The price of iron of all kinds fluctuates continually according to the state of the market. These Notes do not profess to deal with the cost of materials; and the following lists are given merely to show the relative value of iron from the districts named, and the difference in cost of the various forms and qualities.

The Table of Prices on page 291, and the list of extras charged on British iron from Staffordshire, the North of England, Wales,and Scotland, are taken from the current price-list for July 1885, issued by Messrs. Boiling and Lowe, of 2 Laurence Pountney Hill, London, E.C. The prices and extras for Lowmoor iron are from the list of Mr. Berkeley Paget, of 2 Laurence Pountney Hill, for September 1884.

1 In paper read before the Institute of Naval Architects, 21st May 1886.

The details which follow with regard to extras, brands, etc., may appear to be superfluous, or at any rate too voluminous.

They serve, however, to impress upon the student that there is a great variety as to these particulars in different districts; and it is hoped that they may be of value to those engaged in practice, to whom a few condensed paragraphs on the subject would be disappointing and almost useless.

Price Current, July 1885

Merchant Iron.

Staffordshire and Midland.

North of England.

Wales.

Scotland.

Yorkshire.

Common.

Good marked iron.

List Brands.

"Bird" Admiralty Test Iron.

Price Current July 1885 300174

Quality.

Ordinary.

Superior Quality.

Low-moor, Bowling, etc.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Per Ton.

Bab Iron . . . (Ordinary Sizes.)

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

A

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

d.

£

s.

/.

6

7

6

7

0

0

8

2

6

8

2

6

5

10

0

6

0

0

5

5

0

6

5

0

6

10

0

19

0

0

Plates, Ship .

8

7

6

8

10

0

...

..

..

..

..

..

6

10

0

7

0

0

..

..

6

15

0

7

10

0

..

..

Do. Boiler .

..

..

..

8

15

0

9

12

6

9

19

6

7

10

0

..

..

7

0

0

7

10

0

22

0

0

Sheets, singles.

8

7

6

8

15

0

9

12

6

9

12

6

7

5

0

8

0

0

..

..

7

10

0

8

10

0

26

0

0

Hoops (Ordinary Gauges)

6

17

6

7

10

0

8

12

6

..

7

0

0

7

10

0

..

..

7

10

0

8

0

0

..

..

..

Angle Iron . . (To 8 united in.)

7

2

6

7

10

0

8

17

6

8

12

6

5

10

0

6

0

0

..

..

7

0

0

7

10

0

22

10

0

Tee Iron (ditto)

7

12

6

8

0

0

9

2

6

9

2

6

6

10

0

7

0

0

..

7

10

0

8

0

0

..

..

..

Extra for Best Iron

..

10a

..

..

20s

..

..

20s

..

.

..

..

..

10s.

..

..

10s

..

..

10s.

..

..

..

..

..

Extra for Best Best

..

30s

..

..

40s

..

..

40s

..

..

30s

...

..

..

30s.

..

..

..

....

..

..

30s.

..

..

..

..

..

Extra for Treble Best

..

60s

..

..

60s

.

..

60s

..

..

..

..

..

..

50s.

..

..

..

..

..

..

50s.

..

..

..

..

..

Delivery in Liverpool.

Delivery in Tyne or Tees.

Delivery in Newport or Cardiff.

Delivery in Glasgow or Leith.

Delivery at

Works.

London 5s. to 7s. 6d. per Hull . ton extra.

•

London, 10s. Liverpool, 12s. 6d. Hull, 6s. per ton extra.

London, 12s. 6d. Liverpool, lis. per ton extra.

London, 8s. 6d.

Liverpool, 13s. 6d.

per ton extra.

London, 10s. Liverpool, 7s. 6d. Hull, . 5s. per ton extra.

Joist Iron, Girder Iron, and Channel Iron are not included in the above list, but their prices as given in Messrs. Bird's other lists may be summarised as follows :-

SIZES IN INCHES.

Price per Ton.

FROM

TO

Depth.

Width.

Thickness.

Depth.

Width.

Thickness.

