COAL AND INDUSTRY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1639, 18 November 1916, Page 4

COAL AND INDUSTRY.

At our present rale of coal con.sumption industrial civilisation, in the opinion of Dr Dngald Clerk, a ■well-known Manchester inventor and engineer’, cannot last for more than another 5,000 years. In the ease of England, however, the reserves will not lost more than 500 years. This means that Inel consumption must be reduced or industrial civilisation in England, which commenced only in 1750, cannot. Last more than another 500 years. Cities, says Engineering, will in the future he’ unable to afford the open fires, Imt will have to go in for a, general system of steam heating, using the waste heat, from the power stations. By also economising in metallurgical operations and by developing water powers we should he able to manage with one-half the amount of coal. It is estimated that the total miU'r power available in the world is 200,000,000-horse-power, of which only some 13,000,000 has so far beep developed, Much has already been done in economising fuel. At the time of James Wall the thermal efficiency of the engine was 4 per cent., whilst a modern gas engine gives now nearly 4 per cent. Much, however, remains to he done, and not only the chemist and engineer, hut also the politician must take a hand if the industrial life of Great Britain is to he prolonged beyond 500 years.