Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1906-06-02

] Oh lut swedish etoloElchl sur
~ vey, in pursuance OF a resolu,
tion adopted by the Swedish Par
Lament, prepared q report showing the
extent OF the known deposits of iron in
the world and the rate al which such
\ deposits are being consumed. While
there has been some dissension as 70
| the eXHcrness of certain details con
tained in the report, ii may be accepted
rs q substantially accurate invesriga-
ton Of a subject of vital importance TO
the world. Most disquieting in this re-
port is the conclusion that we are like
ly to run short Of iron within a single
century If the present rate Of cOnsump-
ton is maintained.
The world has only 10,OO0OO0,000
ions Of iron ore available. OF these
Germany has twice as many IONS as
the United States. Russia and France
each have 4O0,O00,00O tons more than
this country. Our annual consumption
Of iron is placed at 35,O0O.00 tons,
which is more than q third OF the
worlds total consumption. Comment
ing Oh the known and generally accept
ed facts Of the situation, the Iron and
Coal Trades Review ID one of its re
sent issues stated: I'VE would seem to
be within q little more than half cen
fury of an absolute iron famine. This
fact raises problems Of serious conse-
Quence to the worlds iron industry and
to the outlook Of civilization itself"
The efficient Consul General Of the
United States at Paris, Mir. +. Mason,
has analysed with considerable astute-
ness the problems involved il this
threatened industrial catastrophe. From
an elaborate report of his we abstract
the following facts;
II is well known that the high-class
ores of the lake district il America
will, at the present rate of consump-
ton, be exhausted within less than
fifty years The Mesaba deposits, with
the present annual output of 1900
900 ions or Whereabouts, will not out
last twenty-five years, and il requires
sonly q simple calculation to demon
strate that q continued yearly con-
blAAlDLAOI "a DGfbbptbOU LUIS III Olt ny
the iron and steel industries of the
United States will within the lifetime
Of many persons now living eRt away
entirely the 1,100,000,000 tons which,
according TO the Swedish report cited,
constitute our cOuntry's entire work
able supply as al present known. In
asmuch, therefore, as the United States
possess but about 0ne-nfnth of the
worlds ore deposit and yet consumes
more than one-third Of the total an
nual output from all countries, the
conclusion is direct and unavoidable
that the future economic policy OF
American iron masters should be Sc
sure by all practical means the largest
possible ore supply from the mines of
other countries. How can this be more
economically and effectively accom-
plishad?
The nroblem is largely one of trans
portation, IN which the item of marine
freight rates plays q dominant part.
An economic long-distance ocean rate
for heavy low-class merchandise III
wolves necessarily Two conditions, viz:
vessels especially adapted to the
trade, and return freights that will
bear an equal or higher charge for
transportation. The ship that brings
EroEB FsIsHAHi EEvsOa45Ea
roDean countries to the United States
must have each trip an eastward
bound cargo that will be more than
ballast and yield a regular and definite
profit. There is but one material
which will meet the requirements OF
the case, and that is coal.
II is in respect of quantity and quail
ty Of coal supply that The advantage
of North America over European
countries is decisive and overwhelm-
ing. Whatever may be the facts con-
csTning ores, the known coal measures
Of the United States render their fuel
supply secure, abundant and of ex-
cellent quality for centuries TO come.
There are hundreds Of thousands of
acres of gas and cooking Goals Of high
quality in the Appalachian region-to
say nothing of other regions-which
have as yet been hardly scratched by
the pick and drill Of the miner. New
coal deposits of great or less extent
and value are being discovered from
year 10 year. With what is now
known the present enormous annual
output Of 2S0.000,0 600 tons Of hitumin-
Gus coal can be maintained for hun
ireds of years without exhausting the
available supply.
In EuTnpe, Oh the contrary, the years
% adequate coal provision are definite
II nun. lse~s5 In England experts esti-
mate Tia duration OF the workable
Goa! messlGg be from sixty 10 one
hundred yeaa- p -sRny has q some
what l0lsge" s.la o. industrial life
dependent on 1JaI supply, but already
the subject is so acute that O heavy
contract for the delivery Of German
coal 10 France for iron and steel works
is understood to have been cancelled
! recently al heavy loss 10 the sellers,
because, II is definitely understood,
the imperial Government objected 10
| the depletion of the National coal sup
ply for the benefit of neighbOring coun-
tries. France has native coal for q
generation or more, but the mines are
deepening, the cost Of production is
gradually increasing, and economists
IRE looking with growing apprehen.
sion to the future. Twenty-Five, OF
at most thirty years hence, the CUES
ton Of an adequate fuel supply will be
serious problem for France.
/ In 1908 France consumed A GA .10(
tons of coal, of which 34,217 ,661 tOnE
were the product of French mines
while the remaining S,476,4 3B toni
were imported Cardiff and Belgium
Goals are delivered at Havre at prices
varying, il ordinary seasons, from
s4.63 to S5-21 per ton. This is th'
competition which American Goa
would have to meet, since from tina
port Of debarkation, common TO al
imported Goals, the costs Of duty ant
freightage to the interior would be tn,
.