Joist Iron, English

4

1 3/4

1/4

8

2 1/2

4

£8:5s.to£8:15s.

Girder Iron

9 1/4

8 3/4

7/16

12

6

1

£9 to £11

Channel Iron

2

1

5/16

10

3 3/8

4

£7 to £11

Lengths up to 30 feet without extra. Sawing hot to lengths included. Dead lengths cut cold, 7s. 6d. per ton extra.

The higher prices are for those sections with wider flanges and peculiar shapes. Foreign joist iron may be obtained at about £2 a ton less than English joist iron.

List of Extras on British Iron. Staffordshire.

Round And Square

Ordinary dimensions are from 1/2 to 3 inches.

3/16

7/32

1/4

9/32

5/16

11/32

3/8

13/32

7/16

15/32

3 1/4 to 3 1/2

3 3/4 to4

4 1/4 to 4 1/2

4 1/3 to 5 in.

70s.

60s.

40s.

35s.

30s.

25 s.

20s.

15s.

10s.

5s.

10s.

20s.

40s.

50s. per ton.

Round Only

5 1/4 to 5 1/2

5 3/4to6

6 1/4 to 6 1/2

6 3/4 to 7 inches.

70s.

90s.

110s.

130s. per ton.

Flat Iron

Ordinary dimensions are from 1 to 6 inches wide by 1 to 1 inch thick.

1/8

3/16

1/4

5/16

3/8 inch thick.'

All Bars from 1 to 6 inches wide by 3/16 inch thick, 10s. per ton.

1 inch wide

. 20s.

10s.

...

... per ton.

7/8 ,,

. 30s.

10s.

10s.

10s.

10s. „

3/4

. 30s.

20s.

10s.

10s.

10s. „

5/8

. 40s.

30s.

20s.

20s.

20s.

1/2 .,

. 40s.

30s.

20s.

20s.

20s.

6 to 7,

8 to 11 inches wide.

20s.

30s. per ton.

Half Round, Ovals, Etc

For every 1/8 less than 1 inch wide.....

10s. per ton.

„ 1/16 in thickness less than 1/2 inch ....

5s. „

Angle And T Iron

1/8

3/16

1/4 inch thick.

21/2 to 1 inch wide .

. 20s.

10s.

... per ton.

7/8 ,,

. 30s.

20s.

10s. „

3/4 „ .

. 40s.

30s.

20s. „

For every inch or part of an inch exceeding 8 united inches, 10s. per ton.

Hoop Iron

Ordinary widths and gauges are as follows :-

Inches.

33/4 to 6,

not thinner than

No. 14 WG.

21/4 to 31/2

,, ,,

,, 15 ,,

15/8 to 2

,, ,,

„ 17 „

Inches.

1 3/8 to 1 1/2

not thinner than

No. 18 WG.

1 to 1 1/4

,, ,,

,, 19 ,,

1/2 to 7/8

,, ,,

„ 20 „

Should the above widths he required in thinner gauges than specified, 10s. per ton extra will be charged for each number of the Wire Gauge up to No. 20, and 20s. per ton exceeding that No.

7/8

3/4

5/8

1/2 inch.

Extra for width .

. 20s.

40s.

80s.

120s. per ton.

Sheets

Singles to No. 20 WG - . Doubles 21 to 24 WG, 30s. per ton; and Latten 25 to 27 WG, 60s. per ton above tbe price of Singles.

For each No. thinner than 27 WG, and for sheets 8 inches wide and under, from 14 to 27 WG, as per agreement.

Plates

Up to 4 cwt. per plate, not exceeding 30 feet super and not above 15 feet long or 4 feet wide, or narrower than 1 foot:-

From 4 to 5

5 to 6

6 to 7

7 to 8

8 to 9 cwt. per plate.

10s.

25s.

50s.

75s.

110s. per ton.

"Welsh.

Ordinary dimensions are from 5/8 to 3 inches round and square, and Flats 1 inch wide by 3/8, and 11/4 by 1/4 inch to 6 by 1 inch.

Small Flats

11/8 to 4 in. wide by 3/16 in.

