The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-10
west yi,oinia. Coal in Europe.

AT this time, when the West Virginia
coal output and the development Of the
industry are attracting the attention of
the coal interests Of the country, and
when this state is pushing Pennsylvania
strong In the race for the leadership in
point of production, an article from the
British Iron and Coal Trades Review is
of local interest to the coal producers of
the state. whose great industry has so
wonderfully progressed under the wise
protective policy Of the country.
The British coal trade paper referred
to looks with alarm on the immediate
prospects of an Invasion of American
coal in European markets, and mem
tons West Virginia coal especially. The
time when this will occur, the Review
thinks, IS drawing perilously near"
and 1t gives logical reasons. The Eng
lish paper says, among many other
things on this point:
$50 far as the cost Of producing coal Is
concerned, the United States have many
manifest advantages over ourselves. Ihey
have more virgin fields TO work on more
effective labor-in 50 far as longer houIs
and a much larger annual output per
worker enable this to be ,determlneq-
much fewer legislative or local restric-
lions, more modern plant, as n result OF u
later development enabling the newest de-
signs, methods and appliances to be en-
pioyed and, in a majority OF cases
smaller initial cost for given annual pro-
duct All these advantages are nkeIy t9
be continued for many years 10 come, huu
thew become more apparent every year.
ON the other hand, Great Britain is not the
univ European country In which an oppo-
site condition OF affairs Is to be fouho.
The Review quotes from an industrial
organ in Belgium to show that the situa-
lion in that country is exceedingly dis
couragIng. when prescriptive reguIa-
lions and other adverse laws are causing
mines to close and running the industry.
The British journal then proceeds to
show that Hitherto not much Ameri-
can coal has actually been landed in
Europe, but an Increasing consumption
goes to the supply OF Atlantic steamers.
which would otherwise have consumed
British fuel, so that the actual con-
sumption must be considerable. The
marvel is that, in view OF the present
crisis in the South Wales coal field, so
little American coal has been shipped 30
cardlff and other Welsh ports"
Referring to West Virginia coal. the
Review says: 1.-THE coal of West vIr-
ginla is of good quality; 1t can be de-
llvered at IS. Cd. per ton at Pensacola
or Mobile, and 2s. Cd, to 3s. G. more
should land 1t in English waters, making
total OF SIS. G. to 9s, per ton free on
board here, against 9s. 6. to 1Os Cd. for
Welsh coal. 1t has been recently sug-
gested that the conllng stations Of the
world can be supplied as well from West
Virginia as from Cardiff and the
Tyne"
The English trade paper does not Ike
10 admit all this. but Il endorses re-
cent report OF Sir Julian Panneefote'
the British ambassador in the United
States, in which nc says;
ION tho one hand the almost unlimitct
resources OF tho coal nclds OF the JnltSg
Stntes, the excellence Of the quality on Wy n,
coal. the probabilities IN the system o,
mining and greater reductions In the cos
OF freight; on the other hnnd; the iinin'n ~,
amount Of coal consumed Wllh'u "
Iinited yinrdon. the recent Increase y
he average OF Value ut the pits mouth
md the great loascs suffered dgtinE w
coal crisis, form considerations @nien i'n,
~ the direction Of ihf ct'nnl 3t' ti,b n
trade relations OF such n nature hhr9Ru =,
may result IN n great dcyGlopmgght OF 5!l'
export OF coal from tho United stl'eA
These assertions by the leading coal
trade Journal Of Great Britain and the