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[private.]
RECIPROCITY TREATY
AS TO
THE FISHERIES, TRADE WITH BRITISH NORTH AMERI-
CAN COLONIES, &c.
COALS.
Propontion for reciprocal arrangemept to admit United States coals into the
Jive British North American Provinces; and the coals of the Provinces
into the United States; free of duty.
It is not surprising that a proposition to admit any foreign coals into
this country, free of duty, should rsceive opposition from the home coal
interests. It may also be expected that such opposition will be aided
by some other interests which c i.iemn the principles of free and unre-
stricted trade and commerce, and uphold the doctrine of i^otectiout by
a high tariff of duties, on such imports as may compete with our home
industry.
It is freely conceded, that if the policy o^ protection by such means,
can be constitutionally and rightfully maintained, there are no articles
that have stronger claims to its enforcement, in this behalf, than the
articles of coal and iron. They are both articles of prime necessity,
and there are no convenient and sufficient substitutes for them available
to the whole country. Every section of the confederacy teems with
these important elements of national independence, prosperity, and
wealth. Our mountains, plains, and valleys are filled with them, in all
their different varieties. Capital^ and labor^ and enterprise are how-
ever needed lor their development. It will not be msputed, in this
Eaper, that if the money, industry, and energy of our own people can (
e stimulated to engage in the work of development by legitimate means, '
not 'prejudicial to other industrialinterests, those means should be adopted.
That other mterests should be sacrificed to uphold those of coal and iron;.
and that the latter, important as they are admitted to be, ought to con-
trol every, or any other branch of home industry, of any section of the-
Union, it is presumed, will not be contended by the most zealous ; cer-
tainly not by the most prudent and sagacious advocates of these two
'great mineral products. *
The following memoranda show the duties that heretofore have been
«iak.
Ibreign coals imported into the United States, from the or-
ganization of the federal government up to this time :
DUTIES ON IMPORTED COALS.
By tariff of July 4, 1T89, (went into force August 1, 1789,) per bushel
Do Aug. 10,1790 do..
Do.. ..May 2,1792 do....
Do.... June 7, 1794. .....do....
Do. ...Jan. 29,1795 do....
Do Mar. 3,1797 do
Do.. ..May 13,1800 do....
Do.... Mar. 27,1804 do....
Do.. ..July 1,1812 do....
Dec. 31,1790, do
June 30,1792 do
June 30,1794 do
, March 31, 1795 do...i.
.June 30, 1797, ....do
June 30,1800, do
June 30,1804 do
July 12, 1812,.... do.-..
30,1816, do
30,1824 do....
1,1828, ....do....
2 cents.
3. ..do.
4|i..do.
5.. .do.
5. ..do.
5... do.
5.. .do.
5. ..do.
10 cents — war duties.
5 cents.
6. ..do.
6. ..do.
6... do.
Do....Apl. 27,1816 do June
Do May 22,1824 do June
Do May 19,1828 do Sept.
Do... .July 14,1832 do March 3,1833 do....
The compromise act of March 2, 1633, chap. 55„ vol. 3, Statutes of United States, p. 629,
graduated the reduction of this duty by a prescribed scale.
Do.... Aug. 30, 1852 do....... Aug. 30, 1842, per ton, fl 75;
bang about 69.28 fer cent, ad valorem, and the same act imposed a duty on coke, or culm of
coal, of 5 cents fer bmhd, equal to about 161.94 per cent, ad valorem.
By the tariff act of July 30, 1846, which went in force December
1, 1846, and is now in force, the duty on coals, coke, and culm is, 30
per cent, ad valorem.
The tariff bill reported by the Committee of Ways and Means of
the House of Representatives, at this session, proposes a duty on im-
ported coals, and on coke or culm, of 20 per cent, ad valorem. Mr. Sec-
retary Guthrie, in the finance report of this session, recommends coals,
and coke or culm, to be charged 26 per cent, ad valorem.
The British provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick ask, that
in the convention for the settlement of the fishery dispute, and regulat-
ing the trade between the five British North American Provinces and
the United States, it may be stipulated that provincial coals be admitted
into the United States, and United States coals into the Provinces, firee
of duty.
Neither Canada, Prince Edward's Island, nor Newfoundland,
have any coal mines now worked, or that can be worked for many
years, and the coal mines of New Brunswick are mostly in the interior,
and are not deemed of very great importance at the present time. Ex-
cepting for a species of asphaltum^ the New Brunswick mines have not
been much worked of late years, and never profitably, and no coals of
consequence have been exported from that province. Last year, it is
believed, no coals or aspkaltum were sent to the United States from New
Brunswick, whilst considerable quantities of anthracite coal were sent
thither from the United States.
