The Nome daily nugget., 1915-07-12
SITUATION
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March F, the price of spot tin in London was R194 for Straits and G19O for Standard. Today it is f172 for Straits and G16s for Standard, fall of f22 per ton. The high price reached in London has for some time been looked at askance by authorities in the trade here and the slump was not unexpected. The whole situation is involved and complex and predic- tions concerning the future are ex- 2 tremely hazardous, but certain factors which have played a part in the move ment are readily apparent and easily susceptible of Analysis.
 The rise in London was chiefly Oh spot and nearby tin, and was partly due to the increased quantities tied up in transportation through the slower movement of ships and the congested condition of the docks in London. Something like 5000 tons of tin above normal was rendered unavailable to the market in this way. A far greater influence. however, was the heavy de- mand on London for shipment to Scandinavia and Holland. This tin, suppositiously was to supply the do- mestic requirements of those countries or for Russian account, and certain restrictions were thrown about it's shipment intended to prevent the tin finding it's way into "enemy's coun- try"
 tained very high figures, ranging any where from G200 to f250 per ton, and despite precautions taken by the Ad- miralty in London this high price at tracted large quantities. especially during the last few months. Nearly as much in fact went to Germany as in times of peace and the German price suffered heavy fall in consequence
 The English authorities seem to have been very slow in waking up to what was going on. but finally becoming
 
 rounded the exportation of tin not only from England but also from the Straits with such stringent regulations that it would seem impossible for further quantities to reach Germany: and the fall in London is attributed to the re- sale of lots previously bought for eX- port but which probably cannot now be shipped out of England
 Other factors that played an impor- tant part in raising the London price since Jan. were due to prior causes one of the chief of which was the in- terruption to shipments from Bolivia. owing first to the disorganization en- tailed by the war, and later to the acti- vities of the German fleet off the west ments have been resumed nearly 1000 tons of Bolivian tin have arrived in England which is more than arrived there July to December inclusive. This will restore to the market not only as much as it formerly received from this source, but large quantity in add- tion The average arrivals in Great Britain from Bolivia were formerly not in excess of 1900 tons per month
 The part that Holland has played in occasioning the recent stringency in London is also shown on an examina- tion of figures, according to which their total sales August to December. inclusive. amounted to only 5000 tons most of such sales being from stocks in Holland and going to Germany Their sales otherwise in November December and January amounted to only 26S tons. In February, however from stocks in Java the Dutch gov ernment sold 200 tons of Banca and Billiton tin. and to the middle of March had sold something like 1900 tons ad- ditional. Much easier conditions will necessarily ensue when these large shipments reach the consuming mar kets.
 There seems no escape from the cOncluSlOn that the recent scarcity and high prices will soon be a thing of the past. With Germany excluded as a consumer and the London exports con fined to the domestic requirementsl of the other countries of Europe, demand must undergo substantial shrnkage The total consumption of Holland. Sweden. Denmark and Russia is only about 450O tons per annum or say 400 tons per month. Three or four times this quantity has been shipped from London monthly of late. the diff ference going to Germany.
 As to the future figures have been offered to prove that with Germany eliminated the position of tin is any