The gazette and Democrat. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1860, 1860-04-19
COMMUNICATED.
How Long wall he Coal Banks Of the
World Held Oatl


This i' . startling question, in which
oil ere iOterssled. It's solutiOn concerns
every human being nov on the habiIabIe
globe; and may still more seriously affect
our cIi ldren. Looking at the enormous
amount Of coal now consumed, and es.
pecially at the rates in which that con-
sumption has increased 10 the last thirty
years, and the certainty that. at every
stage Ofhum N progres in population, arts,
manufacturers. and general culture. the
increase must go on at an equal accrlsra'
tion the above question will strike every
thinking mind with startling force. The
amount Of col taken from the Anericau
6elds during tha year 1859 has b en- com-
puted at 8. 900 900 tons. This computa-
tion falls sho IT Of the actu.l amount
The produce Of Great Britain during the
same year was 6S,OOo,OOo. The entire
produre Of tho coal felds Of the world is
estimated at the same lime a. 100000 :
600 tons: When we look at the rapidly
with which this enormous anlonnt has
been reached from very small beginnings
the question assumes still more startling
aspect.
The British coal-trade las heretofore
doubled itself in about twenty Eve years
This however. is q slow rate Of advance
compared with that which has been made
in our own trade. We take the produce
Of the anthracite mines Of Pennsylvania,
as exhibited in the tables Of Professor
Rogers, ss an example. Ia thiriy-twC
years, from 1895 to 1853. il advanced at
the rate of 184, 900 tons each year, and
from 1889 TO i849 the produce doubled
itself in each FIVE years. The American
coal..rade began iu 1920 with $50 tons,
and 10 1859 reached 100000 When
will our coal mines be exhausted Great
as is the above incrtase it is compare
t,ve'y nothing to what the Coasump' on
will reach in the next twenty five years.
With the increase Of population, and the
conseq increase Of wants, with tht
constantly multiplying applications an"
uses Of coal in our various pursuits. with
the opening Of new veins Of copper, gold
silver, and beds of iron ore. all of which
must be worked by the abundant con
SUMPTION of coal; with the rapid exhaust
loo Of what remains Of our fores S; Qm
menss as they are. If the coal gives out
our forests will not supply our waut'
more than Is years) with the progressive
exploration and civilization of countries
where there is no coal, sud tue growing
demand consequent TO the introduction
Of arts and manufactures. in such coun
tries; the growing demand for closer con
neotidn and more. flequent intercourse
between remote nations. in view Of all thos
occurrenc es it is difficult TO predict o
conceive the extent which the use Of coz
may reach in twenty years. How rapid
|ly has coal in this generation been estat
fishing itself as the universal motar q
our social mechanism. 1t warns an
lights our houses. cooks our food, spin
weaves. dyes, and washes ard dries OF
clothes. illuminates oui streets. plougl
our fe.ds. grinds our grain, b kes oil
bread. propels our railroad cars from OF
end OIL the continent to its opposite, OF
: ships plough every river. sea and oceA
, and around the world, it prints our boo
and our journalism word. what does
not do for us. What mO,emen, in Il
I vast and complicated machinery Of mo-
ern society is not dependent on coal?
In view Of the foregoing facts, is Il
: fear of the rapid exhaustion Of the Goa
mines of the World either unwarranted
: smissf Should this mighty motive POI
er be now, or at a future period withdrav
what would be the effect on the world?'
Society in all its efforts would at once I
: cede to what it was fifty years ago. o
Q ocean and river steamers would speed
be rottingat our whaves-our railroad ca
y stand molionless and useless on th
u trarks; Boston and New Orleans would
gain be q fortnight apart; England
i month from America; California and Oh
D. gon almost lost sight of; books and new
o papers would rise to a rOst beyond I
u reach of the millions. The extensive Z
% lightened aud benevolent efforts to s2re
" the blessings Of the Christian religi
+ amongst distant and barbarous natic
q wonld receive terrible retrogation, \
~ only the pleasures and comforts Of ho
q would be checked, bu. the indispsnsi
necessity Of Warmh would be wholly I
't at,ainable by the great mass Of maukil
g aud before long beyond the reach of all
y Everv interest Of society and human
T. would undergo disastrous revolution
L The lack of coal would paralyze all
40 man energy-its exhaustion BE- a far gre
VI er calamity than peslileuce and famine