2 21 6 21/6 17/6 22/ 25/ 26/ 26/ 29/ 29' 27/6 27 6 23 6 28 2 28'2 25/ 26/6 26,6 23 6 29/ 29/ . 25/ 27/6 27/6 23 6 26/ 26/ 22/ 24/ 24/ 20/ 35/ 35/ 31/ 38/ 38' 31/ 26/6 26 6 22 6 26 6 26 6 22/6 25/6 25 6 21 6 IRON. Activity prevails in all departments of the west coast haematite pig iron industry. Bessemer mixed numbers are again quoted at 127s. 6d per ton, with warrants at cash at 115s. per ton, and special iron at 140s. per ton. The market for ferro mangan se is very firm. The steel trade is exceedingly brisk. The iron ore industry in Cumberland remains in a satisfactory condition. There is a big demand for native haematite iron ore. Foreign deliveries of iron ore are fairly satisfactory. The imports of foreign ore for the week amounted to 4,800 tons. ” _________________ South-West Lancashire. COAL. The.high rate of sickness militates against any increase in output, and the household fuel coming forward is not sufficient for the needs of the trade. Shipping conditions are practically as they were The port still feels to some extent the effect of the diversion of steamers which took place during- the coalheavers’ strike and the railway stoppage. Requirements of steam coal are fairly satis- factory on the whole, especially for bunkering purposes, export being on the qniet side. Supplies about equal the demand, and though there is little “ free ” coal, spot lots may be had through the delay or diversion of expected steamers. In the coastwise and cross-Channel trade more coal continues to be asked for than there is any possibility of obtaining. Slacks and manufacturing fuel generally continue in great demand, and it is almost impossible to find a spot lot, however small, upon the market. Brices at pit (accept wtiece otherwise stHSib 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 L’st week’s Lastyeir's prices. prices. 27/6 -28/6 27/6 -28'6 29/ -30/ 29/ -30/ 25/6-26/6 25'6-26/6 28/6-29/ j 28/6-29/ 24 6 24'6 27/ -28/ ' 27/ -28/ 24/6 24'6 ( 34/6ff . I 65/X j 22/6 22/6 216 216 20/6 20'6 prices 23/6 24/6 27/ upwds 21 6-22 6 26/ upwds 20/5 24' -25/ 20 6 30/6 18/6 17/6 16/6 * New schedule. f Allies. X Neutrals. ________ _______ South Lancashire and Cheshire. COAL. There was a good attendance on the Manchester Coal Exchange on Tuesday. There is no material change to report, collieries having practically nothing to offer, being more than fully engaged for their output. Manufacturing fuel continues in urgent request. Thedemand for shipping coal is not quite so keen, chiefly due to the difficulty to get steamers. Prices are as below. Prices at pit (except where otherwise state!). House coal:— Best ___............__ Medium.............. Common.............. Furnace coal......... Bunker (f.o.b. Partington) Best slack .................. Common slack ............ Current L’st week’s prices. 28/6 26/ -27/ 24/6-25/ 24 -24/6 * prices. 28 6 26/ -27/ 24/6 -25/ 24/ -24/6 22/6 upwds.22/6upwds |21/ upwds 21/ upwds Last year’s prices. 24/6 22/ -23/ 20/6-21/ 20/ -20 6 ______* 18/6 upwds 17/ upwds * As per official list. IRON. There is no change to report in the state of affairs in this district. Prices are unaltered, and are entirely con- trolled by the Government departments. Works are fully engaged, and deliveries also are in the hands of the Ministry of Munitions. _________________ Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Leeds. COAL. There was a moderately attended market on Tuesday, with fewer present than usual from London and Hull. The pits, working full time, have a little better output, but supplies are as scarce as ever. House coal deliveries for London are totally inadequate to meet the needs of the merchants, and there is very little free coal offering, while ground stocks are reported to be only about a quarter of what they were a year ago. Coastwise, a few cargoes are being sent via Goole for the Thames and south coast, but this is mostly contract coal. In the West Riding local merchants have more orders on their books than they can deal with, and the supplies expected under the rationing .scheme are not coming forward. It is a question in most THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. 