The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-06-05
WORLDS COAL PRODUCTION.
UNITED STATES A CLOSE SECOND
To GREAT BRITAIN.
Lead. ~ the Industry In IncPeas-
ing In Greater PropOrtiOm-NOw
30 Per Cent. Of Total Product.

WASHINGTON, June A--The coal pro-
duction and consumption OF the world dur
ing the past fifteen years are presented In
some tables Just prepared by the treas
ury bureau of statistics. These show that
while the United Kingdom Is still the larg
est coal producer of the world, the United
States Ii a close second. and IL the present
rate OF gain IL continued will soon become
the leading coal producing country OF the
world The coal production Of the United
Kingdom In 1897 was a0200o 90 tons; that
of the United States. l7sooo,ooo tons: Ger
many 81, 900. 900 tons: France, 30.0o0.oo0.
The United States has gained much more
rapidly during the fifteen years under con-
sideration than has the United Kingdom
or any OF the important coal producing
countries OF the world. her gains during
the fifteen years being over y per cent.
and that Of the United Kingdom lee than
2 per cent. The announcement just made
by the geological survey. that the coal
product OF the United States in 1885 was
2ls.s 900 short tons. against 226 eS7 900 for
Great Britain shows that the United States
soon win be the leading coal producing ma
ton OF the world.
As an exporter OF coal. however. the
United States does not rank In proportion
to it's production. and stands fourth In the
list OF coal exporting countries In 1877
the expectations OF coal from the United
Kingdom were 100000 tons: from Ger
many, 100000: from Belgium. over s.ooo.-
600, and the United States little less than
1900 600 In 1888 the quantity exported was
slightly above 100000 tons. Australasia
comes next to the United States as a coal
exporting country. her exports amounting
to nearly 100000 tons while France ex-
ported about 100000 tons: Japan, 2.0o0.o00
TONS and Canada. about 1,&a,o0o tons In
1898
France is the largest coal importing coun-
try her importations in 1887 being nearly
la.0oO. 900 tons, while Germany imported
5000 000 tons: Austro-Hungary. $4,000
tons: Italy, 100000 tons. Canada. nearly
1000 600 tons: Belgium. nearly 3.000 900 tons:
Russia 2500.0o0 tons. Sweden. over 2. ESQ.,
coo tons: the United States. nearly I.50o.0o0
tons. and Australasia. 100000 tong
Great Britain Is also the largest con-
sumner OF coal in proportion To population.
her coal consumption in 1897 being 3s7 tons
per capita; that OF Belgium, 2. 10 tons: the
United States. 2{2: Germany. LES. Canada,
L.: France, IS. Australasia, 81 Sweden.
50: Austro-Hungary. 81; Spain. 49, Italy.
Is: Russia. %. and Japan 90 of ton per
capita.
According 10 thee figures which are
summarized from a report OF the coal pro-
duction of the principal countries OF the
world issued by the British government,
the United States now produces about ~
per cent. OF the coal Of the world. the
coal product of the fourteen countries emu
merated in The tables being In 1887 $50, oso.
GO tons. Of which the United States pro.
duccd lss @s.asa tons, while In 1854 she pro-
duced Sc per cent OF the total product of
the countries enumerated The fsss figures
make an even more satisfactory showing
for the United States.