Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-11-24
Australian Coal supply.

Coal constitutes one Of the leading
mineral resources OF New South
Wales, the coal fields Of which are
roughly estimated to contain rs. 1885,
900, 900 tons OF coal. although there are
reasons for believing that this is only
portion OF the actual quantity, there
being Indications Of coai measures eg-
tending many miles further inland
than was at one me supposed. Coal
was first discovered in New South
Wales, In the year 1897, near Mount
Kiera, by q man nauen Clara, the
superosrgo OF a vessel called the sgd
ney Cove, which had been wrecked In
Basis Strait. Later in the same year
Lieutenant Shorthand discovered the
river Hunter, with the GOAL beds
situated Mt It's mouth. Little OF no
use, however, was made VI the dis.
covery, and in 1924 the Australian
Agricultural company obtained a
grant Of 100000 acres or land, to-
gether with the sole right, coDferrei
upon them by charter, OF working the
coal seams that wers known to exist
in the Hunter river district. Although
the company held this valuable privi-
lege for twenty years, very little enter
prise was exhibited by them In the
direction OF winning coal, and it was
moi until the year 1S47, when their
monopoly ceased and public competi-
ton stepped In, that the coal.
mining industry bsgan to show
signs OF progreas and prosperity. From
the 40, 1872 tons extracted In l847 under
the monopoly OF The Australian Agri-
cultural company, the quantity raised
4. IA0
figure OF 4.037, 500 tons, valued at
Gl,742, 1906. In 1892, however, the out
put was only $780, BS tons, valued at
Gl, 1852 1888, ana in 1893 there was a
further decrease to 3,278,32 ions,
valued al 81, III, 1922. L. 1884 tue out
put increased to $3.50 tons, but
owing 10 The TALL IN the price OF coal
the value OF this production was only
ell, l55,573 The outlut Tor 1895 wa
q, 1885, $50 tonF, valued al el ,085, 1927. TIE
coa. fields oil New Soulu Waies are
situated In three distinct Iegions-she
northern, southern AMI western die.
tricts. The first of these comprises
chiG fly the mines oil the dunter River
districts; the second includes the lila.
wars district aud generally the
coastal regions TO the aouth OF Sydney,
together with Berrims, on the table.
lsnu; aud the third cUnsists OF the
mountainous regions on the Great
Western railway, and extends as far
as Dubbo. Tue total area OF tns
carboniierous strata OF New South
Wales is estimated NJ 23,95O square
miles. The seams vary IN Thickness.
One vi the richest has been found al
Grsta, In the Hunter River district; II
contains an average thickness OF IL
ieet OF clean cyaI, ana the quantity uu-
verifying each acre 0i ground has been
cUmpuiuG to b. SO, 800 tons. The aver.
age quantity OF coal extracted per
miner, calculated upon the basis OF the
output Of coal curing the ten yenrs
ndiug 1894, was 1855 tons, whiob, at
the mean price OF coal AT the lit's
mouth, was quivalent to El4S 6s. 81.
This pIoducti. II 10 large anu compares
fsvoIably with the results exhibited
by other oosl.producing countries, as
shown py the figures given by Mul.
hall, according TO which the tons OF
coal raise d PER miner curing the same
period We're: New South Wales, 1856,
United States. S47; Germany, 1856,
Great Britain, $3.50; Austria, go; Ffsnce.
1896; aid Belgium, los; this vuiues al
me same, based On the prices
al the pits mouth, being: New
South Wales, el4S o.. 3D.; United
5tAtss, Else; Great Britain. ELL;