The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-11-03
Growth in Worlds
Coal Production

Special Correspondence.
Washington, Oct. 81.
THE. COAL. production and consump-
tion of the world, and especially Of
the United States in comparison
with other coal-producing coun-
tries is the subject of monograph which
will appear in the forthcoming issue OF
the Monthly Summary of Commerce and
Finance, issued by the treasury bureau
of statistics.
The general demand for coal seems to
have increased very rapidly in recent
years not alone in the United States but
throughout the world One of the most
characteristic features of modern indus
trial development has been the rise Of the
coal industry Modern society relies upon
coal as the fuel and source of power, and
the terms iron age machine age and
age of steam may all be translated the
age of COAL
The rapidity with which the production
of coal has increased may be appreciated
when the present volume Of that pro-
ducton is considered and when we reflect
in how recent a time the production form
ed but very small fraction of that guam
tity. In 1901 the total coal production of
the world was S6G, $4,000 short tons. Until
as late II period as 1888 the worlds pro-
duction had never been half so great, be-
ing only 4jO,990, 900 metric tons in that
year: and not until 1877 had the worlds
production been as much as a third as
large as it is at present. By 1861 the
worlds production was only 174,0OO, 900
metric tons. or less than % per cent OF
the production of 1901. The statistics of
the worlds production for still earle,
periods can not be determined with any
pretense Of accuracy: but OH the basis OF
the British statistics from 1854. and of es-
Inmates for earlier periods, and from such
statistics as are obtainable from France,
Germany, Belgium. and Austria Hungary.
an approximation may be made Of the ac-
tual production.
In 1860 the worlds production of coal
was about IA OOo.OO0 metric tons, or less
than one-fifth of the production of 1901,
and considerably less than the production
of either the United States or the United
Kingdom at present. Ten years earlier
the worlds production amounted TO only
about SO0O.G00 metric tons, about one
tenth of the present worlds production.
and considerably less than the present
output of the single state OF Pennsylvania,
In 1910 the production was much smaller
still, amounting to little over 5000 600
metric tons, or about one-seVenteenth OF
the present output; while during the
three-quarters of a century since 1920,
when the output was about 11.OOo.000 tons,
the production has increased about 4,JC0
per cent.
While the figures for the worlds pro-
ductiOn prior TO 1864 are necessarily de-
fective, owing to the absence of accurate
statistics for the English and American
industry, they sufficiently indicate the i'm
mense development of the industry during
the last century. The significance of this
development can not be overlooked.
The production of coal ie chiefly in the
hands OF three nations, the Btltish, the
American. and the German During the
last thirty years ana even earlier. the
combined coal output of the United States
the United Kingdom ana Germany has
averaged, year for year, about EVe-siXths
of the coal output of the world. Possess
ing but Il tenth of the worlds population,
they have produced about s3 per cent OF
the mineral fuel. while the remaining so
per cent Of the worlds inhabitants have
produced only about II per cent. of the
coal and even If the savage and semi
barbarous nations be diSregarded, the i'm
mense preponderance of coal production
In these countries must be conceded TO
this group might be added Belgium, which