44 The Coal Commissioner's Report. - {January, 
**in some branches of manufacture, the limits of a beneficial 
economy appear to have been nearly reached, and that in 
other cases a gradual effort would continue to be made for 
saving fuel.” It may be assumed, therefore, that the pro- 
gress of economy in using coal is not likely to operate in 
future with greater effort in keeping down the increase of 
consumption than it has hitherto done. The present con- 
sumption of coal for domestic use is generally estimated at 
I ton per head of the whole population, and the future 
increase under this head may be expected to coincide with 
the increase of population; whilst, as regards the future 
exportation of coal, there is reason to doubt whether much 
further increase will take place in this direction, owing to 
the steady development of the coal-fields in other countries. 
With regard to the available supplies of fuel yet re- 
maining, a not unimportant consideration is the amount of 
waste incident to mining coal. It is clear, from the evidence 
adduced on this subject, that, although in many instances 
waste in working is reduced to a minimum, and although 
manifest improvement is being made in the working of coal, 
especially by the extension of the system of “ long wall,” 
nevertheless coal is wasted by bad working and by careless- 
ness, and that to a very considerable amount in proportion 
to what is actually used. Under favourable systems of 
working the loss is about Io per cent, while, in a very large 
number of instances, the ordinary waste and loss amounts 
to 40 per cent, irrespective of what is sacrificed by the ne- 
cessity for leaving coal for barriers, for the support of 
buildings, and for other objects. This is a very considerable 
evil, and one which requires immediate attention. If it be 
necessary to husband our coal resources, means should be 
everywhere encouraged, not only for the introduction of an 
improved system of getting coal, so as to reduce the waste 
to a minimum, but for the better utilisation of small coal, 
none of which should be permitted to be left below that can 
possibly be raised. One method of utilising small coal, 
which is briefly referred to by Committee E, in their Report, 
is by the manufacture of patent fuel, but this is not at 
present carried on to a sufficient extent to have much effect 
upon the general question. 
In considering the quantity of coal in known coal-fields, 
4000 feet has been adopted as the limit of practicable depth 
in working, and a certain proportion has been allowed for 
waste and loss incident to working the coal. With these 
provisions, the estimated quantity of coal in the ascertained 
coal-fields of the United Kingdom is 90,207 millions of tons, 
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