The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-01-23 00:00:00

TfiE SMIT,ERL

'pet ton; and North of England bare and angles
and plates are freely offered. The best sheet
houses continue to report themselves as without
need for anxiety for some time to come; and the
sheet mills generally are doing an average trade
at this season. Pigs are not selling very freely
just now, bnt agents report fair sales at the
quarterly meetings. The all-mine iron of this
district is held by makers for £5. to £5. ss. ; but
more is doing in them than for some little time
past. Cleveland and other such pigs are offered
in buyers' favour, and the aggregate purchases
represent considerable quantities; but consumers
will not believe that the quotations for such iron
have yet touched their lowest, and are therefore
buying only for prompt delivery. Barrow strong
forgo is still to be had at £4. 10s. short weight,
delivered in this district; and £4. 10s. short
weight is also the price No. 1 Cumberland
Bessemer, but the quotation is "at the furnaces,"
and not delivered. During last week as large a
quantity as 3,000 tons was sold at that figure in
the various English markets. There were many
complaints that best coal keeps up .in price, and
hereby impedes the progress of the iron trade.
Colliery proprietors, in their turn, were even
louder in their complaints of the restrictive
action of the short hours, which they held were
working to the disadvantage of the colliers as
well as the colliery-owners; and the giving of
notice for an increase of one hour per day was
stoutly advocated. Meanwhile the domestic
supply, which is met with difficulty, is being'
further lessened by the South Wales strike, the
Great Western Railway Company having placed
with one of the Cannock companies an order for
the supply, over a given period, of ten truck-
loads per day, to compensate a portion of the
loss in the reduced supply from the Southern
Principality. The Admiralty sought here this
afternoon for a constant supply at the dockyards
of angle, T, bulb, and bar iron. Cut-nail makers
reported a steady new business,icustomers believ-
ing that prices of iron are fixed for the present.
The nailmakers' quotations are unchanged upon
the last previous quotations.

BIRMINGHAM, Thursday.

Since Quarter-day business is a degree steadier
in the local iron trade, some pressing orders
baying been given out at the close of last week,
when it became apparent. Sheets, hoops, and
nail-making iron are in especial request, but the
demand is chiefly for the better brands, and the
makers of unmarked iron report no improvement
in their position. For the common descriptions
of bars and sheets prices are a shade easier, at
£9. for the former and £l2. 15s. for the latter ;
but branded iron is firm at £lO. 10s. for ordinary,
to £ll. 12s. 6d. for favourite brands of bars,
and £l4. to M. for sheets (single). Some good
specifications for dockyard iron are in the mar-
ket, and there is no lack of enquiries for export ;
but the result in every case will depend very
much upon prices, which, though firm for the
present, can scarcely fail to be affected a month
hence by the expected drop in coal. Makers of
pig-iron are better satisfied with the business
transacted on Quarter-day than the makers of
finished iron, but there is a lull just now in this
market, as consumers have arranged for their
current requirements. Prices, however, are firm
for the better qualities of pig, hot-blast
native all-mine being quoted £5. to £5. 55., and
cold-blast (Lilleshall) £6. 10s. The Ciuderford
and Forest of Dean Companies' quotations are a
little lower, at £5. Cinder pig ranges from £3.
to £3. 6s. Coal of the best quality is similarly
firm, but other kinds are a shade weaker.