The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-13

and Wesh1nEfcn se last two sboundng excessively In
this n!nenl sme a2eo 600 squsre miles. The twelve
coal st.sso yn.; Aatana Georgia, Tennesses, Ken
tucky, vhx1aA Maryland Ohio Indiana, Illinois, Penn
sy!vania, sniE:n 'aad Missouri. embrace an aggre-
c0s - ssfsrs issns2 square mis, A.. o. nsssy
producing, - 1880, willie yet I'm the infancy Of
sss ss , s, t. the snss; s .s.. .sts
and sps: was ssas sss cfsfsyons
0as q r. snat year alone p,o
United slatnfsr 1854 may be safely estimated at ten
abundant ~ cur county and ourfactIes for its sup
ply so gsf ~ price has risenwittn the last year
Rss wa ne 'st n s
able reesu1c9s q home. see good reason for
continuing - present exorbitant datyon coal which,
the foreign e1s q brought into competition With our
domestc the etter IT viii certainly Do for the
msr Nor y ssss. q years viii this prove any detvi
will be dircetsd 70 the proper application Of all
the faeilhtss possible for the cheapest mining,
scnable tsrszsi while, ss matter of revenue to
the country, Il IL mot only not wanted, but abso-
~sr !. nsds . s.ss. interest N [
steamship constructed but iron il requred and ia it's
manufacture coal the material FOR the propulsion
manufacture and trade in the United States so init
mately connected with the coal trade within the hast
1Orty years. - enOrmOus-keeplng pace, II not In ad
vance the strides every other department os human
industry In 1910 we had hundred and fifty three
furnaces producing thousand tons Of pig iron
In 1s45 we had five hundred and forty blast furnaces
averaging nine hundred tons each annually yielding
four hundred and eighy.six thousand tons, and nine
hundred and fifty boomeres, forgcs, rolling and split
ting mills, yielding Of bar hoops &c. two hundred and
nnetyone thousand six hundred tons and OF blooms,
castings, machinery, and stove plates one hundred
and ffty-one thousand five hundred tons. making
that year an aggregate x nAe hundred and
twenty-nine thousand hundred tons at the.
value of $33, $40, 500. In 1853 the rapid in
in this branch Of manufacture was such as to
yield much more than million tons Of pig iron. Some
idea may be formed Of the increasing demand for COAL
by even glance at the multiplied to which il
applied We have now in active operation 20, 900 miles
of railway communication, at cost of 600 millions Of
arms Brareus like far and wide over the Union in the
ratio of the expansion Of population and the growth Of
the country The steam marine Of the United States in
1852 was 800 vessels, with aggregate of 417,226
TONS of which 96 ocean steamers 529 engaged in
the coast trade and 7e5 employed inland
marine within the last two years, that it would not be
extravagant to estimate steam marine for 1854 at
500 vessels, with an aggregate steam tonnage Of 540
600 tons quarter of century ago the power of steam
upon land and upon the ocean, comparatively
known, and the vast and unmeasured material
which walked this power into life slumbered in our
soil But the use of coal for the creation OF
motive power upon railroads and in steam navigation
both inland and ocean, furnishes but inadequate
idea Of its extensive application and value to the
try Goal has been forciby described the indspen
sable aliment Of industry. 1t is primary material
power superior 10 JnaL OF
tural agents. such water air &c, produce 1t is to
industry what oxygen is to the lungs water to the
plant, nourshment to the animal 1t is to coal
our steam and gas. 1t replaces in the 0rkshops and
domestic hearths the charcoal which had become too
costly under the last head in northerly latudes
IT is destined always to acquire increasing and more
general use. The employ of coal viii Be heucefor
ward other than question of cheapness and in the
age the first interest Of industry is above all to
amelorated the ways of communication, to lower
the tolls Hpon the routes and canals" When Crnsus
exhibited his golden treasures, some told him that
he who possessed iron could soon make himself master
them The ownership Of the gold of the Aztecs and
the ncas yielded to the iron and steel Of the Spanish
invader. The Creator, with a bounteous hand, has
furnished US with a coal region with an extent aud
richness, as l trust have shown, uLequalled by
any political community the face of the earth, and
almost as exhaustless the atmosphere by which we
surrounded. The for the extraction Of this
one Of the great of life at hand and
all that human ingenuity and enterprise could DESIRE
and from these rich deposits stream Of wealth,
swollen, flows into the Golfers of the producer When
reflect that that article under high protective tariff is
able agent in every household-hat 1t is daily grow
ing into universal for all domestic purposestha 1t
indispe pensable in the machinery which fashions with
artistic skin and elegance the implements used and ne
eessary every famiy-that II equally needed and
poyed in the manufacture Of farming utensils and tools
in the mechanic arts-n travel by land and by water
indeed for all the arts of peace and equally indispen
sable the Of war; and for ali the Of national
Defence Is there any why there should be op
and tax upon that which so
affects the interests of every citizen OF the repub
Lief Every principle Of Justice demands that the
imposes should be stricken OIL and that the traffic OF
this important article should be opensd to the freest
deavorsd to attract the attention Of this body to the
subject rather by brief summary Of the interests in
yolved than by any attempt at elaborate argument.
The days Of this session rapidly diminishing. The
business OF the country requires in fact demands,
trevity in discussion and prompttude OF action. As
the Of this G
becomes duty from which could not shrink, to press
he matter upon this body. Ny constituents have
mand that the abundance Of Europe which the producer
there supply, shall bebrough at to Shores
that they may have the relief created Sy
$4,000 families, employ It for domestic purposes.
The manufacturing Interests in the furnaces forges,
and all the engines employed in the useful arts, require
it. The trading community, in their stores and work
shops seek the light, in the production Of which this
article forms essential element The feet Of steam
ships that daily leave shores carrying flag to
every sea- in the hwfu pursuits Of commerce, expect
it. And, In the Of all those great interests, and
that Of my immediate constituency respectfully urge
the immediate and unconditional repeal Of the existing
duty.
Mr. RrcHK (whig) of Pa, took occasion to deny the
truth Of the reports extensively published in the
papers, that coal producers in Pennsylvania have
bned to keep up the price Of the article The supply
twenty Hve per cent higher this year than it
last The high prices caused by the increased
ninS mi rass and cost t. Of :, on
Mr. Wits (dem J, Of Pa, thought the gentlemen from
engaged in the anthracite coal business
have been unjusy charged with combination for the
purpose Of keeping up prices He thought the charge
should properly attach to New Yorkcrs and Eastern
men, who seek 70 bring the price Of coal low to
prevent mir es from sending 1t to market.
Mr. srRAuB (dem.) of Pa, said that Mr.. walbrdgc
told truth relative to the price Of coal being raised
but forget to that every other necessary Of life has
been correspondingiy increased. 1Aughter).
Mr.. WALBRDGE.-Every thing except Members Of Con-
grcss. (Renewed laughter).
Mr. WIsrE resumed, saying, that the abolition Of all
duty coal would not under present circumstances,
affect the price Of the article.
Mr. HInr1R (whig) Of Pal move the COMMITTEES
rise.
Mr. JONES (wbig) Of Tenn.-I the gentlemen have
10 20 TO dinner
The Committee rose, and the invalid Pension bill
passed.
THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION.
Mr.. RoBRn@ Jdem.) Of Pa, presented memorial
from the American Philosophical Society asking out
ft to search for Dr.. Kane's Arctic expedition.
The House then adjourned.
Our Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Dec. H. 1854.
The House IN Compsttee Of the Whole-Joshwd r. CD