Omaha daily bee., 1900-09-09
EuROPE's COAL SUPPLY.
Unensincss Over Increasing Prices
TnII, OF an Export Duty.

tnensincss Over Increasing Prices
Talk of an Export Duty.
During the last year two, reports the
New York Tribune, there has been a slow
but steady increase in the price OF coal all
over Europe. In consequence American
consuls in several large cities on the con
tinent have been pointing out the oppor-
tunity afforded TO producers in the United
States at the present time. A number of
causes have contributed to the existing
state of things, no doubt, but the chief
one is that England, which mines consid
erably more than half the coal taken out
of the ground in Europe, was quietly put
| ting up prices.
The following figures indicate how com
! pletely England commands .he market
In 1898 she mined in round numbers 202-
| 100000 tons, Germany, but little over 90,
O00 900 tons, France, about 80, 900 900 tons,
| Belgium 100000 tons; strla-Hungary,
| II 800, 900 tons; Russia nearly 10000, 900
! tons; Australasia, 5000, 900 tons; Japan
! ; 1000 900 tons. and British India 1000, 900
! tons. Belgium exported almost a fourth
of her output, 'lany an eighth, France
! less than "A twelfth and Russia practically
none. England sold almost quarter OF
her output (4S,O 900 tons) to foreigners
| Hence when for any reason she would pro-
duce that result all over Europe to say
nothing of Asia. Incidentally it might be
| remarked that while this country mines
almost as much coal as England she ex-
| ports less than a twelfth as much as that
| country and little OF it goes across the
Atlantic. America has not hitherto been
a factor in the European situation. there
| fore.
The continued rise in prices has caused
l I,,,,.,. Ia,
continent. But in the former it is possi-
BILE TO discover great differences Of opinion.
| On the one side it is alleged that the ex.
ports are increasing, that foreign govern
monts are storing coal to use against Eng
land in war and that foreign manufacturers
are accumulating stock in order to fight
! England industrially. 1t has been pro-
posed, however, to impose an export duty
Of from one to five shillings a ton, with
a view to checking the outflow
On the other hand, the English and Welsh
mining companies, whose sales would thus
be restricted, offer vigorous protests against
| the tax, They declare that II is nonsense 10
talk about great accumulations on the con
! tlnent for naval purposes, because soft coal
| deterorates when II Is stored II is ad
| Eitted that railways and manufacturers are
| laying in reserves, but these are said TO be
| small and to be meant to provide against
such emergencies as strikes. 1t is further
asserted that this practice is resorted to by
/ English corporations as well as by foreign
ers. The mining companies assert that If
| an expert duty were laid on coal England
would lose the southern European and South
American markets probably forever. fur
! thor disturbance to trade would result from
| the fact that many vessels which bring
merchandise Of other kinds into English
ports take out coal for the return voyage
A cargo each way nsures lower freghts
than would otherwise be possible
Precisely what has led England to put NJ
prices ii hard 10 say. The South African anC
Chinese complications have impelled her tC
adopt a policy OF preparation for increased
consumption by her navy, No doubt othe
causes have eXer,ed an influence also. Blu
from the figures given In English papers i
does not appear that there has been any in
crease in the expectation. II is asserted
for instance, that during the FIRST half o
the present year 22,00O,O0O tons were sol,
abroad, This is certainly less than half a
much as was exported in 1895
A picnic is not complete without SOM
} Cooks Imperial Extra Dry Champagne.
g lunch with il is fit for the gods