923 cases of sending out part loads. There is no change in regard to gas coal, but enquiries in West Yorkshire show that the position of stocks at many of the larger works is better than was expected three months ago. The scarcity of manufacturing fuel is very pronounced, and the trouble has been aggravated by strikes in several cases, notably Bradford, where there is a carters’ strike, which caused a number of factories to close. There is a little less pressure for nuts for munition works, but washed nuts have been off the market for a long time The greatest demand is for goo 1 quality rough slack, but consumers are glad to get anything, from large steam coal to small slacks. Coking slacks are scarcer. The output of furnace coke is kept up almost better than was anticipated, yet supplies are barely sufficient to meet current needs, and nobody has any stocks. Pit prices remain very largely nominal, as under : — Current pit prices. IRON. There is great activity in all departments of the trade. Engineers and ironfounders are extremely busy. House coal:— Prices at pit (London) : Haigh Moor selected ... Wallsead & London best Silkstone best ...... Do. house _____ House nuts ........... Prices f.o.b. Hull:— Haigh Moor best __..... Silkstoae best ....... Do. house .......... Other qualities ...... Gas coal:— • Prices at pit: Screened gas coal_____ Gas nuts.............. Unscreened gas cial ... Other sorts: — 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 Furnvseoke ........... Current L’st week’s Last year’s prices. prices, i prices. 25/6-26/6 25/6-26/6 21/6-22 6 25/ -25/6 ; 25/ -25/6 ■ 21/ -21,6 25/ -25/6 j 25/ -25 6 21/ -21 6 24' -24/6 | 24' 24 6 ' 20/ -20 6 22/6 23 6 i 22 '6 -23/6 18 6 -19 6 29/6-30/ 28/ -29/ 27/ -28/ 24/6-26 6 22/ -22/6 21/ -22/ 20 6 21/6 22,6-23 6 29/6-30/ : 25/6 -26' 28/ -29/ i 24' -25/ 27/ -28/ ' 23/ -24/ 24/6 26 6 S 20/6 -22/ 22/ -22/6 17/6 18 6 21/ -22/ ! 17/ -18/ 20'6-21/6 i 16 6 -17 6 22 6 -23/6 - 18 6-19 6 2L/6-22/6 21/6-22/6 i 17/6-18 6 20/6-21/6 i 20 6-21 6 > 16 '6 17 6 20/6-21/6 i 20/6-21/6 ' 16/6-17/6 19/6 -20/6 ! 19/6-20/6 15'6-16 6 17/6-18/6 17/6-18/6 13 6-14 6 18/ -19/ 18/ -19/ : 14' -15/ 32/ 32/ 32/ Barnsley. COAL. Disputes of a serious character occur frequently. A stoppage at Manvers Main and adjoining collieries will mean a substantial loss of output this week, whilst the prevalence of influenza in some parts of the district has been the cause of a considerably reduced output. Collieries still find a strong pressure upon them in regard to supplies needed for the Allies, particularly France and Italy. There is no relaxation in regard to the < needs of the Admiralty, and the tonnage required has to be found The scarcity of screened coal is particularly marked, and the demand for munition works, if less active, is still of a tremendous character. Manufacturing fuel of all grades is in active request, but the allotted tonnage has to suffice, for none is offered on the open market. Gas concerns expect a betterment from the rationing of consumption. The difficulty of obtaining an adequate supply of coke slack is still experienced, and it is only by using other grade fuel that the by-product plants can be kept in full operation. The demand for furnace coke continues to be exceedingly active, with the production speedily cleared at the ovens. Supplies of house coal are again of a restricted character, but the requisition scheme is expected to assist the situation. Values are nominal. Prices at pit. House coals:— Best Silkstono ....... Best Barnsley softs... Secondary do. ........ Best house nuts ______ Secondary do_________ Steam coals:— Best hard coals....... Secondary do........__ Best washed nubs... .. .. Secondary do_________ Best slack ____ ______ Secondary do.......... Gas coals:— Screened gas coals ... Unscreened do. __...... Gas nuts.............. Furnace coke............ Current prices. 27/ -28/6 25/ -25/6 22/ -24/ 22/6 -23,6 22/ -22 '6 L’st week’s prices. 27/ -28/6 25/ -25/6 ■ 23/ -24/ ! 22/6-23/6 ! 22/ -22/6 Last year’s prices. 22/6-24 6 21/ -21/6 19/6-20/ 18/6-19,6 18/ -18 6 24/ -25/ : 23/ -24/ | 22/6-23/6 | 21/ -22/ 19/ -19/9 16/ -17/6 24/ -25' 23/ -24/ 22/6-23/6 21/ -22/ 19/ -19/9 16/ -17/6 20/ -21/ j 19/ -20/ I 18/9-19/ 18' -18/9 15/ -15/6 13/ -13/6 23/ -23/6 I 23/ -23/6 19/ -19 6 22' -22/6 i 22/ -22'6 i 18/ -18/6 22/ I 22/ I 18/9 32/ | 32/ I 32/. Hull. COAL. Business has continued pretty much upon usual lines, a fair amount of activity being reported, up to the point of licences for shipment being withheld issue till the beginning of the new month. Supplies have been good, thanks to liberal allocations, and the export trade, almost solely with our Allies, has thus been well sustained. France continues to be a big customer of screened sorts. Principally owing to very heavy official and home demands, no substantial margin of large steam coal can be offered for export, and the same applies to much industrial fuel. The position regarding gas and house coal shows little or no improve- ment, and only modest deliveries are coming to hand. Shipments on the whole are satisfactory. Chesterfield. COAL. While the demand for every class of coal c mtinues very extensive, the supply shows little or no expansion. Here and there it may be possible to detect a slight increase in the output, but on the whole there is hardly any appreciable increase. House coal is in strong request, orders for which are greatly in arrear. Coal for manu- facturing purposes is also in pressing demand, and the greatest difficulty is experienced in obtaining cobbles and nuts suitable for gas producers. Slack for boiler firing is in good demand, and the supply is far from sufficient. The call for gas coal is persistent, but supplies are difficult to obtain. This state of things applies equally to steam coal for locomotive purposes. The export trade is unchanged. No licences are obtainable for Derbyshire coal All qualities of coke are in active demand. Coking slack continues in short supply. _________________ Nottingham. COAL. At the pits in this county the speeding-up process in regard to production, both on the part of owners and men, is having an improvement on the output. At the same time the demand for household fuel continues on an exten- sive scale, and collieries are unable to satisfy all require- ments. The position is rendered less difficult by compara- tively mild weather, but merchants are displaying an anxiety to secure full contract supplies to enable them to meet the needs of customers later on. The pressure on the steam coal branch is heavy. Railway companies are taking considerable supplies, while the tonnage required for war work makes big inroads on the output. Open-market sales are out of the question, as it is impossible to fulfil some contract obligations. Slacks of all grades are in brisk request, the shortage of coking sorts being a feature of the market. Furnace coke is in big demand. Gas coal is in rather better supply. Prices at pithead :— Hand-picked brights .... Good house coals __ ..j Secondary do...... I Best hard coals..........| Secondary do ..........j Slacks (best hards)______i Do. (second) .......; D >. (soft)............| _____________ Current L’st week’sl Last year’s prices. ' urices. j prices. 