Sheffield Daily Telegraph — Thursday 07 May 1903

The Hull Coal Trade. Improved Figures.

The recent reports of the satisfactory condition of the South Yorkshire coal trade are amply corroborated by the April return of the Hull Incorporated Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, which was issued yesterday, and up to the present the year compares very favourably with its predecessor. The total number of tons received at Hull during April amounted to 309,344 tons, of which 254,400 tons were sent by rail, and 54,944 tons by river or canal. Compared with the corresponding month of last year, when 247,152 tons were sent, this figure shows an increase in favour of the present year of 62,192 tons. The totals for the four months are: This year, 1,039,360 tons; last year, 947,648 tons, the balance in favour of the present period being 91,712 tons.

The increase is rather remarkable, inasmuch as for last month there is a very considerable decrease in the exports, which amounted to 85,798 tons, against 107,391 tons in April, 1902, a falling off of no less than 21,593 tons, or over 20 per cent. The United States took 5,825 tons, against 512 tons last year; and Austria 2,797 tons, against 773 tons; the West Indies, 1,481 tons, against nothing; France, 4,723 tons, against 3,744 tons; and Egypt, 2,704 tons, against 1,997 tons, but in almost every other case reductions were recorded, some of the figures being: South America, 7,310 tons, against 8,331 tons; Belgium, 2,101 tons, against 4,461 tons; Denmark, 4,807 tons, against 11,443; East Indies, 2,890 tons, against 3,468 tons; Germany, 8,113 tons, against 21,217 tons; Holland, 4,458 tons, against 5,493 tons; North Russia, 5,975 tons, against 6,859 tons; Norway, 1,793 tons, against 3,967 tons; Sweden, 27,021 tons, against 30,261 tons; and Turkey, 2,016 tons, against 3,132 tons.

For the year, however, the present is over 100,000 tons in advance of last, this being entirely accounted for by the exports to the United States. Coastwise exports show an increase of from 21,612 tons in April of last year, to 22,384 tons this, London alone having taken 2,000 tons more, whilst Southampton’s 2,300 tons was the first of the year. On the month, Gravesend has dropped 2,880 tons, Dover 350 tons, Bridlington 281 tons, and Lowestoft, Lynn Regis, and Whitstable similar three-figure amounts.

For the first time since the commencement of the unfortunate strike, Denaby and Cadeby occupies first place in the list of individually contributing collieries, with 20,176 tons, against 28,720 tons; West Riding and Silkstone comes second with 17,456 tons, against 4,512 tons; Kilnhurst and Thrybergh third, with 15,344 tons, against 12,632 tons; Shireoaks fourth, with 13,672 tons, against 13,752 tons; Peckfield fifth, with 13,456 tons, against 9,640 tons; and Aldwarke Main sixth, with 13,200 tons, against 19,512 tons.

The appended returns are interesting:—