The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-11-28
Round This Great
Round World -
Little Letters from Corre-
spondents in Many Lands.
German Ceramic Industry.

German Ceramic Industry.
According to German journal, tho
German manufacturers of earthen-
ware are contemplating am amalga-
nation, ait least as far as the sale OF
their wares is concerned. Although
the output and sales of the manufac-
lures of earthenware have increased,
the net result has been rather unsat-
isfactory during the past few years,
owing to the fact that the selling
prices have constantly receded, and
in many cases have been less than the
cost of production. OF course, there
is difference between those factories
producing higher grade ware and
those manufacturing staple articles
for the masses. The former are all
ways able to obtain relatively better
prices for their goods, while the BUSH
ness of the latter remains very unsat-
isfactory. Several years ago. about
30 earthenware manufacturers COM
bined to regulate the selling price of
their products, but this combination
did not prove effective. On the con-
trary, the result was the founding of
q number of independent companies
which underbid the combination. In
order to meet the prices of these OUT
siders, the trust factories sorted their
wares more carefully, and, evading
the spirit of the agreement, though
not the letter, sold a large part of
their product as ''refuse ware at
greatly reduced prices, hoping there
by to crush the competition from
without. This, however, resulted in a
general cutting of prices, and to-day
the competition between the compa-
MES belonging to the trust is just as
keen as between the trust and the in
dependent companies. The result is
that a number of large companies
have gone into the hands of receiver,
others are liquidating voluntarily,
and still others are continuing to oper-
ate their works at loss.
On this account, it is intended to
form a new combination, in order that
the capital invested in the. various
works may be made to pay at least a
reasonable interest. 1t is not intend
ed to force up the selling prices I'M
reasonably, but merely to prevent an
evasion of the spirit of the combina-
tion.-Walter Schumann.
New Coal Fields in Belgium.
A year or more ago a new soft coal
basin was discovered in the province
of Luxembourg, Belgium, north of the
city of Liege. Since then extensive
| s'oundings have been made over a con-
siderable territory. The deposit I'M
derlies many square miles of the
northern part of Belgium and the
southern part of Holland. One of the,
veins, at a depth of 1000 to 1900 feet
below the surface, is from Is to II feet
thick, and of a very fine quality of
coal. It is estimated that this newt
coal field contains more than 500, 00O,-
900 tons of a good grade of coal, and
extensive preparations are being made
to open up the mines. The govern
ment proposes to enlarge the canals
in that part of Belgium, dig new ones,
and open new lines of railroads. The
working of these mines will be more
difficult and expensive than of the
other mines of Belgium, because
Of their depth and the presence
IF moro water; but it is thought that
this will be, more than counte balanced
by the thickness of the veins.-A. A.
Winslow.
Coal Resources of Australia.
According to reports made by the