The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-12-13
WORLDS COAL SUPPLY.

From the New York Sun.
Coal was first discovered in the Unit
ed States in Rhode Island I'm 176S-that
Is In one of the states into which prac-
tically all the coal used Is imported.
Coal mining was begun at Pittsburg
before 1t was tried in Rhode Island.
Fifty years ago the three coal-produc-
ing states of the country We're Pennsyl-
vania, Virginia, and Rhode Island.
There is very close relation. political
economists have not failed to notice, be-
tween coal and manufactures, and In
the expansion Of the manufacturing in
terests of civilized countries during the
present century. the rate of increase
has kept up pretty evenly with the in
crease In supply Of coal. taking, of
course, those manufactures into which
steam power enters.
At the head of all the coal-producing
countries of the world is Great Britain,
with yearly average of about 1S0, O00,-
900 tons. At the head of the countries
using steam power for purposes other
than railway traction Is Great Britain,
also. Second of the coal-producing
countries are the United Staes, with a
yearly average of about 0.000. 900 tons.
and the United States are also second
in respect to steam power exclusive Of
railroads. Third in production of coal,
Third In production Of coal. 100, 900, 900
tons a year, and also third in steam
power for manufactures is Germany;
and France is fourth. Russia comes
fifth. the increase of the coal production
of the Russian empire having been very
marked during the last few years. 1t
doubled from 1875 to 1885 and nearly
doubled from 1885 to 1895. Among po-
litical economists it is pretty generally
admitted that the dearth of coal in
Italy is one of the chief barriers to a
material development of manufactures
which would otherwise be sufficient
to put that country In "a position of
greater prominence in the commercial
world. There Is the same trouble to be
found in Spain. though Spain furnishes
some of the coal required for domestic
use Some 25OO0,00O tons of coal mined
In England are annually exported to
European countries which either have
no coal supply or mine an amount mad
equate for their needs. France, Italy,
and Spain receive a very large share of
this imported coal. Some, toe, goes to
Egypt, and some to Canada. A table
which recently appeared in England
makes this subdivision Of $50, 900 900 tons
annually mined: Used in manufactur-
annually mined: Used in manufac-
lures, IS, 100000 tons a year; for domes-
tic purposes. cooking and heating, 40,-
900 900 tons for railway locomotives
and for steamships. 2O,0OO,00O tons; for
gas or water works particularly gas
works), 10000 900 tons, and for mining,
$4,000, COO tons.
The gradual extension and utilization
of the electric current has diminished
the demand for coal in many parts OF
the United States; and the utilization
of natural gas. in the natural gas belt.
had had like effect. One paradox
connected with the production and use
of coal in the United States has come
up for discussion again at the Atlanta
Exposition, where many Of the South
ern speakers have been pointing out as
peculiar the fact that hundreds of
thousands of tons are transported from
Southern ports to New England ports
for use in Yankee factories, and that
the products Of such factories are In
turn sold to the states and districts
from which comes not only the coal, but
aIso the cotton.