Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-01-02
Coal and Iron in the World.

NJ. Gruner, a member Of the Inter
national jury at the Vienna Exposition,
has compared the conditions of the two
great industries as existing in 1873 with
their state at the time of the French Ex-
hibition in 1867, NJ. Gruner estimates
the entire fuel production of the world
ut 100000 600 tons, and he calls atten-
non to the fact that the value of the min
oral combustible annually consumed
largely exceeds that of the ores mined.
In England, in 1871, the total coal yield
was valued Tin round numbers, which
Tor convenience sake we shall use
throughout this article) at $9a, 900, 900,
while that of all the other mineral pro-
ducts, including refractory clays, marine
salt, phosphorites, etc, did not exceed
S62,OOO,OOO. In Germany and France
the same excess in favor of coal also APP
pears. Throughout the entire world
during 1872, the author places the value
of all the minerals but fuel mined at
1920, 900, 900; of the fuel at 1920, 900, 900,
or nearly double.
Referring to the English coal produc-
ton, the author states that, for the forty
years from 1881 to 1871, the ratio of in
crease has been as from / to 6. The
present rate of production per workman
IS about 299 tons per annum in England,
22O in Prussia, 159 in France, and 157
in Belgium. 1t is believed that these
figures will never exceed 800 tons in
England, and 100 in France and Bel
GUM; so that, estimating by the present
Engi 5h yearly increase in fuel mined, in
the year 1910 fully 100000 men will
be actively engaged in the industry.
This is hardly possible, since the above
umber OF workingmen support popu.
lation five times greater and for this
aggregate to be maintained by a single
industry, there must be corresponding
increase in all other branches of English
labor. Hence, from the nature of things
maximum of coal production must be
eventually reached. Regarding the fue
exhaustion of the English mines, the
author places their duration at $50 years
The aggregate production of $50, 900,
600 tons in 1872 is made up by the vari
Gus countries in the world contributing
as follows Great Britain, 123, 900, 600
United States, 40, 100000 Germany 40,
100000; France, 15,900,000; Belgium
1860, 900 Austria and Hungary, TO-
0OO, Spain, 1900, 900; Russia, 800,
600, and English colonies, China, Chill
and Japan, 3,700,000 1t is believed thai
within thirty years the American Goa
production will exceed that of England
but the indefinite increase of the yield
it Is thought, will be prevented by tn,
absence of "a corresponding increase il
the demand, i'll the same manner as il
Great Britain
After thus dealing with coal, the sub
lect of iron is discussed, and the value O
It's ores stated to exceed that of all thos,
OF other minerals save gold. At
minimum, the annual value is PLACED
100000 600, or 81 per ton on the aggre
gate extraction of 1872. From the 35,
900, 900 tons then mined 14,O00,O 600 wer,
nade into oast-iron, $500, 900 into homo
j5eneous iron and steel On comparin,
these figures with those given for 1866
5he iron production is shown to have be
come still more rapidly developed tina
that OF coal. In seven years the cos
yield increased from to 1915, while tina
OF iron increased from 9 to IA. TIL
steel manufacture has tripled in the sam
period