COAL AND IRON SUPPLY.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 8, Issue 27, 2 April 1907, Page 2

COAL AND IRON SUPPLY.

—* — A POLICY OF GIVE AM) TAKE. At the request of tlu> Parliament of Sweden the ollicials of the geological survey have made a report showing the extent of th« known deposits of iron in the various countries of the world, and declare that, only U),o<>o, 000,000 tons are available, and that, at the present rate of consumption the supply, will be exhausted within 100 years.

The report is substantially corroborated by other experts, and is generally accepted as correct, with a possible margin of o per cent., although it does not take into adequate account the undeveloped oru deposits of Utah and Alabama. The United States uses about .'!.*>, 000,000 tons, more than one-third the annual consumption, and has only sufficient to last about -V2 years her total known deposits containing only 1,100,000.000 tons. Great Britain lias about the same amount and consumes four-sevenths ns much, while Germany has twice its much. Swedish mines have about the same amount as the American ; Aus-tria-Hungary a little more, while Russia and Finland have 1.000.000. 000 tons, ami France about the same. In England experts estimate the duration of the workable coal measures to be from 00 to 100 years, while in 2f> or .'SO years from now the question of an adequate full supply will be a serious problem for France. Germany is better off in ifes coal supply, but the subject is so acute uvea there that a heavy contract for the delivery of German coat to a French steel works has been cancelled with heavy loss to the sellers, because the Imperial Government objected to the depletion of the coal supply for the benefit of neighbouring countries.

In discussing these conditions, the American Consul in Paris, General F 11. 'Mason, suggests the propriety of Americans faking up the problem of selling Europe their coal in exchange for iron.

Mr. Mason declares that return freights at cheap rates are necessary to render the project, I'easihle and successful, and lie believes that there is now but one available source—the iron ores of Spain. Finland, and the Scandinavian peninsula—which now mine about 14,000,000 tons per annum, but which, for want of cheap aud abundant ,I'uel, smelt not more than one-third or one-fourth of that amount.