BRITAIN'S COAL SUPPLY.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 35, 3 November 1911, Page 14

BRITAIN'S COAL SUPPLY.

£J_ie controversy with regard to the length of life of the British coalfields began in 1865, when Professor Jevons announced that the amount of coal "in sight" was 83,000,000,000 tons, and that the supply would be exhausted in 1970. Other scientific men disputed this conclusion at once, and a discussion etxending over nearly half a century has left the question still unsettled. At the present time, according to a recent "cable* message, Sir William Ramsay, AAdio believes that Britain has urgent need to conseiwe her coal, is engaged in debating the question Avith the president of the Association of Mining Engineers, a high authority, who thinks that the fields will meet the needs of tlie nation for six centuries to come. Some ten years ago a Royal Coin mission Avas instructed to prepare a report for the Imperial Parliament upon the coal supplies of the United Kingdom, and this body cA r olved some stupendous figures. The final estimates, published in 1905, showed that there were 100.914,000,000 tons of coal available for use Avithin the pawed coalfields, and probably at least 39,----483,000,000 tons in areas that had not been' fully prospected. In addition, some 6,000,000,000 tons of the mineral lay iv convenient depths or under sea close to the coast. Britain's output of coal in 1909 was 263,000,000 tons, and at this rate of consumption the supply known, to exist in 1905 in easily accessible positions would suffice'for more than 500 years. During the last five years the discovery of new fields has improved the position materially. The direction in Avhich the scientific men should turn their efforts was indicated A'.ery clearly by the commission. An annual saving of from 4.0,000,000 tons to 60,000,000 tons could] be effected, the experts urged, by simple economies and by the- erection of central power stations in manufacturing districts. Six William Ramsay has been unceasing in his efforts to promote industrial cooperation along these lines.