Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1900-11-09
OUR FOREIGN LETTER
Dealing with Commercial and In
dustrial Affairs Abroad.
Testing American Coal for Gas MAX
ing In London-The Glove Indus
try in Austrin-Other In
terestinE Items

Regarding the importation of Amer
lean coal to London for use in gas max
. CO., ing, the Daily Tele-
graph, of that city,
has the following
to say: Basing these calculations on the
tests so far made in American gas coal,
the South Metropolitan Gas company
obtains results which justify the re-
cent purchase they made of some 1000
tons of this mineral for experimental
purposes The cost of Durham coal,
which is the best English coal obtain
able for gag making purposes, is at
the present time about $3.50 per ton,
free on board, and the freight to Lon
don is 81 cents per ton, giving in round
figures a total cost of $4.s7 per ton.
The American article, including
freight, touches about $6.57 ton.
There is, therefore, n considerable mar
gin in favor of British coal on the
score of prime cost, and any counter
balancing advantage gained from the
use of imported coal must lie in its
better producing qualities and its supe-
rior yield of coke and other marketable
residhals. Roughly speaking, ton of
Durham coal will produce from 10000
TO 10,500 cubic feet of gas. The
American contractors limited at be-
tween 1900 and $4,000 cubic feet
per ton as the yield of their sup
ply, but, although the results show
figures considerably exceeding those
attaching to British coal, they
fall much short of the American
estimate. 1t is necessary, however, to
note that experiment has so far been
made with only fraction of the 1000
tons brought over, and fuller tests may
materially affect the comparison one
way or the other. Nor can the tests
be regarded as thoroughly satisfac-
tory, in that the American article has
had a slight admixture of the British.
In future experiments, this combina-
tion will be avoided and the imported
coal taken on its merits entirely. On
the whole, the test has proved more
favorable than a similar one recently
made in Paris.
The glove industry in Austria has
shown remarkable growth within
the past few years.
In 1850, the total
production of gloves
within the empire was about 100000
dozens; in 1897 il had risen to l .T5O, 600
dozens; and at the present time il is
not far from 100000 dozens. The
city of Prague records the greatest
gain. The number of establishments
increased there from 1OO in 1850 to
1875 in 1890; the number of cutters.
from 453 to 1000; and the number of
gloves manufactured from 236,000 to
100000 dozens. Vienna follows with
40 establishments against 213 in
1ss0), 500 cutters (360 in 1ssO), and 275,-
900 dozen gloves (ls7,OO0 dozen in lss0)
The decrease in the number of estco-
lishments in the latter city is to be
accounted for by the prevailing tend
ency toward concentration.
In the Erzgebirge, the third impor-
tant center of the Austrian glove in
dustry, the production has increased
from 243,OO0 dozens in 1890 to 342, ,OoO
dozens in 1899.
Austria at present not only supplies
almost her entire home demand for
gloves, but also exports this article to
the value of over S6,CCO,CCO per aHnum.
The only foreign makes imported
are Krimmer gloves (Which are pro-
duced at remarkably low rates in
Chemnitz) and buckskin and mocha
gloves from Germany, superfine kid
gloves from France. and sporting
gloves from England.
The Austrian glove industry has not
prospered without experiencing severe
trials. 1t has had to meet increased
foreign competition and lower prices;
but with cheaper labor and an in
creased capacity of its factories, it has
continued to compete successfully even
in German markets. There are now in
the empire number of establishments
capable of turning out 900 dozen
gloves per annum.
The principal market of the Austrian
glove manufacturer is England, where
recently a large demand has sprung
up for silk-lined (Milanese) gloves, a
demand which is at present supplied
almost exclusively by Austria.
The export TO the United States.
which was considerable up to 1897, has
shrunk to about 20 per cent. of its for
mer amount. In the two years from
1897 to 1899 its value decreased from
1892, 900 to $99,S3l.
In his interesting series of letters
entitled Round Russia" now appear
,a ing in the London
-. Daily Chronicle, Mr..
enry Norman
speaks of the wonderful development