The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-01-09
Friday. January 8. 1880
COAL PRODUCTION.

The greatest source OF the wealth
and power Of Great Britain has for
many years been machinery. in which,
says the San Francisco Alta. it sur
passes all other atoms combined. Its
superiority was indicated approximate
ly by its coal production. Thirty years
ago nearly three-fourths of all the coal
mined on the globe was British; and
now it is less than half. In the interval,
the coal yield has doubled in Great
Britain and Increased tcn.fo!d in the
United States. In 1880 Great Britain
mined 1000 per cent. more coal than
America; now it mines only 100 per
cent more. At that rate Of increase.
in 1900 our country will yield 1t least
so per cent. moro coal than Great Brit.
ain, q change Of situation for which
there is abundant room. We have 20
times - much coal land. and only one
twentieth the number Of people to the
square mile Of fertile area Brit.
sin has individually passed tho climax
of its relative greatness; We are still
in the early years of vigorous growth.
Coal means mechanical power. ma
chincry the saving Of human labor. the
attraction Of wealth. population and
enterprise from abroad. cheap trans
portstion. the development OF natural
resources. the advance OF industry,
commerce and general intelligence. Az
the two countries which combine the
advantages Of the moot extensive srea
of conveniently accessible coal. With
the grestest area Of fertile soil 10 .
temperate climate. ars the United
States and China. so it Is probable that
the middle of the next century will SEQ
them occupying much more promi-
nent place in the march Of civilization
than taey do at present.
The annual incresse in the coal yield
Of the world is S.5OO.OOO tons, equivs-
lent to the work Of II. O0O, 900 men for
. year. an immense contr: button to
humsn productiveness. This is, how.
ever. only the direct contribution of
coal; the Indirect is also very large. By
the Indirect. we mean the improve
ments in machinery, enabling it with
the same amount Of coal, to do much
more than WAS done City or one hum
dred years ago. Thus. In 1887, nine
tons Of coal were consumed in produc-
ing one ton of pig iron; now only two
aud half tons are required-a saving
OF Is per cent. The spinning jenny Of
Harsrsaves. in 1867; enabl, d ono per-
son to spin 20 threads at once. instead
Of only one, Is before; but now tho
mule. With single human attendant.
spius 1000 threats. aud it SPINS ct least
five times - many yards on each thread
as tho first jenny did in day. SINH
lar labor saving Influences have been
Ut work in the cardiny and weaving OF
wool and cotton, in the pudding and
rolling OF irou, in the planing aud shap-
ing of wood. aud other important
branches Of industry.
In 1878 tho American Union pro-
ddced ten times as much coal % iu 1855.
and. at ths Same ratio Of increase.
should turn out in 1900 $50. 900 600
tons OF coal; and that, after making all
allowances for tue loss Of power By in.
complete combustion and friction. has
- much mechanical power a. i,l00..
100000 men. while there are NOT l. 900 ).
100000 highly civilized adult males
now ON the globe.