Statement A, (placed for convenience in an appendix,) and the tables
it contains, exhibit the extent and value of the coal mines in all the five
provinces, their area, annual product heretofore and now, cost of coals
at the mines, kinds and qualities of coals, &c., also sundry British and
Coloniai accounts of the ex-pitrts fiom, and imports into tije colonies, of
coals, for different past years, distinguishing their coal trade with the
United States.
8
From the statement and accounts referred to, it will be quite ap- V
parent, tbat the only provincial coals imported into the United States,
the importation whereof can be increased, or that will be encouraged
by the proposed reciprocal arrangement, are the coals of the province of
Nova Scotia, usually called the " PictoUy^ or " Sidney" coals.
The following tables, (B, C, D, E, and F,) have been compiled from
the officially published annual reports of the ♦•Commerce and Naviga-
tion of the United States", by the Treasury Department, and in con-
nexion with the British and Colonial accounts contained in statement
A, exhibit fully the trade of the United States, in foreign and domestic
coals, with other countries.
. B.
Statement of the quantitt/ and value of coala imported^ and foreign coals exported,
from 1821 to 1853.
Vean.
1831,
1832.
18-33.
1834.
1805
1836.
1827.
1838.
1839.
1830.
183(.
1832.
1833.
1834.
1835.
1836.
1837.
1838.
1839.
1840.
1841.
1843.
1843.
1844.
1845.
1846
1847
1848
1849,
1850
1851
1853
1853
Coals imported.
Quantity.
BmheU.
627,737
970,828
854,983
764,815
723,255
970,021
1,127,388
906,200
1,272,970
1,640,295
1,022,245
2,043,389
2,588,102
♦2,005,522
*1,679,119
♦3,036,083
♦4,268,598
♦3,614,320
♦5,083,424
♦4,560,287
♦4,351,032
♦3,962,610
Tons.
41, 163
87,073
85,776
156,853
148,021
196,251
198,213
180,439
214,774
183,015
231,508
Average
Gout per
bushel.
CenU.
14.55
14.39
13.05
14.58
15.02
15.01
13.65
11.51
11.47
12.48
10.59
10.03
10.11
9.98
8,54
8.07
8.48
8.53
8.18
8.49
8.48
9.61
Per ton.
$2 83
2 72
2 61
2 41
2 51
3 35
206
2 10
3 23
3 22
2 12
Value.
Dollaft.
91.352
139,790
111,639
111,545
108,527
145,563
142,677
104,393
145,992
204,773
108,250
211,017
261,575
200,277
143,461
244,995
362,079
308,591
415,761
387,238
369.a'>3
380,635
Dollaen.
116,313
236,963
223,919
378,597
370,985
461,140
409,282
378,817
479, 7&5
406,841
490,010
Rate of
duty per
bushel.
Vents.
5
5
5
5.60
5.57
5.12
5.14
4.71
4.69
4.28
4.38
4.30
Per ton.
$175
30per ct.
Duties.
Dottars.
31,386
48,541
42,740
39,178
43,335
68,301
67,643
54,373
76,3V8
98,417
61,334
133,603
155,286
113,303
ft3,541
155,531
219,375
170,316
336,449
195,149
186,185
170,493
DoUccri,
72,035
152,377
150,108
274,493
178,330
138,342
132,784
113,645
143,935
132,053
147,003
Foreign coals exported.
Quantity.
BuskeU.
8,318
4,167
3,846
3,414
4,140
1,080
180
1,743
4,758
13,480
4 339
8,784
15,336
7,093
16,450
5,570
75,371
186,336
153,987
474,339
393,754
3V>nf.
8,S57
10,590
11,364
11,635
13,983
13,298
10,118
6,4S0
344
350
499
Average
cost.
Cents.
39.45
25.87
38.83
36.20
31.04
27.77
36.66
39.13
44.01
23.49
33.05
19.53
20.36
80.78
33.63
33.05
27,37
36.10
S5.13
16.35
13.68
Per ton.
94 02
3 14
3 16
360
309
2 77
3 67
363
4 91
339
304
Value.
DoUan.
2,450
1,078
1,105
874
1,385
300
66
em
3,094
2,933
998
1,474
5,387
1,785
20,554
48,640
38,437
76,040
53,716
Dollars.
34,414
33,282
35,957
41,906
40,110
34,143
37,038
16,962
1,690
1,189
1,519
* Under the compromise act of «*arch 3, 1833, chapter 55, 4th volume United States Statutes, page 629.
