148 The Coal Famine. [April, 



briefly review the origin of the present scarcity and high 

 prices of coal. 



Upon the cessation of the Franco-German war, when the 

 great duel had been fought out, and the combatants 

 retired within the new boundaries of their territories, a 

 revival of trade brought with it an extraordinary demand 

 for iron. The stocks of pig-iron accumulating in Glasgow 

 and other markets were almost cleared off, and, as a neces- 

 sary result, the smelting-furnaces all over the country were 

 "blown in," and then sprung up a great demand for coal 

 with which to feed them. The price accordingly went up, 

 and doubtless the proprietors of the mines were the first to 

 feel the benefit of the enhanced prices ; but there soon fol- 

 lowed, as was perfectly natural, a demand on the part of the 

 miners for increased wages, which was generally acceded 

 to ; and ultimately wages increased to such an extent that 

 with restricted time a pitman of ordinary skill can earn at 

 a rate varying from £120 to £150 per annum, and, if he 

 condescends to work five days in the week, considerably more. 



A reaction has, however, set in ; the enhanced price of 

 iron has shortened the demand, and with this ought to 

 come, in the ordinary course of things, a lessening of the 

 demand for coal and a fall in prices. When notices of a 

 reduction of wages were served on the pitmen, the result 

 has invariably been to cause a strike, such as that we have 

 just witnessed on a gigantic scale in South Wales. The 

 price of coal has not fallen, as was to have been expected, 

 for the pitmen have been taught by their leaders that the 

 price may be artificially kept up by shortening the time of 

 labour and restricting the supply. The miner has learned 

 that by working four days in the week he can earn enough 

 wages to supply his wants for the seven, and he does not 

 care to earn more. The idea of "making hay while the 

 sun shines," of laying by money earned by working the 

 ordinary time allotted to mortals for work, is not one by 

 which he is governed, — or, if so, he is prevented from acting 

 upon it by a mighty unseen influence to which he feels 

 bound to render unquestioned submission. 



If the colliery proprietors insist on a reduction of wages, 

 or longer hours of work, the result is a " strike." Looked 

 at from a neutral stand-point, it is impossible to conceive a 

 more clumsy device for settling a question between employer 

 and employed, especially in coal-mining. For it is abun- 

 dantly evident that, in the vast majority of cases, if the 

 proprietors of collieries could see their way to a fair profit, 

 by yielding to the demands of the men, they would do so 



