10 



The total output of coal for the whole world is estimated 

 as under, viz. : — 



United Kingdom ... ... 220,000,000 



United States 218,000,000 



Germany ... ... ... 101,000,000 



France ... 32,000,000 



Belgium 21,000,000 



The rest of the world ... 50,000,000 



Total production of the world 642,000,000 tons. 



It will be seen, therefore, that the United Kingdom and 

 the United States of America each produce about one-third 

 of the total coal supply of the world, the remaining third 

 being spread over all the other countries. 



The astonishing increase in the annual output of coal 

 in the United Kingdom from 10 million tons in 1800 to 220 

 millions in 1899 has mainly arisen from the great invention 

 of the nineteenth century which has actually revolutionised 

 the world — the power of steam traction, and the consequent 

 development of railways and steamships; the invention and 

 introduction of coal gas for illumination and heating purposes 

 is also another great element in the increased use of coal. 



Of the 220 million tons of coal produced in the United 

 Kingdom in 1899, 40 millions were used for domestic con- 

 sumption — say at the rate of about a ton per head per annum 

 — 60 millions were exported, and the balance, 120 millions, 

 represents the consumption for manufactures, gas, railways, 

 and steamships, and as the United Kingdom is the Mistress 

 of the seas, and as she is possessed of the best coal in the 

 world for steamship purposes, viz., that produced in South 

 Wales, there need be no wonder at the large output of coal,, 

 nor at the considerable export to other countries for steam- 

 ship uses. Having in view the necessity of our husbanding 

 our resources, at all events for our own use, the export of 

 60 millions of tons of coal to other countries is a sore point, 

 but it is quite out of our province to discuss the question or 

 to enter into the political aspect of the case. 



We have now to consider the third point suggested at 

 the outset of these remarks, viz., the prospects of meeting 

 our future requirements for coal. It will have been noted 



tons. 