From 1831 to 1842, inclusive, the quantity imported and exported is stated in bushels. From 1843 to 1853 the
quantity is given in tons.
dron of coal is 53 cwt, or about 73 bushels. A Nova Scotia chaldron U 42 bushels, (generally measurmg 48,)
3,380 Ibe. A London chaldron is 36 bushels. A Boston retail chaldron is 2,500, sometimes 2.700 lbs. The
ton is 3,240 lbs., see act of Congress, August 30. 1842, vol. 5, h. V. 8. p. 567. Anthracite coals are always
measured by the ton. Bituniindut coala ar« estimatad 98 bushels par ton. A buabal of dry Bituminous coal
waigbs from 80 to 85 lbs.
•IS
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111
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Exports of the United States of domestic mineral coals, and also of foreign m«M>
ral coals, frnm United States Report of Commerce and Navigation in 1860,
1851, 1852, anrf 1853.
DOMESTIC COALS.
18S0— page 40.
18Sl-pi«e 44.
18ea-pH«38.
1853— page 38.
To-
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Danish West Tndiei,
195
4,217
13,859
1,468
72
6,666
20
1,333
35
5
5
4 25
4 43
4 08
4 75
4 &^
320
6 00
590
500
M30
17,181
57,833
6,505
294
31,709
97
4,037
150
96
95
6
11,039
18,478
6,072
8,785
10,261
2,403
335
460
340
«4 33
4 96
499
4 99
4 35
4 28
4 00
4 34
388
3 55
404
47,108
78,080
36,0QS
99,508
BriUah Weat Indies.
Cuba and Spanish
Wert Indies
Mexico
2,561
8,366
3,645
187
10,124
6
465
108
(3 93
4 95
4 46
3 99
4 49
4 16
4 63
500
i910,090
35,598
16,375
746
45,478
25
2,157
540
9,178
8,673
5,711
9,871
5.488
640
300
25
f 4 00
4 19
490
4 11
434
4 17
362
550
♦36,759
35,737
93,961
11,817
33,93i
9668
1,088
137
Republic of Central
America. .........
New Granada
VencKUfila
43,957
Brazil
10, 949
Republic of Uruguay
1 990
1,633
Chli
1,576
1,533
5 34
5 63
8,256
8,566
100
5
3 50
560
350
S8
1,382
Peni.. .•••t*« •
2
10
550
550
11
55
Envland
fiftriltnia. .-. .... ....
2bb
921
1,000
915
1,310
2,146
13,603
3,878
500
4 75
3 75
4 34
380
4 09
490
3 93
1,000
Africa
4 975
British East Indies.
3,790
Aurtralin
^948
South Sea & Paciflc.
5,087
China
1,234
8,814
9,997
4 24
443
360
5,139
38,949
8,363
8,768
Canada
9,076
1,102
4 05
4 10
36,813
4,549
8,125
1,831
456
4 37
37,192
8,003
57;9W
British N. Ameri-
can Coioniea
15,906
38,741
4 31
167,090
37,727
434
163,977
45,336
4 17
188,906
79,510
4 23 336,003
E.
FOREIGN COALS.
1850— page 132.
1851-page 136.
185a-page 124.
1853-page 190.
To—
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5,581
$2 25
$19,553
ftrititih RnRt fnHiiiR
194
$5 89
$1,143
British West Imlics
British N. A. Colonies. . .
Rrr7il
30
480
409
7 33
3 54
6 09
330
1,700
2,490
110
306
377
150
$1 07
$260
Cuba
40
6 75
970
496
3
$3 03
"6*33
$1,500
Dutch Eust Indies
150
4 00
elo
Dutch Guiana.. .... . .
19
*
50
6 40
319
From warehouse
6,450
6,380
130
16,963
16,332
540
344
344
1,690
1,690
350
300
50
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1,189
870
319
499
496
3
1,519
1,500
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The fint inquiry is, how will the proposed abrogation of the duty
on Provincial coals, imported into the United States, and a like abro-
gation of the Provincial import duty on our coals, affect our trade in
coals with the Provinces, and particularly with Canada ?
It is believed that it can be clearly and conclusively demonstrated
by incontrovertible facts and arguments, that the proposed measure
cannot, in any degree, injuriously affect our trade with Canada as to
coals, or any other product or manufactures.
