398 PROCEEDI^^GS OF SECTION E. 



Germany's 36,249,233 and the United States' 32,861,960. In 1871 

 the United States produced 46,885,000 tons, as against Germany's 

 41,736,361 tons, and the United Kingdom's 131,434,271 tons. In 

 1899 the United States overtook and passed the United Kingdom, 

 the fig-ures being: United States, 253,741,192; United Kingdom, 

 246,506,155; and Germany, 149,719,766. In 1906, the figm^es were: 

 United States, 414,157,278; United Kingdom, 281,195,743; and 

 Germany, 222,350,526. For the same year (1906) the production of 

 Japan was 12,980,103 tons, that of China 9,032,660 tons, that of the 

 Australian Commonwealth 8,921,011 tons, and that of New Zealand 

 1,757,291 tons. In 1907, the coal production of the United States 

 was 480,363,424 tons 



Against the overwhelming predominance of the United States, as 

 producers of coal, there must be set their capacity for consumption. 

 The geographical position of the principal coalfields, all situated in 

 the eastern third of the country, limits the distribution of the surplus 

 in a great measure to exports overland to the interior of Canada, and 

 by the Atlantic seaboard to the east coast of South America. The only 

 States that appreciably contribute to the commerce of the Pacific are 

 Alaska, Washingion, Oregon, and California. 



Alaska produced in 1906, 5,541 short tons of coal. The coal- 

 fields are both Tertiaiy and Cretaceous, but are of very limited extent. 

 A large proportion of the coal is lignitic, but there are bituminous and 

 semi-ant hracitic coals on Controller Bay. The uses of the coal are 

 chiefly local and for coasting steamers. Alaska imports more coal 

 than it produces. In 1900 the import from the State of Washington 

 was about 13,000 tons, and that from British Columbia was un- 

 doubtedly larger. In 1906 the import of coal from Australia was 

 7,716 long tons. 



The State of Washington produced in 1906, 3,276,184 tons. The 

 coalfields, which ai^e for the most part situated in the western and 

 central districts, are small — probably not over 1,000 square miles. 

 The coal is lignitic, locally converted into bituminous. The local uses 

 of the coal, and therefore the' output, are greatly interfered with by 

 the accessibility and cheapness of petroleum, but a considerable coast- 

 ward trade is done north and south along the Pacific Coast. 



Oregon produced in 1906, 79,731 short tons, almost entirely from 

 the one field, which is actively worked — ^dz., that of Coos Bay, in the 

 south-western part of the State. The conditions affecting export are 

 similar to those of Washing-ton. 



California is not a large producer of coal, and the area of its 

 Tertiary coalfields is limited. The output of lig-nitic or sub-bituminous 

 coal for 1906 amounted to 50,497 short tons. On the other hand, 

 San Francisco and other large cities are consumers on a gi'eat scale, 

 and not only absorb the local product but import coal and coke from 

 other States and countries. In 1907, according to Commonwealth 

 statistics, the export of coal from Australia to the United States 

 amounted to 539,880 long tons. There is understood to be little or 

 no traffic in coal from the Commonwealth to the United States except 

 that to Pacific ports. British Columbia is a still larger contributor. 

 Japan contributed 11,966 tons in 1906. 



