SCARCITY OF COAL AT FOREIGN STATIONS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 769, 27 August 1853, Page 3

SCARCITY OF COAL AT FOREIGN STATIONS.

The injury which the commerce of this countryhas recently experienced from the want of ships at home and the scarcity of coals abroad has been very great. Even our irregular intercourse by steam with Australia may greatly be attributed to those two causes. The gold in Australia had caused such a demand for shipping that when the steam communication with our gold colonies commenced, ships could not he obtainel to supply the immediate coaling stations with fuel for the steamers, and a long continuance ot unfavourable weather prevented the colliers that were obtained from reaching those stations until weeks after the proper time. A large supply of coals was also required for the eastern seas in consequent of the arrangements for a more frequent mail communication with those parts. Some idea may be formed of the demand for coa 8 abroad from the daily advertisements which appeared in the London papers for colliers to supply distant coal depots. From the detention of tie Australian steamers at various ports, sometimes for a week together waiting for coals, and jrom those steamers being obliged sometimes to bum wood, owing to the scarcity of coal, it has advanced abroad to an enormous price. Even no further away' than the coast of Spain it has been sold, very recently, for £8 a ton. This state of things cannot last \ e y long, for more shipping must t© obtained. Other means also will be resorted to obviate, in future, the serious inconvenience which has recently been experienced. The General Screw Mail Steam-packet Company contemplate lengthening their vessels, so that tney may carry coals sufficient to last between England and the Cape of Good Hope, and render their coaling at the western islandsunneccssaiy. The Peninsular aad Oriental Company are also fitting out screw steam colliers, to be stationed in the eastern seas, to supply the coaling stations there from the collieries at Labuan, in the Island of Borneo. — Bntcinnia.