The abrogation of the present ad valorem duty o( 30 per cent., (about
3 cents per bushel on Provincial coals,) cannot induce to any importa-
tio« into the United States of the coals of Nova Scotia, for transporta-
tion across the United States to Canada, thereby competing with our
exports of coals to Canada, for the foUowmg, amongst other reasons:
1. By acts of Congress now in force, all Provincial coals, and other
products and merchandise, intended to be transported across the United
States to Canada, may be entered for «* re- exportation," or for such
transportation, and sent to Canada free of all import duty by the United
States. Vide act of March 3, 1845, vol. 6, U. S. Stat., p. 750 ; act of
August 8, 1846, vol. 10, ib. p. 77 ; act of March 30, 1849, ib. p. 399;
act of September 26, 1850 ; ib. p. 512, § 17 and 18 ; and Warehouse
act of 6th of August, 1846 ib. p. 33 ; and general drawback laws.
Gordon's Dig. of 1852, pp. 836 to 857, art. 2882 to 2946. Under the
acts cited, Nova Scotia cods can now be sent to Canada, via the United
States, without import duty being charged ; so that, in thia respect, the
proposed arrangement affords them no advantage. From the United
States returns, (vide statement D,) of exports of dmiestic mineral coals
in the four years ending June 30, 1863, it appears that the domestic
mineral coals sent to Canada in that period were m quantity, 39,648 tons,
at 4.29 cents per ton, of the value of $170,176. By statement E, (a like
return oi' exports o( foreign mineral coals in the same period,) it appears
that there were no foreign coals, whatever, sent to Canada from the
United States. We imported, same years, large quantities of foreign
coals from England, Scotland, and Nova Scotia, (vide statement C,)
but not a bushel of it went to Canada. The small quantities that were
not consumed in the United States, amounting altogether to about 7673
tons, of the. value of $21,360, it seems, was all sent to England, to the
Coast and Island B. N. American colonies, to Brazil, to Cuba, to the
British and Dutch East Indies, New Granada, or the British West In-
dies. (See statement E.) It should be borne in mind also, that during
all that period. United States coals sent to Canada, were under the Can-
ada tariff act of 1849 {vide I. D. Andrews' rep. of 1860, (31st Cong. 2d
». 268, and British Pari, doc, Rep. of December 23, 1862, ^. 3,) sub-
jected to an import duty of 2J per cent, ad valorem. This duy is
proposed to be released, and the effect, therefore, of the proposed ar-
rangement, it is fair to presume, would be beneficial, rather than detri-
mental to our exportation of coals to Canada.
2. The transportation from Nova Scotia, existing about six months
in the year by the Gulf and river St. Lawrence to Lower Canada, has
been supposed to be cheaper than through our Atlantic seaports, and
over our, and the Canada, railroads, and also to be more direct, and
attended with less trans-shipment and trouble ; and yet the Canada ac-
11
4V
a
count of the imports of coals into Canada, from the coast and island
colonies, in the four years before mentioned, shows that but ^7,304,
(colonial currency;) v'ldt table 1, in statement A; or $29,216 worth of
coals was sent to Canada from the coast and island colonies; not being
an exghih of the quantity sent to Canada from the United States, during
the same period ; it being by the same Canada account above cited,
valued at ^£69,431, (colonial currency,)or $237,724. And by the United
States account, (mV/e statement D,) as before mentioned, wo sent to
Canada in those years, 39,648 tons, in value $170,176.
The apparent discrepancy between the United States and the Can-
ada accounts, is reconciled ; when it is considered that in Canada the
liscal year ends on the 31st of December of each year, and in the Uni-
ted States ojj the 30th of June of each year, since the act of August
26, 1842, (vol. 6, Stat. U. S., p. 637.) It is quite manifest from these
facts, that even against the present import duty of 2J per cent, ad val-
orem, the Nova Scotia coals, carried by the Gulf and river St. Latorcncey
cannot compete successfully with ours in the Canada maikets, though
Nova Scotia coals pay no import duty in Canada.
3. If the Nova Scotia coals were as good as ours, they cannot be
furnished, even if free of duty, for transportation to Canada, (either to
Lower Canada or to Canada West,) via our Atlantic seaports and railroads
at as low a price per ton, as similar bituminous, and the semi-bitu*
minous coals of the United States, in the interior, can be supplied to
Canada. The bituminous, and semi-bituminous, and cannel coals
of ultra-montane Pennsylvania, of Ohio, of Michigan, of Indiana, of
Illinois, and Wisconsin, and even those of Iowa, and Kentucky, and
Missouri, may be supplied by our rivers, canals and railroads, and by
the great lakes to Ujyper Canada or "Canada West," cheaper than
any coals of like kind and quality. All the lake States, and the States
adjoining to them, have readier access to the Canadian markets, than
either Pictou or Sidney has to Boston. There is no anthracite coal what-
ever abroad, or at home, that can be put into successful competition
with that of cis-montane Pennsylvania, or Maryland, or Virginia, in
the Canada markets.
