The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-05-13 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE.

WOLVE RIIAMTON, WEDNESDAY.

The reports brought in from the finished iron.
works this afternoon were not particulirly
cheering. There were a few firms who reported
themselves a little better employed this week
than last, but only a few. The general tone of
the market was slightly improved. Some of the
sheet makers are doing better, and plate mills
at works of considerable repute for the quality
of their boiler plate iron are kept steadily on
completing orders that succeed each other with
fair regularity. Plates of nearly all qualities
were less strong than bet ,re the action of Messrs.
Barrows in taking £2 off their previous quota-
tions. Whilst BBH Bloomfield are qu,ted at
£ll., BbH best plates are £12., and BBH
double best .218. " Monmoor" plates are £ll.
for beat, £l2. for best best, and *en. for treble
best, up to 4cwt. each. Bars are to be got at
several prices between £9.124. 6d. and £7. 103.,
aceotding to quality.
Much dispoidtion was manifested upon all
list:l, to hook orde:s. The pig-maker were
prepared to afford their culomers all filo benefit
of the rect lit reductions in coal. together with
any advant:tgea yet to be detived from the drop
itfnauceuten's ages. A ftw wiles we
pui
:tre
The prices accepttd this afternoon,
sad 12,05 e which have regulat. d trtosactious II
the peat weck at the works, sl ow that inill and
f•irge owners have found it possible, in the case
which hay,: terminated most in their own favour
to bay cinder pigs at from ..t2 153. down to £2.
12-. G. ; that. North Stuflio-Usl jr. aid Derb)-
shit, pig,- have 1) en bought. at 3. 2s. 6d., best
rhyshire at .1!1.3. 103., and all-mine South
Stafforii,hire at .E 4 ss. Earl DndleN 'a nig-iron
from .24. 7s, 6.1. io ..t4. 12s. Gd.

Tilt! cniinued d, cline in the exp.,,rt,-
tion of ilOli front this district to foreign
eustoi..cis was the subjecl. of ninth discussion
on 'Change this afternoon. Leading members

hoped that the information which are they now
supplying to the Foreign Office, in reply to the
requests of the Foreign Secretary, made through
the British Iron Trade Association, may have
the effecgof assisting the Cabinet to at least
check the tendency, here and there shown upon
the European Continent, to increase, rather than
diminish, the duties before levied upon our
products. The Board of Trade Returns, issued
this week, were quoted as confirmatory in a
striking degree of the experiences of individual
firms.

Coal, both forge and house, is in abundant
supply. Customers' requirements are met, even
upon the Cannock Chase, directly that they are
expressed. Pits there are doing scarcely more
twin half work. There are still forge collieries
where even less is being done. Forge coal may
be had at as low a figure as Bs. at the pits. For
better qualities 9s. has to be given. rhis makes
the forge coal delivered into the works from 9s,
to 9s. 9d. per ton of 22 cwt.

The slight improvement reported last week in
shipping orders, chiefly for merchant bars and
@het i;, had net been maintained, and the specifi-
cations placed have added little to the engage-
ments of producers. In unmarked iron, the re-
duction declared, ranging from ss. to 7s. 6d. per
ton, was too small to influence demand very
materially; but where manufacturers are willing
to conceed as much as lOs per ton merchants
show a disposition to replenish stocks, which
have now fallen to a very low ebb. Marked bars
are steady, at from £8 lOs to £9 12s. 6d.
Sheets are quoted £11; plates, £lO. 10s. to £11,;
sad angle and tue iron, £9. Nail making iron of
every kind is very much depressed, under the in-
fluence of Belgian competition, Belgian nail-
sheets being now delivered in Birmingham at
£B. 7s. 6d. Plates, also, are relatively weaker
than most other descriptions of iron. Un-
marked bars are freely offered at £7. 10s., and
some transactions are reported below that figure
Few of the works, whether of first-class or inferior
makers, are in operation more than three days
a week, and many are standing for want of em-
ployment. In the pig-iron department business
is no better. Transactions are on the most
limited scale, and the reductions declared a week
ago have not been successful in stimulating
business. All-mine pigs have receded less than
other descriptions, being quoted still £4. 17s.
6d.; but on cold-blast pig the fall is 10s. per ton
and the same reduction is offeren on some medium
qualities of hot-blast. Cinderpig may be had as
low as 12 12s. 6d. Coal is inabundant supply,
though the pits in many places are only in par-
tial operation. Lord Dudley's prices west of
Dudley are for best coal 165.; furnace coal us.
and slack 4s. 6d. per ton.; but good forge coal
may be had in the Wolverhampton district at
from Bs. to 9s. per ton.