The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-08-24
DUTCH Mines
CLOSELY WORKED
49,. - .gaf t,s .a- go.
British Coal Embargo Forces
Opening Of Veins Heretofore
Deemed Of Too Little Value
nv AsGosl.t.a prna..i

(By Associated Press.)
,HOENSBRUEK, Province of lin
lug, Netherlands, July sU1tebrrts
pohdenee OF The Associated Press). -
The miner g pick aud drill were never
80 dettly welded since Holland had a
history as they are just now. Coal Is IN
great demand. The Dutch mines are
poorly developed and produce compare
lively, little fuel and 1t cannot be OBJ
tanned in Sufficient quantities from
Germany and Great Britain at present
to satisfy the calls of the various indus
tries and public works dependent on IL
The limited production of coai in
Holland is said by some 70 be one Of
the principal causes of the maintenance
by this county Of what they describe
as friendly neutrality toward. Germany.
Even. now, when certain amount oil
coal Is still coming in from the neigh.
boring power, the authorities here are
enconntering difficulties not only in
running the railroads, but In supplying
fuel for the pumping stations ali over
the country whose operations keep the
Netherlands from again becoming q
swamp. ~
Holland has plenty OF coal beneath
the surface of her most southerly pro.
vince = Limburg. The fields, however
have never been properly developed
and the Dutch are now regretting their
lack of foresight in this regard, which
at a time when they feel they would
like to be entirely free in their action,
has placed them in condition Of de.
pendence on Germany for an article
which they need badly. Z
With these difficulties faeinR them
since the beginning of the war, the
mine-owners have made q brave show.
ing, but they have been still further
handicapped by the mobilization Of the
Dutch army, which took away many OF
their best men, and by the calling Ito
the colors Of German and Belgian pit
men, many Of whom had been employed
in the mines in the province of Lin.
burg, To
Although Holland occupies only very
low rank In the coal producing count.
ries of Europe, it's mines are probably
the most ancient, their records showing
workings near Kerkfade as early as
Ills, The pits now owned and worked
by the state were for many centuries
exploited by monks from the Abbey
Of Kloosterade, who continued their
mining operations until as late as 1895.
The pits, now named the Wilhel-
nina. the Emma and the Hendrix, gave
employment to 1877 officials and 4332
pitmen, of whom some 500 were called
up for service in the Dutch army in
August and the following months, while
numbers of their German fellow work
men also had to leave to fight their
country's battles. Owing to the lac k
-of experienced miners in Holland, II has
become Necessary to fill their places
with foreigners, many of them Belgians,
who fed from their own country after
the German invasion.
Besides the state mines there are pri-
vately owned eoalfields in Limburg and
North Brabant, VIII lie borings have
N"en made also in Over-I isel and Geldhr.
land. As these altogether produce only
about 1000, 900 of the 5000, 900 tons an.
nuaIly required by Holland, the remain.
der is usually imported from Germany
and Great Britain.
The German mines, since the war
started, have continued to supply 40 per
cent of their usual annual quantity to
the Netherlands, but England has de-
clined to permit the export of steam
coal in any large quantity. Manufac-
turing concerns and municipalities turn
ed to America for supplies, but the
f-e'rht rates from the United States to
Dutch ports were so prohibitive-th
minimum reaching $500 per ton more
than the rate from Germany-that no.
tody would buy. Amsterdam alone,
For instance, requires 100000 tons 4
year TO furnish the city with gas, and
this would mean an additional outlay
of $2,00n,000 per ahnum. The Dutch
capital, therefore, has cut down its sup.
ply Of gas, and its street lamps are ex.
tinguished early in the night, the ex.
ample being followed by The Hague,
Enschede, Briel and other cities.
Peat enters ALWAYS largely into the
fuel supply of Holland and, in eoDse.
quence Of the shortness Of coal, has
been more called for than ever. MANY
private houscNo'ds have resumed the
o. beat fuel, and its pctu.
liar smell is now encountered every.
where in Holland. -"-'t
81. .r a..