41/8 by 6 in. wide by 3/16 in.

1 by 5/16 in.

10s.

20s.

10s. per ton.

1 and 11/8 by 1/4

1 by 3/16

1 to 13/4 by 1/8

7/8 by 3/8

5/16

1/4

3/16

1/8

10s.

20s.

30s.

10s.

10s.

10s.

30s.

30s. per ton.

3/4by3/8

5/16

1/4

3/16

1/8

5/8by3/8

5/16

1/4

3/16

1/8

1/2by3/8

5/16

1/4

3/16

1/8

10s.

20s

20s.

30s.

40s.

20s.

30s.

30s.

40s.

50s.

30s.

40s.

40s.

50s.

60s. per ton.

Large Flats

31/4to 4 in. by 21/2 to 3 in.

10s. per ton.

4 1/4 ,, 5 „ 2 „ 3 „

20s. „

5 1/4 ,, 6 ,, 1 1/4 ,,1 1/2,,

10s. „

5 1/4„ 6 „ 1 3/4 „ 2 „

20s. „

6 1/4 ,, 7,,3/16,,5/16,,

30s. „

71/4 to 8 in. by 3/16 to 5/16 in. .

30s. per ton.

7 1/4 ,, 8 ,, 3/8 ,, 1 ,, .

20s. „

7 1/4 ,, 8 „ 1 1/8 „ 2 „ .

30s. „

9 ,, 10 ,, 3/8 ,, 2 ,,

50s. „

12 ,, 20 ,, 3/8 ,, 2 ,,

60s. „

Small Round, Square, And Octagon Iron

9/16

1/2

7/16

3/8

5

1/4

3

10s.

10s.

20s.

30s.

40s.

50s.

100s. per ton.

Large Round And Square Iron

Not over 6 cwt. per bar.

31/8 to 31/2

3 5/8 to 4

4 1/4 to 41/2

45/8 to 5

5 1/4 to 51/2

5 3/4 to 6

10s.

20s.

30s.;

rounds only 50s.

60s.

80s. per ton.

Bundling sizes above 9/16 inch rounds and squares, and 11/8 by 1/4 inch flats, 2s. 6d. per ton.

Scotch.

Ordinary dimensions are from \ to 3 inches round and square, and Flats \\ to 6 inches wide by 1/4 to 1 inch thick.

Flat, Half-Round, Oval, And Half-Oval

1/8

3/16

1/4

5/16

3/8

1/2

3/8 inch wide

..

100s.

80s.

60s.

... per ton.

7/16 ,,

...

60s.

60s.

50s.

20s.

1/2 ,,

..

60s.

50s.

50s.

40s.

...

5/8 ,,

..

50s.

40s.

40s.

30s.

30s. ,,

3/4 ,,

60s.

40s.

30s.

30s.

20s.

10s. „

7/8 ,,

40s.

30s.

20s.

20s.

10s.

10s. ,,

1 and 1 1/8 „

30s.

20s.

10s.

10s.

...

..

1 1/4 to 6 ,,

..

10s.

..... ■

. . ■

...

..

6 1/4 to 7 ,,

• • •

20s.

10s.

10s.

10s.

10s ,,

71/2 8

..

8 1/2

9

10

11

12 inch.

20s. 30s

40s.

50s.

50s.

60s.

60s. per ton.

Round, Square, And Octagon

31/8 to 33/4

4

4 1/4

4 1/2

4 3/4

5

5 1/4

5 1/2

5 3/4

6

7/16

3/8

5/16

1/4 inch.

10s.

20s.

30s.

40s.

50s.

60s

70s.

80s.

90s.

100s

10s.

20s

30s.

40s.

No. 4 WG.

No. 5 WG.

3/16 and No. 6.

No. 7 WG.

No. 8 WG.

50s.

60s.

80s.

100s.

120s.

Flats, Rounds, And Squares, Where Not Extra For Size

For every half-cwt. over 5 cwt., 10s. per ton.

Common quality of Rounds, Machine-straightened, 10s. per ton.

