Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-12-13

IN lc45s VIC iHipoIItu. slfO,o~l SoaAs
1915 ....,.. .s.' So. 40, 100
sI649. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1928 :
1850. ...... .... ............ - oS,45J ~
1851. .....3........ ..2l4,II4 - 8. |
1852 80. .....s..s. .i.l65,Ui5 ..aaI
1858 ........ -. -. ..S5l ,oUo
1854 ..................... go. ..xo< sooo 80
During the four years last mentioned we have
imported an aggregate of 662, l62 tons, valued
according to Treasury statement In my posses
sion certified November 81, 1854, at VI ,9l0
or, at general average of four years, ~ ~ per
ton. and the aggregate duty paid on the same =
$59l.O5 70. n
The scarcity Of fuel, and the demand for coal,
had undoubtedly their full share in influencing
the amount of inpertations at the several periods
mentioned. This demand for coal is still rapidly
auqmenting, having risen in the last nifty years
from s 900 tons per annum to an annual con-
sumption of 100000 and yet being continually
on the increase. 900 sFa Elss,9 ~,
Il i only within the last fifteen years that the
United States has become, strictly speaking,
coal producing country. A quarter OF century
previous to that period there were not more tnan
one thousand tons of anthracite coal annually pro-
duced in the whole Union yet, in lS4I, the IN
rrea "a alone had reached to more than one thous-
and tons per day, and has since increased, and is
still increasing almost in compound ratio
The ability Of the American producer to.suc-
cessfully compete with the foreign importer, even
AFTER the present protective restriction shall have
been removed, is beyond question. Look at our
superior facilities for the extraction and transport
tation of the article the constantly increasing
demand, and the extent of our coal-producing
regions in comparison with those OF Europe and
the British possessions on this continent
II is to be remembered that the coal we import
Is mostly from Great Britain and her North Anne
rican dependencies. The aggregate OF square
miles of the coal-producing countries IN Europe,
viz Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland and wales,
:Spain in the Asturias region, France, Belgium,
Prussian domnions, Austrian provinces, and the
British dependencies in North America, is $751;
300 square miles-the coal region OF which en-
braces about IS, 504 square miles, or little more
than Que twenty-fourth part.
The United States contain, exclusive OF Texas,
Oregon, and Washington, the last two Astounding
extensively in this mineral, some ,O00 square
miles. The twelve coal States, viz: Alabama,
Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, MARY
land. Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Mi
chigan, and Missouri, embrace an aggregate sur,
s.ce of 565 .2s3 square miles, Of which the coal
resion covers 1873, 1872 square miles, or nearly
one -ouarter of the entire area of these states,
producing, in 1850, while yet in the infancy OF
this great staple, according 70 the census returns
of that year, 5,049 ,954 tons.
The annual coal produce of Great Britain pro-
per. Belgium, France, PRUSSIA, Austria, in Spain,
In 1853. was within fraction Of hfty-one mill
lions of toms In that year Pennsylvania alone
produced seven millions Of tons, and Maryland
more than half million,
The produce ana cOubuinptioh et4o DtHeoN
States for 1854 may be safely estimated at ten
millions of tons yet Notwithstanding this article
is 40 abundant in our country, and our facilities tor
its supply so great the price has risen within the
last year from thirty to fifty per cent, and wtnn
the last five years nearly one hundred per cent.
with almost illimitable resources at home
can see no good reason for continuing the present
exorbitaaf duty on coal, which, in my opinion,
s,ould be free articles and the earlier the foreign
coal is brought into competition with our domes-
tic the better Il will certainly be for the consumer
Nor in a series Of years viii this prove any detri-
ment 10 the American producer, whose energies
win be directed 70 the proper application OF all
1be facilities possible for the cheapest mining,
transportation, and its delivery on the most rea-
sona6le terms; while, as matter of revenue to
the country, il is not only not wanted, put aeso.
lutciy detrimental 10 our general interests. Not
railway is made and equipped with engines and
cars nor a'steamship constructed, but iron Is re-
auired and in its manufacture coal Is the mate
rial used Cor the propulsion Of tho requisite ma
.chinery. The growth OF the iron Manufacture
and trade in the United States, 30 intimately con-
nected with the coal trade within the last forty
years, IL enormous--keeping pace, II not IN ad-
vnnee Of the strides in every other department OF
= human industry. In 1910 we had one hundred
and 6fy-thrce furnaces producing hfty-four thou
In Is4s we had five hundred and forty blast
furnaces, averaging nine hundred tons each an
nuallv. welding four hundred and eighty-six
sho,sa nd tons and nine hundred and fifty bloom
-. es-y-es ,oIling and shifting mills welding
~, boser. &c. !. two hundred and ninety-one
.l-- - y y L.. .,ircd ton. and az blooms "a
mo. noursna ~ - stov, plates. one hundred
- 60 r,'. 49,. "A Eve hundred tons. making
a., vs.r an '' .srrar.ts of nine hundred ana
trs,,ty nina tbonssnd one hundred tons at ths
zine az Saa. glo. ZOO. In 1853 the rapid in
rrease IN t6is branch Of manufacture was such a,
40 weld much more thsna million tons Of pig iron
aounc ,doa NAV he formed Of the increasing
asm.nd car coal. 6y even a glance at the multi
,,l,ed uses 10 which n IL applied. We have nov
= active operation %. 600 miles Of railway com
...-ss.,,ar ~ cost az 600 millions Of dollars