The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-03-13 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE.

WOLY ERIIA mrroN, Wednesday.

There was not much businese done on 'Change 1
this afternoon. Prices were, however, tolerably
firm, and the sheet firms reported themselves as
still busy, and likely to remain so throughout
most of their departments. Shropshire finished
iron was in demand, and makers were very firm
in their prices, their prodadive capacity being
within their current demand. Merchant largely
engaged as exporters continued their complaints
of the restrictive character of prices, alleging
that their custousere will not give them, and are.
anpplying their wants from Continental mills.
and forges, and the Canadians from the . mills
and forgeu of the United States.
Nevertheless ironniasters whose experience of
South Staffordshire is the longest were not at
all dieDairing to-day. It was admitted that we
are passing through a period of quietude in re-
ference to demand, and that there in some un-
certainty about the future in relation to wages
and other costs of producing the maketable
article. But the encouraging nature of the
foreign trade which is now being done by- th,:
different ironnraking districts was dwelt upon as
indicating a general dearinii, which people
unconnected with the tra le would be scarcely
disposed to hey.) bodeve,l if the Governnaent
rd. ms had not removed all ro nu for (Unlit.
Whilst this ciistaiet has shared to sonic °xis:at in
the improvement on export account, stilt it its
the home demand which does us most solid
service. The aggregate requirements of the
eeqin Arieg pais, and the b9ikr shops, sea
hirdware factories, en i founcirfes whiolt inithe-
diately surround the mills and forges of South
Staffordshire, are said to represent in a time of
average actieity a total weekly consumption of
fiaiehed iron,stnonnting to 10,000 tons. The
' fact that the district of which we are speaking
comprises not only Birmingham and the busy
abutting districts of Stnethwick and West Brow.
wick, but likewise Wed'uesbitry and Dudley, and
Stourbridgo and Walsall; and Wolverhampton
and Bilston, makes the calculation her set down
as not likely to be exaggerated:. At these active
centres look for their supplies ils., the mills and
forges which exist around them ;'and in these
works the ironmasters possess a home market
which can be claimed by no other ironmaking
district in the kingdom. Unlike South 'Wales
and Middlesbrough, we are not mostly deßen.
dent upon our foreign trade; and, also, unlike
those two great competitors, we produce a much
greater variety. Therefore, whilst we cannot
secure the extensive orders, which often fall to
the lot of South Wales and Cleveland, still we
are not exposed as they are to the vicissitudes
of an export business.
The consumption of pig-iron remains, at about
the same level as last week, the perhaps slightly
lessened consumption at the finished-iron works
being nearly made up by a somewhat better
enquiry from the foundries. One more furnace
hap been put in the last few days and one in an-
other
! pu is 9,000 tons, per week... ..
he :new wages arrangement, to come into
operation when, at the e id of June, the present
arrangement will terminate by reason of the
aotice to terminate it which will be given by the
Nortn of England trade, is beginiug to occupy
much atteietion amongst the leaders of the in
dustry. Seeing, however, that arbitration has
worked so admirably in the Northern iron trade,
and that the establishment, of the Conciliation
Board hare has prevented any open rupture.
during all the time that the Beard has been in
existence, there is mucq tenaon to caucluile tbot
the matter w:ii, %Opel iii ! 6,110 COTTI .e., be salved
in a rational manner, .0 ,be credit ahke of em-
ployers and workpeople.

There is no apprecia'de change this week in
the coudition of ;he local iron trade, but the
tone of the market us regards common iron, is, if
Y lower. Busin;s, however, is very
sunnetilii .
venll;distlibuted. and whilst some make: e.
are compelled to lay off their works for want 0,
orders, others, who are ruuniug full time, repor
prey .iliee;
Mekers o:
(p)nrovgenifin.ern defr7anindt.llo
brandeda slight
less
slacknees than sec md-class firms. having in
many instances secured goo-1 Government Coo-
races for dockyard iron, Sc;., as well ae speciti
cadoes for export.- Tile latter are LiON /yr).
scores, hut there are etill goad arre r• of order
on the books, and the home demand fir iron for
local menufecturine purposes, wli.ch is estima-
, te I to represent 10,000 tOor3 of finisaed icon
, weekly, is feirly wed sustained. Marked iron
is consequently firm, at previous rates, the
minimum quotation for bars being £lO. 10s.
Common iron is again rather easier. transactioul
in bars, however, being reported within the 141
few days as low as .1:8.155., or le 61 lower than
last week's minimum; but snoh cases are
exceptional, and few firms, however poorly
circumstanced, will undertake to make bare at
lees than £9, per ton. Sheets and plates con-
tinue in better request than other descriptiens
of iron, and there is at length smias appearance
of revival in the demand for tube strip. A
special meeting of the committee of the Iron.
masters' Asseciation was held iu one of the rooms
of the Exchange, on Thursday, Mr. Hunt in the
chair, to consider the course to be advted on
the expiry of the present wages arrangement at
the end of June next. The proceedings were
private, but we utplerstaud that it was decided to
defer any mod:lion on the subject until the
views of the North of Epglend masters, who are
parties to the present arrangement, have been
ascertained.. The
.ironru9.sters present, whils:.
admitting the present quietude of trade, held ou
llittle hope of, any reduction of prices while mitt
Both coal and iron are supported by the con
tinuance of the lock-out in South Wales.
Pig-iron is only in limited request, out owing
to theaurtailmentofproduction, prices are stead-
ily maintained at £3. to .£3. ss. for cinder, atid
.f 5 or het blest native all mine.

DIED.
SMITE.—On the 10th iut, at iilastinga, Elijah Smith, el
Croso, Cleat, *pi Uyears,