The United States with 682 tons per head in 1923 takes first place with regard to the output per person employed, Great Britain being second with a third of the quantity per head. It should be remembered, however, that the average output per person in different countries, or at different dates, is affected by the accessibility and thickness of the seams, by hours of labour and regularity of employment, and by the methods of operation. The output per person employed in Great Britain in 1924 was 220 tons, the amount varying from 277 tons in Ayrshire, Dumfries and Argyle to 154 tons in the Bristol coalfield, where working conditions were affected by a dispute. In South Yorkshire, where nearly 31 million tons were produced in 1924, the output per worker was 252 tons; in Derby the production was over 15 million tons, and the average per worker 250 tons; in Nottingham the production was over 14 million tons, and the average 247 tons; the production in Lanarkshire of nearly 19 million tons was obtained at an average of 243 tons per person; in Northumberland and Durham over 50 million tons were produced at an average of 210 tons per worker; and in South Wales over 46 million tons of coal, other than anthracite, at an average of 207 tons.

The principal countries exporting coal are Great Britain and the United States. From the former 843 million tons were shipped in 1923 and 644 million tons in 1924, in addition to coal recorded as shipped for the use of steamers on their foreign voyages, amounting to over 18 million tons in 1923 and over 17 million tons in 1924. The United States exports were 25 million tons in 1923 and 193 million tons in 1924, and in addition 4 million tons and 4 million tons were shipped in these two years by steamers for use in foreign voyages. Germany, having lost the production of some very important coal-producing areas, has lost ground as a coal exporting country, and in 1924 exported 24 million tons (including reparations coal), compared with 474 million tons in 1913. The quantity for 1924 is exclusive of Saar coal sent to other countries. Poland now takes fourth place, her exports in 1923 and 1924 amounting to over 123 million tons (to Germany, 83 million tons) and 11 million tons (to Germany 63 million tons) respectively.

France (34 million tons), Belgium (13 million tons), Italy (11 million tons), these quantities including "reparations coal,' Germany (133 million tons in 1924 and 273 million tons in 1923) and Canada (14 million tons) are the principal coal importing countries. The imports of these five countries in 1924 totalled to over 86 million tons.

Coal consumption is heaviest in the United States, the British Isles, Germany and France. The amount available for consumption in the British Isles in 1924 was over 185 million tons, or about 4 million tons less than in 1913 and 12 million tons more than in 1923; it would appear that there has been some accumulation of coal stocks. Continental consumption has been much less

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in recent years than in 1913, the aggregate for Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Russia, Austria and Hungary amounting to 325 million tons in 1913 compared with 244 million tons in 1924. To arrive at figures for 1924 comparable with those for 1913, the quantities available for consumption in Poland and Czechoslovakia, amounting to 33 million tons, must be added, making a total of nearly 278 million tons.

The largest customers of the United Kingdom are France, Germany and Italy, and large quantities are also shipped to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain. Algeria, Egypt, the Argentine Republic and Brazil. The United States finds her chief market in Canada, while Holland is Germany's principal market for "free" coal. Large quantities of coal have been despatched from Germany in recent years to France, Belgium and Italy on reparations account, and these quantities have been taken into account in arriving at supplies available for consumption in the countries concerned.

Lignite is produced principally in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Austria. The German output was over 1221 million tons in 1924 compared with less than 86 million tons in 1913. In Czechoslovakia the output was over 20 million tons in 1924, in Hungary over 5 million tons, and in Austria 2 million tons.

The production of petroleum in the United States in 1924 is estimated at 24,980 million imperial gallons, or nearly three times the pre-war output, and that of Russia at 1,580 million imperial gallons, about two-thirds of the output in 1913. Mexico produced 4,876 million imperial gallons in 1924 and Persia 1,114 million imperial gallons. The principal other producing countries are: Roumania, Poland (Galicia), Dutch East Indies, British India, Sarawak, Trinidad, Venezuela, Peru and the Argentine, these countries producing in the aggregate 2,772 million gallons in 1924.

In countries possessing suitable sources of water power, recent years have seen considerable developments in the utilisation of such power for the production of electricity. For transport purposes and for industrial uses electric energy is capable of reducing the reliance on coal where economic conversion of water power is possible. According to a recent publication of the United States Geological Survey, relating to the developed and potential water power of the world at the end of 1923, the aggregate power actually obtained from hydraulic installations at that time amounted to 29,000,000 horse-power, having increased by about 25 per cent. in the two years preceding. In Europe the developed water power was 12,300,000 horse-power at the end of 1923, according to this report, having increased by nearly 3,500,000 horse-power in the two preceding years. Of the estimated potential water power of Europe, less than 30 per cent. had been developed at the end of 1923.

DETAILED SURVEY.

Coal Production and Prices.

The following table shows the output of coal in the principal coal-producing countries in each of the last three years and in the years 1911, 1912 and 1913 :

Countries.

§ Excluding Ireland.

425,849 587,050 512,048¶

27,257 28,484 30,000

Including the Saar production; 11,059,000 tons in 1922, 9,045,000 tons in 1923 and 13,806,000 tons in 1924.

† Includes output of Polish Upper Silesia from 17th June.

