March 25, 1920] 



NATURE 



109 



Britain, and Germany together produced 87 per 

 cent, of the world's coal. It was not until 1899 

 that the British output was surpassed by that of 

 the United States ; but, in spite of the ease of 

 working- of the American fields, our yield per unit 

 of coal area is sixteen times as great as that of 

 America. The British output of nearly 300 million 

 tons is irrefutable evidence of the skilful organisa- 

 tion of the British coal industry and of the courage 

 and capacity of the British miner. 



This drain of 300 million tons a year inspires 

 disquietude as to how long it can last. The first 

 authoritative estimate of our coal resources was 

 that of the Royal Commission of 1865, which 

 estimated them as roughly 150,000 million tons. 

 Later estimates have increased this amount to 

 about 200,000 million tons, which would main- 

 tain the 1913 output for 600 years; the United 

 States supplies would be maintained for 1500 

 years, those of Germany for more than 1500 years, 

 while the coal fields of China would last for several 

 millenniums. The world is in no immediate danger 

 of a coal famine, but the British industrial position 

 is threatened by the continued rise in the price of 

 coal, which may hamper competition with 

 countries with cheaper supplies. Jevons in 1865. 

 issued a warning of this danger, and his main 

 prediction has been amply justified, for during the 

 seventy years from 1834 to 1904 the price of 

 coal almost doubled, while that of general com- 

 modities fell by about a quarter. The increased 

 cost of coal cannot, therefore, be explained by 

 such influences as variations in currency. 



The maintenance of the British output at a price 

 which will enable British manufacturers to 

 compete with those of foreign coal-producing 

 countries depends on the increase of our coal 

 reserves by the discovery of buried coal fields, 

 such as doubtless occur under the younger rocks 

 of eastern and southern England, while an exten- 

 sion of the Scottish coal fields may occur in north- 

 eastern Ireland under the lava sheets of Antrim. 

 The coal field of South Yorkshire and Nottingham- 

 shire has been enlarged since 1905 by the dis- 

 covery of 400 square miles of coal-bearing country, 

 most of which is already being worked or 

 developed. The eastward extension of this field 

 is less than was expected by the Coal Commission 

 of 1905, but its eastern and southern margins are 

 still undetermined. The Kent coal field was found, 

 in consequence of a geological prediction, during 

 boring operations at Dover in connection with 

 the Channel tunnel. Private bores for water have 

 thrown light on the possible range of the coal in 

 the south-east of England, but there are large 

 areas which are unlikely to be tested by private 

 enterprise. It is deplorable that they should be 

 left unproved, as a few bores between the Not- 

 tinghamshire and Kent coal fields, and between 

 London and Bristol, might lead to the discovery 

 of very important additions to the national coal 

 reserves. Such bores should be put down at the 

 national expense, the cost, if successful, being 

 charged to the area benefited. 



As much light may be thrown on the distribution 

 NO. 2630, VOL. I05I 



of concealed coal by private bores, the journals, 

 of all deep bores should be communicated to the 

 Geological Survey and published either annually 

 or, if desired by those who have paid for them^ 

 after an interval of ten years. 



The national coal supplies will be increased by 

 the working of deeper seams. The extreme limit 

 of coal mining has been regarded as 4000 ft., but 

 that depth has been greatly exceeded in metal 

 mining, and 4900 ft. is the accepted Continental 

 limit for coal mining. 



The working of thinner seams is becoming prac- 

 ticable by the use of machinery and by working 

 coal in conjunction with the adjacent clays ; but 

 the extension of thin-seam working would be hin- 

 dered by a Government scheme for the national- 

 isation of coal. The nationalisation of all minerals, 

 since clay and limestone often form the ground in 

 large areas, would mean the nationalisation of the 

 land. Tl|e nationalisation of coal alone would 

 seriously hamper that combined working of coal 

 with clay or limestone on which the development 

 of thin-seam working is mainly dependent. 



It may also pay the nation to arrange for the 

 extraction of seams so thin that they cannot be 

 worked at a profit, for if the labour be available 

 the direct loss may be recompensed from the 

 profits earned by the coal in other industries. It 

 has often been suggested that to make our coal 

 last longer the output should be restricted, but that 

 policy, fortunately, appears now to have no advo- 

 cates. The universal demand is for an increased 

 output. Its restriction is opposed to the sound 

 commercial principle, " Use an asset while you 

 can." Unrestricted output is, however, justifiable 

 only so long as coal is used economically. Great 

 savings are possible. Sir George Beilby estimates 

 that the average British consumption of coal per 

 horse-power per hour is 5 lb., and that it should 

 be no more than \\ lb., thus saving 56 million 

 tons of coal a year. Greater saving appears 

 possible by economy in the use of coal than 

 from the numerous alternative sources of 

 power, though resort to them will become neces- 

 sary if coal prices rise. 



Economy in coal is the most promising method 

 of reducing the drain on our coal reserves. The 

 country has used only about 6 per cent, of its 

 total coal. Our coal supply would maintain the 

 191 3 output for centuries, but if the annual output 

 increases until, as some authorities expect, it is 

 trebled, the handicap of high price may be on us 

 in less than a century. By economy in coal con- 

 sumption great industrial expansion is possible on 

 the present output. 



The essential factors with regard to the coal 

 question are that no other source of power is 

 available in this country on a large scale ; coal is 

 still indispensable, while it is limited in amount 

 and irreplaceable; and, owing to the exhaustion of 

 the more easily worked seams, a steady rise in 

 price will continue, and probably at an accelerated 

 rate. Ultimately the nation must enforce 

 economy in the consumption of coal, prevent waste 

 in mining, and be prepared to work seams at a 



