ON FUEL ECONOMY. 99 



Each of the following Societies and Institutions was invited to 

 nominate for co-option (if not already a member) a representative on 

 the Committee, which they did, as follows: — 



(1) Federation of British Industries . . Mr. A. T. Smith. 



(2) Association of British Ciiemical Manufacturers Mr. Robert Mend. 



(3) Society of Chemical Industry . . . Mr. E. V. Evans. 



(4) Institution of Mechanical Engineers. 



(5) Institution of Electrical Engineers . 



(6) Institution of Mining Engineers 



(7) Institution of Mining and Metallurgy 



(8) Iron and Steel Institute 



(9) Coke Oven Managers' Association . 



Mr. W. H. Patchell. 

 Mr. C. H. Wordingham. 

 Mr. G. Blake Walker. 

 Mr. G. E. Morgans. 

 Sir Robert Hadfield. 

 Mr. D. V. Hollingworth. 



In addition, Mr. D. H. Helps has continued to represent the Insti- 

 tution of Gas Engineers, and Mr. H. James Yates the Society of British 

 Gas Industries. 



Finally, an Executive Committee of twelve members was appointed, 

 including ex-officio the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary of 

 the General Committee, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of each Sub- 

 Committee, and in addition, one other representative member from each 

 Sub-Committee. 



Since its reconstruction the General Committee has held four meet- 

 ings, whilst the Executive has met seven times. In view, however, of 

 the vastness and complexity of the manifold issues involved in the 

 present coal situation, and the difficulty of formulating any definite con- 

 clusion as to the effects of the war until coaiditions have become 

 stabilised once more, the Committee decided to postpone presenting 

 any final Report until some future year. The present Eeport is, there- 

 fore, of an interim nature, concerning such items only as appear to 

 warrant publication at this juncture. 



Coal Outputs and Prices since 1913. 



In its First Report the Committee drew attention to the vital im- 

 portance of relatively cheap coal to the nation's industrial prosperity, 

 and stated that, .for some years before the war, the average price of coal 

 at the pithead had been decidedly on the up-grade, a tendency which 

 might be expected to continue at an accelerated rate. As the result of 

 circumstances created by, or arising out of, the war, the average pit- 

 head price of coal has already almost trebled since the year 1913, and 

 is likely to rise still higher, a matter of most serious concern to the 

 whole nation. 



How basic is the necessity of relatively cheap coal to the recovery 

 of our pre-war prosperity will at once be apparent when it is realised 

 how absolutely dependent are all our principal manufacturing industries 

 upon imported raw materials. Our own natural resources do not 

 enable us to provide ourselves, in quantity sufficient for the needs of a 

 modern industrial community, with a great variety of raw materials; 

 nor can we grow sufficient food for our present population. But our 

 ships can bring abundance of raw materials from all parts of the world 

 to our coal. Without the impelling power of relatively cheap coal, we 

 should neither be able to attract the raw materials, nor yet to build 

 or maintain the ships in which to convey them. Relatively cheap coal 