For Ovals, twice the extra, and for Half-ovals, three times the extra on above sizes of Flats. Convex 1 § inch broad and under, 20s. per ton.

Half-circles, 11/4 inch broad and under, 20s. per ton in addition to above extras for Half-ovals.

Angle And T Iron

7/8 by 7/8 inch wide

3/4 by 3/4 inch wide 30s.

3/16 inch thick

1/8 inch thick

20s.

10s.

20s. per ton.

For every half-inch exceeding 8 united inches, 10s. per ton.

Hoop Iron

61/2 inches

to21/4

inches

wide, if thinner than 15 WG . .

10s. per ton for each number of the WG.

2 „

,,15/8

,,

17 „ . .

1 1/2 „

,, 1 3/8

,,

18 „ . .

1 1/4 ,,

„ 1

,,

19

7/8

3/4

5/8

1/2 inch wide

20s.

40s.

80s.

120s. per ton. If thinner than 20 WG, 20s. per ton for each number of WG.

Sheet Iron

Doubles, No. 21 to 24 WG......

30s. per ton.

Latten, „ 25 to 27 „......

60s. „

For each gauge thinner . .

20s. „

If under 12 inches wide .......

10s. „

„ 24 „ long........

10s. „

Plates

For each cwt. above 6 cwt., per plate ....

10s. per ton.

„ foot „ 15 ft. long „ ....

10s. „

If under 12 inches wide „ ....

10s. „

„ 24 „ long „ ....

10s. „

If above 51 to 54 inches wide, per plate ....

10s. per ton.

„ 54 to 57 „ „ ....

20s. „

„ 57 to 60 „ „ ....

30s. „

From No. 7 WG to 1/4 inch bare thick, per plate

10s. „

North of England.

Round And Square

Per ton extra.

7/16 in..

. 10s.

3/8 ,, •

. 20s.

5/16 ,, ...

. 30s.

1/4... •

. 40s.

3 1/4 to 3 1/2 in.

. 10s.

3 3/4 „ 4 „

. 20s.

Per ton extra.

4 1/4 to 41/2 in.

. 30s.

4 3/4 „ 5 „

Rnds. only 40s.

5 1/4 ,, 51/2 ,,

» ,. 60s.

5 3/4 6 ,,

„ „ 70s.

6 1/4 „ 61/2 „

„ 80s.

Flat Iron

Per ton extra.

5/8 in. wide

. 30s.

3/4 ,, ,,

. 20s.

7/8

. 10s.

7 ,, ,,

. 10s.

71/2

. 15s.

8 ,, ,,

: 20s.

3/16 and under 1/4 inch thick, 10s. per ton extra. No common Iron made above 6 inches wide, or 3 inches round or square, or below 1/2 inch round or square. 6 to 8 inch Flat is not rolled thinner than 3/8 inch.

Angle Iron

1 in. by 1 in.

1 1/4 in. by 1 1/4 in.

l 3/8 in. by 1 3/8 in.

20s.

10s.

10s.

For every inch or part of an inch above 8 united inches, 10s. per ton. 3/16 inch thick, 10s. per ton. Up to 8 united inches, ordinary length is 40 feet; above 8 and not exceeding 10 united inches, ordinary length is 35 feet.

For every foot or part of a foot above ordinary lengths, 2s. 6d. per ton.

Plates

Ordinary sizes up to 15 by 4 feet, or 8 cwt. per plate.

Best and Best Best above 6 cwt., Best, Best, Best Plates 300175 above

20s. per ton.

3/16 and under 1/4 inch thick . . . . . .

10s. „

1/8 ,, 3/16 ,,...............

20s. „

For every 6 inches or part of 6 inches,

exceeding 4 feet wide,

20s. per ton.

,,

under 1 foot „

20s. „

Above 15 feet and not exceeding 18 feet long,

....

20s. per ton.

,, 18,, ,, 25 ,,

..

40s. „

,, 25 „ „ 30 „

...

60s.

Yorkshire.

The following prices and extras charged upon Lowmoor Iron may be taken as a sample of those for other Best Yorkshire Iron.