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individually to turn their attention to economy in the use of 

 coal, and it is to be hoped that the high price of fuel will 

 induce consumers to have such stoves and ranges as will 

 promote the economical use of coal and the consumption of 

 smoke. These may be little matters, but if carried out 

 domestically on a small scale they would soon lead to more 

 economical use of coal by larger consumers, who would really 

 be much more interested in practising economy than private 

 individuals. 



It will be noted that the question of coal has been 

 treated rather from the point of view of the statistician than 

 of the scientist, and although it would doubtless have added 

 much to the interest of the subject if one had reviewed the 

 theories as to formation of coal during countless ages, and 

 the geological conditions under which a continuing supply is 

 likely to exist, I feel myself quite unable to undertake such 

 a review, and must therefore apologise for merely placing 

 before you certain facts and estimates bearing upon coal as 

 it affects us at the present day, both individually and 

 nationally — which facts and estimates, I think, cannot fail 

 to be of considerable interest to us all. 



