AT THE CLOSE OP THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. 15 



The close of t]ie nineteenth century seems a fitting time for 

 such an inquiry. Tiiis century marks a special epoch in the 

 history of our race, and in this history is included discovery 

 of the operations of Nature, and the increase of mechanical 

 inventions far beyond that of any other ag-e. It is the epoch 

 of railway locomotion, of steam navigation, of manufacturing 

 industiy such as the Avorld has never before seen — and all 

 these industries have to depend for their sustenance on 

 ■COAL — the only great source of power, as far as we know, 

 available in the British Isles. The subjects which a Coal 

 Commission for 1900 would have to investigate would not 

 necessarily be so largo or elaborate as those undertaken by 

 the Argyll Commission of 1871, as some points have been 

 already practically settled and need not be reopened. But 

 those which in my view would require investigation are 

 .somewhat as follows : — 



First. In the words of Mr. Thomas's proposed resolution 

 it would be necessary " to investigate the quantity 

 of coal available for naval, commercial, and other 

 purposes contained in the coalfields of the United 

 Kingdom." For this subject the results obtained 

 by the Argyll Connnission Avould form the basis of 

 inquiry. 



■Second. The next subject would be the area and 

 resources of the concealed coalfields (that is, those 

 coal-producing strata covered by newer formations). 

 This subject was handled by the Commissioners of 

 1871, but since that time there has been much 

 additional light thrown upon it — by fresh boring 

 experiments south in the midland districts and 

 south of the Thames valley — from which more 

 accurate information might be obtained. 



Third. The third subject is one suggested by the 

 terms of Mr. Thomas's resolution, namely, " to 

 report whether any means should be taken to 

 prevent the too rapid exhaustion of coal, and to 

 preserve it for the use of British subjects." This 

 would include the question of an export duty on 

 coal ; but it is one of mach wider scope. 



Fourth. Another subject might be an inquiry how far 

 an additional rise in the price of coal would place 

 our manufacturers at a disadvantage as compared 



