The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-09-27

the quality Of the coal. Nfeshirs prices
have to follow those Of Northumberland
at the distance OF about shilling ton;
and Northumberland conditions, including
the remuneration OF labor therefore, are
watched very keenly by both masters and
men. 1t should be remarked that the cut
put OF the Scotch coal fields is steadily
growing. as is also the number Of men en-
ployed. though not pidly as in the case
Of the Yorkshire or South Wales field.
Their estimated resource for the future
are about half those OF each Of the fields
just mention, d and not very far from twice
as large az those OF the Newcastle Fl Id.
Passing to the Lancashire and Cheshire
Field, we observe that It's output In 1901
slightly exceeded $4,000 900 tons, and that
the number OF people nployed was . little
lees than o. 900. The production is slowly
increasing. but the relative importance OF
the field h apparently diminif hing. on the
many smaller coal tracts in Great Britain,
the two largest and most interesting are
those Of North and South Stafford hire
In the latter it was the proximity OF iron
ore and Of coal to one another which fur
nished the foundation for the prosperity Of
the English iron industry during what
may be called the Wolverhampton period
Of Britain's commercial history, to wit.
the EOS and early '70s Of the nine
teenth century, before the rise Of Middle
borough and Cardiff. The output Of the
two fields together amounts to ONE 14.0oO,-
600 tons: and they give employment to
50 500 persons. As tho fields Of New
al la nd
Lancashire and Stanordshire produce
between them 94-lOO Of Great Britain's
total output, and contribute q similarly
large proportion to the .ota! number
Of British miners. the smaller coal tracts
arc left out Of Mr.. Ashley's survey.
III.
In the lecture on American coal fields
. sharp preliminary distinction is drawn
between the bituminous, or soft. and the
anthracite, or hard, variety. This distinc-
ton, which In Great Britain may be over
looked. since her supply Of pure anthracite
Is 30 small as to be negligible. Ia OF
the utmost Importance In the United States,
where in 1901 anthracite still formed almost
q fourth of the total output. We scarcely
need point out that the anthracite OF the
United States il practically monopolized
by eastern Pennsylvania, which produces
ss.s per cent. of the total quantity mined.
Internationally anthracite IL still Of vast
consequence to the country. but it's relative
Importance is signally diminishing. The
output has hardly doubled in the last
twenty yeam. while that Of bituminous
has been multiplied almost fivefold. To
explain to his countrymen the striking
change in the comparative utilization OF
anthracite and bituminoua coal in the
United States, Mr.. Ashley relates the story
Of one of those vast transformations OF
Industrial activity which characterized the
nineteenth century. He recalls the fact
that, down to about 1870. the small quantity
of iron produced In the United States was
smelted with charcoal. this process sur.
viving here after 1t had disappeared IN
England, owing to the abundance Of wood
on this side Of the Atlantic. About 1910
anthracite coal began to be used for smelt-
ing iron; the application Of this combustible
to the purpose being rendered possible
by the introduction at that time Of the hot
blast From 1870 TO about 1870 was the
period Of anthracite IRON" during this
time eastern Pennsylvania, which pro-
duced bo.h iron ore and coal, was the main
outputter Of iron products About 1880,
however, bituminous or soft coal began
to be used for smelling purposes; by 1875
the use Of It had caught up with that OF
anthracite; since than the huge advance
In the iron output Of the United States has
been dependent on the use of coke made
from bituminous coal. In $685. for instance,
moro than ten million tons Of pig iron were
smelted with btuminous, one million with
anthracite and coke, quarter OF million
with charcoal, and not ofre-tenth OF quarter
with anthracite alone. The explanation
OF the change in the combustible preferred
for smelling purposes is to be found in the
greater cheapness OF the manufacturing
qualities of soft coal. Anthracite is limited
in supply, and the landowners are able to
secure larger royalty. 1t is placed deeper
In the earth and requires more expensive
shafting and tunnelling; II also needs ex-
pensive machinery for brt aking, whereas
soft coal can be sold run Of mine.' or
.screen." The cleanliness and freedom
from smoke which are characteristic Of
anthracite have made 1t the favorite do
nestle fuel Of the whole population Of the
eastern half Of the United States, and, "a
houses in that section are oil supplied with
stoves and furnaces adapted to the con-
sumption Of hard coal and not to that Of
soft, even a temporary stoppage OF supply
causes widespread discomfort, The manu-
featuring kinds Of soft ccal, however, arc
much cheaper; for which and other reasons
hard coal Ia being rapidly displaced by
btuminuus, not only for smelling. but for
US. under boilers and for other industrial
purposes As consequence, Pittsburg,
which Is In the heart OF the soft coal district
and within fifty miles Of the most importat
coke making region. that Of Connellsville,
has become the greatest iron and steel
centre Of the United States.
While, az We have seen, eastern Penn
sylvania has a monopoly OF anthracite,
western Pennsylvania still produces some
20 per cent. OF the total bituminous output
Thus, even to-day. Pennsylvania is by far
the most important Of the mining States
The soft coal region, however. extends far
beyond the borders OF that State. and
stretches southwardly and westwardly
into Maryland, West Virginia and Ohio
West Virginia being third in the order OF
coal producing States. contributing or
per cent of the total bituminous output
and possessing the celebrated Pocahontas
steam coal. Soft coal. continuing along