New-York tribune., 1912-03-01
MAY AVERT STRIKE HERE
Ware Advance Probable If Price
of Coal Jumps.

/ . Coal operatory yesterday while they tN-
,eved that the strike OF the English coal
miners would bring about condition on
both sides Of the Atlantic that would upset
commerce IN way hat nothing else could
do we're inclined TO walt until they s1N
how long the strike would last. II the
strike continues. they said, II will have tho
immediate result Of advancing the price Of
bituminous coal IN this country. and vessels
from England which coal for the outward
bound trip at the English ports and for
the return trip to America ril coal for the
~ound trip at American ports.
II was said in the hea dquarters Of orc Of
the coal companies that two steamships,
each carving 500 ton6 have been char
tered by the British government to sail
with coal from Baltimore for the British
navy. The usual rate from Baltimore 10
England Is 13 shillings a ton. hut this con-
tract fixes % shillings ton. and 1t is cal
culated that this will bring the price ulti-
mately with other charges to IS % ton.
notwithstanding which the British govern
ment. II was said, is TO charter two more
vessels for the same pur pose from Norfolk.
II was thought that the strike in Eng
land will prevent bituminous strike here
as the operators who will get steep prices
for the coal, Will feel that II will pay to
grant the union demands. An anthracite
strike is however. looked for az procable.
{. j. Wittenberg, president Of the Poca-
nontas and New River Coal Company in
West Virginia, said:
The English strike. if prolonged. would
make coal scarce in European countries
and in South America, and there would be
a great demand Tor american coal, followed
by jump in prices. AS far as exports OF
coal from England 10 this country are con-
cerDed, the effect OF the strike In England
would not be great as here, AS most OF
the coal that comes here from England
consists OF small shlpme nts OF camel coal.
The year before last the total shipments
of camel coal tC this port amounted 10
only about one thousand tons.
| Representatives OF other soft coal COM
panes said that If the English strike lasted
the prices here would rise 10 unprecedented
| figures.
| a representative OF the Davis Coal and
Coke Company said:
| If the English strike lasts II will bring
about conditions that will throw commerce
| In to confusion. England exports siXty-six
! mi Hon tons Of coal year independent oi
! the bunkers Of her steamers. and all that
this country could export would be insig-
nitcant compared with this.
! The Importance OF the coal mining indus
| try in Great Britain is obvious from the
figures Of the production Of 1909. when 263,
/ 7H.3l2 tons of coal were produced whose
| total value at the pit mouth was S3l l,37i. 500
! The total number Of persons employed m
| the same year was 1852, 49,, and OF these
! SlS38l worked under ground. On the sur
| face many women are employed sorting the
coal, these numbering In 1909 nearly 5000.
! The principal districts affected by the
strike are: Durham, which produces about
! 20 010 COO tons year; Yorkshire. 36,0O0,G00
: Lanca shire s23.V0.000 Staffordshire, 1850
Coo; Derbyshire. 16a0o.0r0: Northumberland.
100000; Monmoutnshire, l3.WO,rU ana Not
tinghamshire, 100000 tons.
The Continent OF Europe relies 10 o large
extent on British coal, France taking a
yearly average of 100000 tons: Italy and
Germany, 100000 each: Sweden, nearly
s OOo.O 600; Russia, nearly 100000; Denmark,
10000, Spain. Holland and Norway, oout
1900 600 each. and other countries in smaller
amounts.