THE COAL QUESTION, 71 



%Jx( §m\ (^xmiim. 



BY E. TAWJNEY, F.G.S. 



Bead at the General Meeting ^ April Srd, 1873. 



A ROYAL Commission was appointed in 1866 to investigate 

 the probable amounts of coal contained in our known coal- 

 fields^ and also to estimate the quantity contained in probable 

 coal-fields expected to exist but concealed under newer recks, 

 and also to report whether there was needless waste. 



The main cause of the Commission of Enquiry being appointed 

 was undoubtedly a book written by Prof. Jevons. In this he 

 showed that our trade and manufactures were increasing at a 

 rapid rate, — that these were entirely supported by our coal, and 

 that the precious fuel on which all our commercial supremacy 

 depends was being consumed (and much of it wasted) so fast, 

 that there might probably come a great rise in price in coal and 

 therefore of the iron, and hence too of all manufactured goods 

 which would cause trade in these things to leave our shores: he 

 argued that to the present time of prosperity would follow sooner 

 or later one of commercial poverty: that our unfortunate 

 descendants would find themselves obliged to migrate, ''en masse" 

 to the coal and iron mines of America, while those that remained 



