The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-26
EuRoPE's COAL PROBLEM.

EUROPE's COAL PROBLEM.
Recent reports from Consul General Ma
son at Berlin and Vice Consul Hanaur
az Frankfort, Germany call attention to
the scarcity of coal and the advance in
prices of that article in that country. Mr..
| Mason, indeed, says that practically "a
coal famine exists in Germany; and not
only in that country, but throughout Con-
tneptal Europe. In number of instances
| factories have been compelled to shut
| down for a greater or less length of time,
and the government railroads have been
able to contract for coal supplies for only
a few months ahead, at prices 40 to 50 per
! cent. in advance of the prices heretofore
paid. Germany, Belgium, Russia and
Italy are most affected. So earnest is
the Russian government in its effort to
avert the impending crisis in fuel that it
has taken off all of las tariff on coal
Throughout Europe even the lowest grade
Of coal has been advanced 10 nearly
100 per cent. yet consumers are eager
to make contracts at the increased figures
for all that they can get
The reason for the coal scarcity is said
TO lie in the simple fact that the great
coal producing sections of Europe have
reached. and some of them have passed,
the crest of their productive capacity.
This is markedly true of Belgium, and is
beginning to become plainly apparent in
Great Britain, in which latter country
the miners now not only have to go very
deep into the earth, but in at least one
notable Case have to tunnel far out under
the ocean Meantime the demand for coal
goes on increasing, for the generation of
steam for ships and railway trains, and
for the manufacture of steel and various
other articles. While the demand for con-
sumption grows. the productive capacity
is stationary or declining. Coal deposits
are becoming exhausted and mining ma
chinery is not being made more effective
than it was several years ago. Whether
the diminishing coal supply will have the
effect of squirting inventors to the perfect
| ing of apparatus which will utilize a larg-
er percentage of the energy of coal-at
| present nearly So per cent. is lost in ap-
plying power by means of the steam
ensine-is an open question. Siren
uous efforts are being made in that direc-
ton. But should they be successful, it
is apparent that much of the machinery at
present employed under the old system OF
power generation and utilization would be-
come worthless and have to give place
| to new generators and engines In both
England and Russia many power plants,
on shipboard and ashore, have been chang
ed to oil burners in anticipation of the
coal scarcity which far sighted men have
| foreseen.
Before the end of the present year, it
has been predicted the coal question in
Europe will become so acute as to arouse
general attention. Already consideration
is being given TO the United States as a
source of supply for industries and navies
which, have heretofore secured their fuel
from Europe II is estimated THAI within
the course of a few years the demand
! upon this country will be not less than
| 100000 tons of steam and manufacturing
| coal per annum Luckily, we are in a po-
sition to supply the demand. 1t is stated
that our great deposits of both hard and
soft coal have not yet been seriously
drawn Upon, and that they are good for
a great many years to come. In connec-
ton with this coal shortage which we
shall have to supply for Europe, it is be-
lieved that We shall be called upon for
greater quantities of iron and steel than
ever before 1t will be more economical
for Europeans to purchase our iron and
steel in a finished or semi-fnished state
than to transport coal from our shores 60
theirs with which to manulact.
| finish iron and steel products.