The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-21
MARCH Il. 1900.
coal FAMINE IN EUROPE.

There is n coal famine in Europe and
all European nations are looking towards
America for fuel 1t is said that OF
awelve foreign countries producing coal
only Great britain and France produce
moro than enough for the home demand
MIR Frank IL. Mason, United States Con-
sul-General at Berlin, says in late re-
port to the State Department at WASH
dngton that the scarcity of coal in Ger
many and Russia. especially Of the kinds
used for cooking and blast furnace fuel.
jeopards the iron and steel industries OF
Germany, lessenins the product Of pig
iron. The shortage in Germany IS said
to ne due in part TO the failure of one
OF Germany's main sources OF supply,
the mines of Great Britain.
In summing UP the situation Mr.. Mason
says:
The situation has become critical and
pminous for the manufacturers and eN-
mort trade Of Germany. Numerous i'm
..portant glass. porcelain and machine
factories in Silesia and SaXony nave
sbeen Obliged TO shut down for want OF
sduel: there are a dozen electric lighting
have less than a fortnight's coal provis-
ion on hand.
In Russia the rapid development of
railways and certain manufactures during
the past three years has completely out
run the limited domestic coal supply. and
the Russian government has sought 10
case tho pressure by suspending for an
indefinite period the import duty TO S2SV
per ton.
,r;p rybp1pSale here
for Silesian soft coal is now selling Its
scanty stock at s. per ton, delivered AT
Berlin, and there is a general panic
among coal dealers, who are unable 70
provide coal for their customers at any
price, and can see no encouraging pros
pect of obtaining their next seasons.
supply. Offers are made of S4.e4 to Sl.-'
for bituminous lump coal in los OF 1898
II, 2a.GOa tons. free on board at Hamburg.
Notwithstanding coal at the pits mouth
in West Virginia has sold during the past
year at so cents per ton. the United
States, which leads the world in Ihis
product and mined last year e1S,5So.oW
IONS of coal exported only a bagatel!e of
Dos, $50 tons. OF which S.GSi.s6l tons We're
merely carried over the frontier into
British North America, and the rest Went
nearly all to Mexico and tho West IN
dies. countries which lie At our Very
doors.
In view OF these facts 1t Is not surp:is-
ing to know that there has bsen of late
a large increase In the quantity of coal
exported from the United States to for
eign ports. In January We exported 1A.-
bs7 tons of anthracite coal against Ss,aa2
tons in January. glsa9 and s92-e0l tons of
bitumirous coal against 26S.s 97 tens in
January of last year. For the seven
months ending with January. 1889. the,
exports of anthracite coal were 95a. s777
tons. and of bi,uminous coal 1,9Sl 200 tons,
while for the corresponding period ending
with January. 1909. the exports were, re-
s,,ectiyely. l.1ls17. and c,149,112 tons. We
take these figures from an article in the
New York Sun, of last Sunday. and pre-
sumo that they are correct.
The Coal Trade Journal of last week,
says that INSTEAD Of supplying onsy
American consumers the United States
will, in the future. supply large part
of the coal requirements of other parts
OF the world, The London Stats, of
February eth. says that american cool
As not only at, or on the way 10, Ill the
principal coaling stations of the Atlantic,
but has actually gone into the Very
heart of Europe. Hundreds of thousands
OF tons have been SHIPPED. or are on
charter for delivery In the Mslitsrranean.
md even. ii Is said, direct into the
northern ports Of France and Germany. :
These are statements OF supreme tm-
portance TO Virginia and West Virginia
and TO all coal-producins States. In the
vsTg.nias are thousands OF acres OF the
very best steam coal. which are remote
from railroads. and which have never
been opened. The coal anines along The
J lisne. OF the Norfolk and Western and the
ssa,esapeakc and Ohio s,are been sufit Gent
up to fbia time 10 supply, all demands
I from these two States, but With all E ,:'l
d rope looking IN this direction far itiei,
4; VIII not be long before Il viii aos neces-
sasy 40 tap the unde opsds coal fields.
/ = bring Into market coaas lsl,dss thsi