The times., 1899-06-05
THE UNITED States
As A COAL PRODUCER
1t Holds Second Place in the
Worlds List.
Seen 1t Promises to 0utstrip the
United Kingdom.
Interesting Comparative Figures
From the Treasury bureau
of Statistics.

The coal production and consumption of
the world during the past fifteen years are
presented in some tables just prepared by
the Treasury Bureau of Statistics. TIL Sc
show that while the United Kingdom is
still the largest coal producer of the
world, the United States is a close second,
and. if the present rate of gain is con-
tinued, will soon become the leading coal
producing country of the world.
The coal production of the United King
dom in 1897 was 202, ,000,0 900 tons, that of
the United States 179,0oO,OOO tons, Ger
many 81 goo, 600, France 10000, 0G0, Belgium
%, ,000, 600, Austria Hungary l., 600, Rus
sia nearly 100000, Australasia nearly
5000, 600, Japan over 100000, British In
dia 100000 Canada nearly 1000, 600, and
Spain 100000, while no other country
reached 100000 tons in production. The
United States, however, has gained much
more rapidly during the fifteen years under
consideration than has the United King
dom, or indeed any OF the important coal
producing countries OF the world. her gain
during the fifteen years being over 73 per
than "a per cent.
The announcement just made by the Geo
logical Survey that the coal product of the
United States in 1885 was 219, ,S36 600 short
tons against 226, ,2ST 900 for Great Britain,
shows that the United States is rapidly
gaining upon that country as coal pro-
ducer and will soon become the leading
coal producing nation of the world.
As an exporter of coal, however. the
United States takes low rank in proportion
to its production, and stands fourth in the
list of coal exporting countries. In 1897
the expectations of coal from the United
Kingdom were $1,000, 600 tons. from Ger
many II, ,OOO, 900, from Belgium over 6,000,-
000, and from the United States little
less than 100000, though in 1898 the
quantity exported was slightly above 4,C00,-
900 tons. Australasia comes next TO the
United States as a coal exporting country.
her exports amounting to nearly 100000
tons, while France exported about $780,
600, Japan 100000 and Canada about
l ,250, coo tons in 1887.
France is the largest coal importing
country her importations in 1897 being
nearly 100000 tons, while Germany i'm
ported 100000, Austria Hungary 5,60O,O0o,
Italy 4,250,00O, Canada nearly 100000,
Belgium nearly 100000, Russia 2,500,000,
SNeueH over A,-OusVuu, Tue IHittu oldltS
nearly 1.500, 600, and Australasia 1.000,O 600
tons, while no other country imported as
much as 10000 tons.
Great Britain Is also the largest con-
sumer of coal in proportion to population,
her coal consumption in 1897 being S.S7
tons per capita, that of Belgium 30 tons,
the United States 2.42, Germany 1.5S,
Canada 1.25, France .9S, Australasia 81,
Sweden so, Austria Hungary 81, Spain 10
Italy l3. Russia .0g, and Japan .67 of d
ton per capita.
According to these figures, which are
summarized from report of the coal pro-
duction of the principal countries of the
world, just issued by the British Govern
ment, the United States now produces
about 80 per cent of the coal of the world
the coal product of the fourteen countries
| enumerated in the tables being in 1881
566 coo tons, of which the United
States produced 179. .000,0 ,0G0 tons, while in
1888 she produced but q per cent of the
| total coal product of the countries enumer-
| ated. AS above indicated, the 1898 figures
make an even more satisfactory showing
for the United States, whose product il
| long tons for that year is l96,2S2, 900
against 2O2,O42OOO long tons produced il
Great Britain.