Included also with figures for Germany, Russia and Austria.

Provisional figures.

For the years 1922 to 1924 the figures shown in the above. table for the United Kingdom relate only to Great Britain, whose coal output in 1924 was less by nearly 9 million tons than in 1923, when it exceeded that of any previous year except 1913. From 1912 the production has been stated exclusive of dirt raised with, but removed before sale of, the coal, amounting in that year to 2.268,000 tons. Particulars for Ireland have not been ascertained since 1921, when 88,500 tons were produced in that country. In 1913 the output of coal in Ireland amounted to 82.500 tons. The figures for Germany of the three post-war years are exclusive of the output of Lorraine and the Saar, and from June, 1922, the output of Polish Upper Silesia also is excluded. The quantities raised in these territories in 1913 amounted to 48,563,000 tons.

The average value per ton of coal at the pit's mouth in Great Britain was 183. 93d. in 1923 and 18s. 10d. in 1924, compared with 10s. 13d. in 1913. In the United States the average value was 15s. 03d. in 1923 and 6s. 23d. in 1913. The latest information available respecting the value of German coal production shows an average of over 215 marks per ton (10s. 73d.) in 1921, compared with 114 marks (11s. 23d.) in 1913. In October, 1924, the Rhenish Wesphalian Syndicate was charging 17.50 gold marks per metric ton for best run of mine bituminous coal, compared with 23-20 gold marks in December, 1923, with 31-62 gold

marks in September, 1923, and with 13-25 gold marks in January, 1914. The Syndicate's prices for flaming coal (large) were 15 gold marks in January, 1914; 37-21 gold marks in September, 1923; 27-30 gold marks in December, 1923; and 20 gold marks in October, 1924. The value of the output of the French coal mines averaged 28s. 2d. per ton in 1922, against 13s. 6d. in 1913, and the value of the Belgian output averaged 24s. 8d. per ton in 1923, compared with 27s. 11d. in 1922 and 14s. 11d. in 1913. From 1920 the values for the foreign countries mentioned have been converted from local currency into sterling at the average exchange rates for each year.

The production of coal in the principal parts of the British Empire overseas in recent years is compared below with the pre-war outputs:

The provisional figures available for Australia and South Africa. for 1924 indicate a larger production than in any earlier year. India's largest output was in 1919 (22,628,000 tons), and Canada's in 1923, when the quantity raised was somewhat higher than the 15,131,000 tons of 1920.

Persons Employed and Output per Person Employed in the Coal Mining Industry.

Great Britain provides employment in the coal mining industry for more persons than any other country. In 1923 the number employed above and below ground was 1,203,000 in Great Britain (1,213,000 in 1924), 860,000 in the United States, and 160,000 in Belgium. The latest information available for France is for 1922, when 225,000 were employed, and for Germany for 1923, when 595,000 were employed above and below ground. During the years 1922, 1923 and 1924 the output per person employed in coal mines in Great Britain has been 217 tons, 229 tons and 220 tons respectively, compared with 260 tons in 1911 and 1913 and 244 tons in 1912. The smaller amount in 1912 is attributable to the stoppage of work in the early part of the year In 1915 the output per person reached as much as 271 tons, while in 1921, when work in the mines was stopped for over three months, the amount was only 144 tons per person employed. The particulars for the United States vary considerably, and show an output of 682 tons per person employed in 1923, or one

In

ton more than in 1913, and of 794 tons in 1918; the low amount of 549 tons in 1921 was due to trade depression, and that of 504 tons in 1922 resulted from a strike of the miners in that year. The output in Germany in 1922 was 169 tons per person employed, and in 1923, when the Ruhr was in foreign occupation, 103 tons. Owing to territorial changes, these amounts are not comparable with the 1913 output of 286 tons per person. the Inspection district of Dortmund the average per person employed was 271 tons in 1912 (1913 figures were not received) and 175 tons in 1922. In France, including Alsace Lorraine, the quantity per person was 136 tons in 1922, compared with 200 tons and 197 tons, excluding Alsace Lorraine, in 1912 and 1913. The average for France and Alsace Lorraine taken together was 202 tons in 1912.

Belgium had an output per person employed in 1923 of 141 tons, and provisional figures for 1924 show a fall to 136 tons, against 155 tons in 1913.

Imports and Exports of Coal.

Reference to Table V, pp. 32 and 33, shows that the foreign countries which export coal in excess of the amount imported are Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, the United States and Japan. Other divisions of the British Empire, besides the United Kingdom, in the same category are the Commonwealth of Australia and the Union of South Africa. The following statement gives particulars of the excess of exports over imports in 1913 and 1924 in the various countries. The figures, except those for Australia and South Africa, are inclusive of the quantities of coke and manufactured fuel imported and exported :

Includes bunker coal, except for Czechoslovakia and Poland; with regard to such coal from Germany, see statement below.

For fuller details with regard to exports from these countries, see Appendix to Part I of the Tables, pp. 40 to 54.

Figures for 1922, later particulars not being available.

The export of coal from the United Kingdom in 1923 surpassed that of any previous year, and, including the coal equivalent of coke and manufactured fuel exported as well as coal shipped