COLLIERS 243 



and the Tyne, in clear weather, without seeing a craft of 

 some sort bearing coal, mostly for the London market, 

 but also for ports in every part of the world. There 

 still remain some, but not many, of the old-time collier- 

 brigs, the " Geordies," which were almost as notorious 

 as they were celebrated. 



The coal-carrying trade has been one of the most 

 famous features of the North Sea for several centuries. 

 The quaint craft of the earliest days conveyed the coal 

 from the northern ports to London, dependent not only 

 on wind and weather, but also on the friendly disposition 

 of neighbouring nations. It was one thing for a vessel 

 to clear the departure port and quite another for her to 

 reach London River safely, for there might be prowling 

 privateers or ships of war ready to swoop down on the 

 helpless craft and take the precious cargo as a prize and 

 the wretched crew as prisoners of war. 



To-day the trade is done with railway regularity and 

 almost railway security by specially built and equipped 

 steam-colliers. Several of these have been constructed 

 so that they may navigate the Thames as far as Batter- 

 sea and the Wandle, and it is a somewhat odd sight 

 to watch a sea-going craft proceeding past Chelsea, or 

 moored snugly in a dock below Chelsea Bridge. These 

 particular steamers are fitted, of course, with lowering 

 masts and funnels, to enable them to pass under the 

 numerous low bridges between the Tower and the 

 Wandle. 



Twenty per cent, of the total coal product of the United 

 Kingdom comes from the north-east coast. In the 

 counties of Durham and Northumberland the output of 

 coal exceeds 55,000,000 tons, and of that quantity about 