25/ -26/ I 251-26/ ) 21/ -22/ 24/ -25/ | 24/ -25/ i 20/ -21/ 22/6-23/6'22/6-23/6 ’ 19/6-20/ 22/ -23/ ! 22/ -23 j 18/6-19/6 21/ -21'6 | 21' -21'6 ! 17/9-18 3 18' -19/ i 18/ -19/ J 14/6-15/ 16/6-17/6 I 16/6-17/6 ; 13/ -13/6 16, -17/ I 16/ -17/ | — _______ _______ Leicestershire. COAL. A combination of circumstances is creating gr eater diffi culties in maintaining deliveries for the general domestic consumption. There is a great increase in the demands of an urgent character for large centres of population, and merchants have to sub-divide what comes to hand. The deliveries on account of munition factories and works of general importance take up a large proportion of the out- put, and these supplies are now being sent with much greater regularity. A very heavy volume of fuel has to be sent daily for London and district requirements, and minimum deliveries are most strictly enforced. House- hold fuel of all kinds is in very heavy demand, and the call for large and small nuts as well as small fuel generally for steam-raising purposes is much in excess of the quantities available. The output is on a good scale, and the return of more men from the Army week by week helps to lessen the shortage. Country merchants are getting more frequent deliveries, but they are small in volume, and this adds most materially to the economic cost of handling and delivering in small quantities to keep consumers going. There is quite an absence of reserves at the collieries and at country sidings. Prices at pit. Best household coal ____j Second, hand picked ... Deep screened cobbles ...i Deep large nuts ........j Bakers* nuts............ Small nuts______ _______ Deep breeze ............ Peas __.................. Small dust ____............ Main nuts for London i Current L’stweek’s prices. 24/ -25/6 uurrent | prices. 24/ -25/6 ! 23/ -24/ j 23/ -24/ ! 22/6-23/6 ; 22/6-23/6 22 6-23'6 ! 2L/6-22/6 20/ -21/ 19/6-19/9 13 6-14/6 22/6 -23/6 21/6-22/6 21/ -22/ 20/ -21/ 19/6-19 9 13/6-14'6 kitcheners __...........! 20/ -21/6 Steams, best hand pickedi 20/6-21/6 Steams, seconds ........• 19/6-21/ Main cobbles for kitcheners 20/ -21/6 Main breeze ... .. __.....| 19/9-20/6 20/ -21/6 20/6-21/6 19/6-21/ 20/ -21/6 19’9-20/6 Last year’s prices. 20/ -21/6 19/ -20/ 18/6—19/6 18'6-19'6 17/6-18/6 17/ -18/ 15/3-16/ 14'6-14/9 8/6- 9/6 16/ -17/6 16'6-17/6 15/6-17/ 16/ -17/6 14 9-15/6 ________ _______ South Staffordshire, North Worcestershire and Warwickshire. Birmingham. COAL. The position shows no change of note, being dominated by supply. Output has been but slightly increased by the return of men from the Army. Only a small proportion of these are actual coal getters, and this is the class which is wanted. All essential works have regular allotments, and establishments on less urgent works cannot rely on the same regular deliveries. House coal is difficult to buy. Wharves and depots are bare of stocks, merchants are behind with deliveries, and colliery agents have nothing to offer to ease the situation. 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 24/6 Do. seconds deep 22 6 22/6 22/6 Do. best shallow 21/6 21/6 21/6 Do. seconis do. 20/6 20/6 20,6 Best hard ..... .. 21/ 21/ 21/ Forge coal 18/6 : 18/6 18/6 Slack 13/6 13/6 13/6 Warwickshire:— House coal, best Ryder..! 21/6 ! 2L/6 21/6 Do. hand-picked: cobs | 216 20/6 20/6 Best hard spires ... 22 6 22/6 22/6 Forge (steam) : 18/6 18/6 18/6 D.S. nuts (statin) 17/ 17/ 17/ Sm%U (do.) j 17/ 17' 17/ IRON. A certain amount of unsettlement is beginning to pervade the iron and steel trades. International peace will be followed by a big upheaval in these industries, and those engaged in them are content to await developments. Meantime there is no abatement in Government needs, and these absorb the great bulk of the production. The call for foundry iron is being met as far as possible. Supplies