Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-27
CARRYING COAL TO NEWCASTLE.
Assumes New Meaning in the Light
of Existing Facts.

Philadelphia Record.
| More than thirty years ago much alarm
was created in Great Britain by a statement
made by prominent economist to the effect
that the supply Of coal was in danger of be-
coming exhausted within less than a hun
dred years Thereupon a royal commissi n
was appointed to investigate this important
matter and after a lapse of five years OF
study and investigation a report was made
stating that at the then existing rate of
consumption the coal supply woiild net be in
danger of exhaustion in less than 1878 years.
This was in 1871, and the immediate effect
was to give a sense OF security to the people
and to bring into disfavor the views OF So
called alarmlsts. More recently, however,
number of Independent estimates have been
made reducing the time of possible exhaJs-
tion of the coal fields very materially. On
October IA blue Book" was Issued by the
home Office giving the output of al minerals
in the United Kingdom during tho last year,
and Q THE volume one of her majestys in
epectors of mines, DR.. G. lie Neve Foster, de-
clared that he would be lacking in his duty
If he should fail to repeat the plain warning
of such an authority as w, T. Foster Brown.
who in his paper upon Our Coal Supplies"
stated emphatically that In another fi'ty
years--that is to say, within the lifetime of
many now living-the dearth of cheap coal
would begin to be felt. In commenting upon
this etatement the London Engineer says
that, while not disposed to take an alarmst
view of the situation, it is constrained to
declare that the outstanding OF the coal re-
sources has become question OF national
importance. The Engineer adds:
I'm America, In Russia in China and ese-
where there are immense supplies of coal
as yet untouched 1t will be with coal as II
was with wheat At first we were self-sup-
plying; then we bought from abroad. Mean
while by all means do not let us be too ex-
trayagant!"
The old saying about carrying Goals to
Newcastle" may assume a new meaning in
the light OF these facts and that which was
originally considered an absurd PROPOSE ion
may in the not far distant future come to be
an everyday occurrence. Bitumnous coal +
today cheaper in this country than iu Great
Britain, and 1t does not require much stretch
Of the imagination to conceive OF the p ssh
bility, in these days of cheap ocean freia hit
ing, that coal may become regular art Gle
of export from this country to Great Britain.
During strike OF the Welsh miners, about
two years ago, coal from Virginia was ex-
ported to England, and its steaming quality |
was found to compare iavorably with that OF |
the Welsh coal. Nova Scotia coal is now be- |
ing extensively mined at Cape Breton, and |!
immense wharyes are being constructed at |
Sidney with coal-handling appliances OF the /
latest design and largest capacity The Cape |
Breton coal deposits are controlled by Bos. !
ton syndicate, and we have reason TO believe |
that the expectation Of coal and coke TO Great !
Britain on a large scale is contemplated The |
Cape Breton coal does not howeye-, compare |
in quality for steaming purpo3es with the |
famous Pocahontas coal OF Virginia, but the |
coke made from this coal is said to be almost |
equal TO Connellsyille coke.
Great Britain has already become. in a |