Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1840-04-04
MINERAL COAL.

called, by Geologists-of mineral coal,
scattered over the surface of the globe, or
stored away in its bowels, seem to have
been provided by Providence to supply the
demand naturally created by an advanced
state Of civilization, and high degree of
perfection in the arts and sciences. The
natural forests, and the spontaneous pro-
ductions of the earth are only sufficient for
man, in the early stages of society-while
communities arc small and scattered, and
the wants and wishes of their members H.
mited to the simple demands Of nature for
food and warmth and clothing. Every
step, in the advance, from the most simple,
tothe most highly artificial state of society,
creates new want, which the ingenuity or
learning of man is taxed to supply. In
crcasing numbers drove men from the saw
age 10 the pastoral life-increasing riches,
recurring the protection of state of socle
ty more fully organized than is practicable
among nomudic tribes, brought them to-
rether into comm mites. Hence, towns
arosc-trado and commerce had an orr
pin-the arts and sciences were cherished
learning Observation-Disclosures improved,
and mankind grew up into civilization, their
wants increasing, in an equal ratio, until
everything that the earth can supply, the
air yield or the sea contribute, is taxed to
minister 10 their necessities, to serve as
slave to their pleasures, or to swell the png-
cant in the lriumphan. march of their ambi-
tion.
The use ofminernl coal, for fuel, is more
general in England than IN any other coun
try, on the globe; and for the very best of
reasons-The forest Of the whole kingdom
would not problby produce more than one
years supply Of fuel. The whole area Of
England and Wales, if devoted exclusively
to the growing of timber, would not at the
present rate of consumption in those coun
tries, ensure a perpetual supply. In Tie
days of king Alfred, or of Williams of Nor
mandy, probably no one dreamed that the
forests would ever fail; and undoubtedly,
the natural growth was sufficient, in those
days for all the wants of the people, with
out materially diminishing the Whole. But
the advance of civilization and the high
state Improvement in the arts--a manu-
featuring interest, unparalleled in its
growth, and unrivalled in its extent, has
given another view Of this subject, and
England owes her prosperity not to her for
ests, but to her vast mines of mineral coal
which, underlying her kingdom in all direc
tions, furnish fuel Tor her vast population,
and her still more vast manufactures; give
employment to thousands of her citizens,
and millions Of her capital; call into exist
ence a navy of ships, boats and water craft,
for its transportation, and furnish an impor
tant article Of her trade and export to for
eign countries. The gold mines of Peru.
and the diamond mines of the Indies are
valuable, but they sink into nsignlfcance,
when compared with the coal mines of
England.
Neither will it be many years, before
lcrge portions Of our own country will be
dependent upon the coal mines for fuel.
The huge forests that once extended over
many large tracts are already gone: and the
knell Of tho primeval woods is sounding
around US, in the crash of mrny hoary
monarch of the trees. A great extent of
the Western country, also, is entirely des-
titute of timber, in its natural state, and
must depend, almost solely upon mineral
coal for economical use. The steamboats,
of Lake Erie ure denuding the shores Of
our inland seas of timber. with velocity
almost incredible, and Fastening the time,
when we shall be obliged to rely upon the
coal measures of ours and the neighboring |
states, in all cases where a large quantity !
and a low price of fuel is Indispensable. /,
The state of Pennsylvania has already be- /
gun to realize foretaste oe the benefit ul- !
tiinately to accrue from her immense coal t
deposites, in the impulse they have gwen E E
to manufacturer, especially of iron, in All !
internal trade that has pushed its avenues
of railroad and canal in various directions il
INTO the Alleghanies--giving large rove |
lue to the state, furnishing employment 70,