The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1873-02-22 00:00:00

BIRMINGHAM.

t4ccstour4ribge Ohserber.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1873.

THE COAL FAMINE.

From all parts of the country, there comes
a tale the same in its leading features, but
varying only in detail—of the enormous rise
in the price of coal, and the effect of this
upon various branches of industry. To what
we are to attribute the terribly enhanced
prices of coal is matter for elaborate argu-
ment on which we will not now enter.
Some of the causes may be briefly noted—
the enormous demand for coal, the increased
wages on the part of the colliers, and the
determination of the colliery proprietors to
secure large profits. In what proportion
these several causes have operated we will
not attempt to determine, but as there has
been so much said with regard to the two
first-mentioned causes, it may be well to give
a statement on the latter cause, without
pledging ourselves to its truth. Mr. Cassey,
secret-my to the South Yorkshire Miners'
Association, can hardly be considered an in-
dependent witness, but his testimony is to
the effect that the coalowners demanding
such large profits is the leading reason for
the high price of coals. "It was reported,"
he said. 'that the miners were making lOs
a day ; some of them were, but others were
making a deal less, and when coals had
been advaneed front 4s 64 per ton to Hs and
,21 per to at the pit's mouth, the coal.
owners must be Lr,Pttin-27 the lion's share.
They musf not he e:prised if the colliers
went in f.. not'icr advance in a week or
two. It wi f 'lll and monstrous thing
that coal slio,ild la. sold for .50s a ton in
London when it cost ZI at the pit's month,
and Ss carriage; thus, the coal merchants of
London realised a profit of £1 per ton upon
all they sold." No doubt many causes com-
bine to raise prices t, the exorbitant figures
now quoted; but far more important than
the endeavour to settle in what proportion
these causes act are the inquiries how the
present coal famine affects the country, and
what can be done to remedy it.
The phrase " coal famine" is not an un-
called-for one, and it Is producing disastrous
effects. It is said that the increased price
of coal is adding a halfpenny a pound to the
cost of cotton; that some of the Lancashire
mills have been entirely stopped. and that
others have been placed on short time. Mr.
Brogden, in addressing a number of men in
South Wales, immediately after terms had
beenamicably arranged to facilitate a termi-
nation of the strike, remarked, A large
shipowner told me the other day that his
coal bill for the last year was £20,000 more
than on the previous year. and consequently
he could not keep his steamers going, and
twelve of these were now lying in dock
doing nothing. Another person, a large
printer, told me that his coal bill for the last
year wrs £15,000 mom than on the previous
year, and the consequence was he intended
to reduce his establishment to one-half. A
gentleman in the cotton trade told me a
similar story, remarking that he would be
compelled to take a like course." After
urging such facts as these, well might Mr.
Brogden plead with the colliers and try his
utmost to persuade them to increase the out-
put of fuel, for the benefit of the great in-
dustries of the country. How necessary it
is that the collier,. -.peaking generally, should
do this nrly be seen IT turning to another
col:iery cE,triet. In t ,2 Wigan collieries

the output far bet. a- the aveiage, the men
declining to wok in.,re than three days a
week, and the stock of coal secured being
painfully small.
Now, looking at such facts as these, the
conclusion is evident that determined
measures must be taken to remedy the fright-
ful deficiency of coal, which is hang a
ruinous effect on the trade, and matmfac-
tnres, the steam-shipping and railways of
the kingdom. H our present colliers win
not work long enough in this or that colliery,
without generalising, we must either employ
other men or introduce coal getting machi-
nery. "If our present colliers," says the
"Daily Telegraph," "will not (Irk even at
extravagant wages, we must get others who
will. The world is at our service, and a re-
serve of unemployed men exists in more
than one country which, under the pressure
of stern neceSsity,we might promptly utiline."
Our colliers would do well to lay these words
to heart, for the opinion expressed by our
contemporary isbecoming very general. And
machinery too can by introduced which will
produce powerful effects. Already Messrs.
Baird's new coal-cutting machines are being
employed with great success, and a largo
colliery owner says that the engines may
now be looked on as doing real practical
work, great improvements having been
effected in it. Our colliery gentlemen—we
mean those who are commonly called colliers
—ought to take note of such a fact as this.
They are now doing their utmost to force the
colliery proprietors to employ machinery,
and the aforesaid colliery gentlemen may ere
long be sorry for it. There are but two other
important means of lowering the priee of
n)al—dist.overing and dPveloping new sup-
and providing substitutes. We fear
e In 1,,• in the latter re-
sp
of

osal to make use
he kingdom, but
10 receive ample
be acted upon.
IS an undoubted
••ked fields exist in
og this fact in mind.
iv means of reducing
pl inelined to hope that
th, !irk. • .fl iilviineo considerably.
The inconvenience, loss, and distress, would
be great at first, but in all probability we
should soon have such supplies from new
coal fields, and such a return to common
sense in our coal fields at horno, as would
=de the probability a any future coal

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