The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-03
I1HiOns OF dOlIAr.J

The British board VI trade has issued
a statement showing the production
and consumption of coal and the num-
ber OF persons employed in the coal
production in the principal countries Of
the world in each year from 1888 tO
1894. For the first time. the New York
Evening Post notes. statistics OF coal
production In the British colonies and
ir British East India are given. and
of the consumption Of Britiah coal in
other countries although the figures are
sometimes only estimated. they may be
taken as substantially accurate. In
1894 the United Kingdom produced 1885,
1000 tons Germany IS. 900. France
2G, ,964 900. Belgium 20.534. 900. Austria g.,
$4,000, Japan 1888 3.37l 900, and the
United States l52.44S.0OO tons. OF the
British possessions. Canada produces
between three and four million tons.
and In addition imports half her total
consumption. principally from the
United States New South Wales pro-
duces about three and half million
tons. but. unlike Canada. her output
has been Of late years practically sta
tionary. New Zealand Yields over 50O,-
00O tons per aInum. but shows little
or no increase Natal's output rose
from $4,000 tons in 1859 to 1%1 900 In 1894.
Similarly in British India the produc-
tion has steadily risen from 1.3l6.0o0
tons in 1889 to 3.S2l 600 tons IN 1894. The
countries which import coal in excess
Of the amount they export are Russia.
Sweden. France. Spain. Italy and Aus
tria- Hungary, and Of British posses
sions. Canada. Victoria, Queensland.
Tasmania. New Zealand. the Cape. and
British India. together with all the
minor colonies with the sole exception
of Labuan tBorneo). In the United
Kingdom, Germany. Belgium. and the
United States NEST. II not the whole. of
the coal consumed Is Of native produc-
ton. OF Russia's consumption ~ per
cent. Is her own coal. II per cent. IL
British coal. and per cent. comes from
other countries. In Sweden 8S per cent.
of the coal consumed is British, In
France IL per cent. in Spain so per cent.
in Austria Hungary less than per cent.
and in Italy nearly the whole Is of
British origin. The number of persons
employed in coal production in various
countries in 1894 was as follows: Unit
ed Kingdom. 66j.741: Germany. 29s.G2I:
Belgium. III. 1873: France. 131.5S1; Japan
1888. 30.345; the United States 1S93I.
1863 309: British India. 43l91: Canada.
1864: New South Wales. 9.13l: New Zea
land. 1889. and the Cape. l,Gol.
james VI. SWSIlk. general ItldiluSeT "
the American Iron and Steel associa-
tion, says: "rhe numerous financial
failures among iron and steel manu-
facturers during the last three years
prove that the prices OF iron and steel,
with the exception of the short lived
boom of last summer. have been too
low to be profitable to capital and Ia
insure good wages to labor The prices
, of coal. cokes and iron ore have also
been too low for all concerned in their
| production. The prices OF these raw
| materials and of the finished products
| derived from them have been lower
Recently the prices Of raw materials
have been materially advanced by u
concert Of action among producers. and
this action has made 1t absolutely nee
cssary that the manufacturers OF iron
| and steel should also materially al :.
vance the prices Of their products. No
alternative was left to them. II have
no definite information about z rum
ored pooling arrangement, but any ar
| rangement among manufacturers IL
| justifiable that secures Q fair reward for
capital and labor, and does not unfairly
advance prices. There is no danger
that prices will he thus advanced. Our
iron and steel manufacturers have nev-
er yet taken undue advantage Of their
customers. 1t In not for their inter-
est to do this, and they Will not do 80
now, but they ought not to be expected
to continue the ruinous policy Of Civ
ing their products away, and thus In