The Portland daily press., 1871-09-26

SOmc years dSO COuoluCld dUiC LII Wd-
created in England by statement to the eff
feet that the coal area in that country was
considerably less than was generally suppos-
ed, and that the supply would be exhausted
within period of about two hundred years.
A board of commissioners, consisting of ex-
perts and scientific men, was appointed by
Parliament, and after patient and laoorious
Investigation of five years the results are gwen
to the world in very comprehensive and
elaborate report.
The commission partially confirms the
alarming reports about the short SIMPLY OF
coal The only difference is in respect to
tIme In place of exEausting the coal-helds
I'm couple of hundred years, as was first re-
ported, it IS estin- ated that according to the
arithm-tical rate of ircrease in consumption
tor a number of years past, the supply viii
last 277 Years. BY moderate geometrical
diminution in the increased consumption,
which would utilize much coal that Is nov
wasted, the supply may be made to last 800
wears. Ii the future increased consumption is
limited or prohibited TO the amount consumed
during the year 1871, the supply may last
1900 years. In other words, If England
stands still it may continue To exist l,30O
years. But if it increases its manufactures
and wealth in the future at The rate CT pro
gress during the first halt of the present cen
tury, then there will be an end OF all this
greatness and power in about 300 years.
The report is exceedingly valuable In ipfor-
| nation. Experience confirms theory by
| showing that coal cannot be procured at a
lower depth than 4,0O0 feet, on account of the
| regular increase of heat. This increase Is a
| the rate of one degree for each sixty feet. =
| The mines at fifty feet below the surface
| maintain constant temperature Of flty de
grees in winter and summer. At the hoss
Bridge mine, 2,419 feet deep, the temperatur,
| is uniform at niuety-fo degrees mine In
the tin regions in Cornwall is sometimes 12S
degrees. and men can only WORK in II iol
spells of fifteen minutes. At 1000 feet tLt
| temperature wound be 105 degrees, and this !!
i the highest at which coal can be prohtabl!
obtainea, until men become like salamanders
and able to live in region of perpetual boil
ing water. The attainabe quantity of coal Ii
the known coal region is 96,2O7 100000 tons
This would only last about $50 years. But i
is estimated than an additional supply Q
50,273, 3,OU0,OO0 tons may be obtalued In dt
triets not yet worked or regarded as worka
Bile. This gives a total available quantity
146, ,4S0,OOO600 tons, which may last eithe
$40 years or 1900 years, according to the lat
OF consumption. :,
Thus, science pronounees the unalterabl
doom OF the English nation. 1t mast shso
| Iutely Law down its sceptre within a deterusin
| ate period. That period seems so remote ina
foreDodings and regrets seem ABOUT on pa
| with Marx Twaiu's tears at the tomb oil hl
| ancestor Adam. Nevertheless it is impossible
not to forecast tutuie 10 which such grea
changes are not merely problematic Within
! the same period OF time that marked the ris
I and growth of the people and the republic O
| the United States, the English nation is des
tined to disappear. What Sheffield, Manches
ter, and the other great manufacturing town
of England would be when deprived of th
motive power that drives its steam engine
and keeps its furnaces in blast, is only too al
parent, and it is probable that iu comparisO
a Battle OF Dorking night be more desirable
1t is estimated that the machinery OF Englan
is equal to the manual power OF the entiI
population OF the globe. What that counti
| would be, deprived OF this wonderful auxiiiaI
, power, belongs to the future to decide.
There is just one chance Of repreve. 1t
possible that science which thus pronounc
the doom Of England may fiud means t. g
it a new lease of existence. New motive po'
# eis besides those derived from coal and stna
may, and probably will be discovered or rath
e utilized. Already it is known that eleclrci
|. or magnetism offers practically exhaustit
sources of heat and power. Nature contai
. within her mighty storehcuse many frnitt
= bounties to bless mankind-bounties whi
are only limited by human ignorance and
e capacity. The day may no. be distant VIII
y the locomotive and steam engine may be
garded as much behind the times as the o