4. The bituminous and semi-bituminous coals of Nova Scotia can-
not be substituted for the anthracite coal that we now send to Canada,
because they will not answer the purposes tor which the anthracite is
needed in Canada. {Vide Statement A in Appendix.)
5. Our coals sent to Canada are exchanged for Canadian products,
which the province of Nova Scotia cannot receive in exchange for its
coals, to the same extent, and for as high prices as we do, whilst our
coals are taken in barter for such products.
6. The Canada trade with the United States, above referred to, is
established and settled. Commercial connexions have been formed, and
interests combined, in the United States and Canada, that will secure
its continuance. This trade cannot be disturbed, those connexions
broken up, or the interests referred to diverted, by anything in the
proposed reciprocity arrangement; but, on the contrary, the commer-
cial connexions referred to will become more extended, the inte-
rests strengthened, and the trade increased thereby. It is believed
that a positive and exclusive dependence by Canada on the United
9
States, will uUitnately grow out of the proposed arrangt'mcnt, as to
many products and manufictures, and espccutlly as to coftls.
7. As it respects our exportation of domestic coals to the Coast and
Island [jrovinces, there is little doubt that the proposed arrangement
would tend to increase the (juantity exported. In the /our yeais ending
June 30, 1853, there were cx|K)rlt'd to those provinces (viae Statement
D) 9,108 tons of domestic coals, being at $3 96 per ton, of the value of
836,120. Much of this, it is believed, was Permsylvania anthracite coal.
It appears from the colonial account of imports into Nova Scotia in the
year ending December 31, 1862, that no coals were im[)orted into that
province during that year, from the United States. The coals stated in
the United States returns, therefore, must have been sent either to New
Brunswick, Prince Edward's island, or Newfoundland, or to some, or
all of them.
The following is an account of our exports of domestic coals to all
countries, for every year since 1847.
1848, tons, 9,309; average cost per ton, $5 06; aggregate value, $17,1 12.
1849, tons, 9,(jt)l; do 4 18; do 4(),39C..
1850, tons, 38,741; do 4 31; do 167,090.
1851,1008,37,727; do 4 34: do 163,977.
1852, tons, 45,336; do 4 17; do 188,M06.
1853, ton», 79,510; do 4 23; do 336,(!03.
It is supposed a large portion of these coals are used b our own
steamers in foreign trade.
8. The British Parliamentary document of December 23, 1852, before
referred to, respecting the Canadian tariff, shows that by the Nova
Scotia tariff of 31st of March, 1861, imported coals are exempted from
duty (p. 4); and in New Brunswick, by an act of 28th of March, 1851,
to continue in force till December 31, 1854, imported coals are charged
a duty of ow-? shilling (currency) ycr ton (p. 8); and in Prince Edward's
islancl, by an act of 3d of April, 1852, (p. 10,) which act has been con-
tinued, coals imported into that province are subject to a duty of 5 per
cent, ad valorem; and in Newfoundland, (p. 11,) imported coals are
charged a duty of one shilling per ton. All these duties, so far as it
respects United States coals, will be dispensed with by the proposed
arrangement. Their release will doubtless increase our exportations
of our domestic mineral coals to the Coast and Island colonies; and so
on the other hand, if the arrangement should be broken off, and the five
provinces should impose precisely the same import duty on coals as the
United States now do, or may do, (whether 30, 25, or 20 per cent, ad
valorem,) it is equally clear, that we should soon cease sending any coals
either to Canada, or the other colonies. Nova Scotia and Great Britain,
would then supply Canada, Prince Edward's island, Newfoundland;
and New Brunswick would be forced, by necessity, to supply herself
either from Nova Scotia or Great Britain, or from her own internal re-
sources.
9. Anthracite coal does not exist in any of the colonies. For some pur-
poses, and especially for domestic fuel, it is superior to the best Pro-
vincial coals, and, muceci, to the oest iiiHgiiSn coaiS. It is pptiticuiarlj
adapted to other uses than for domestic fuel, for which the highly
bituminous coals of Nova Scotia are interior. And further, our Cum-
m
berland and other acmt-bituminous coals, it has been fouhd, are better
for steamships, and some other uses, than the Nova Scotia bituminous
coals are ; the latter being, (to quote the language of a gentleman inter-
ested in the Nova Scotia mines,) " more rapid in combustion, and not so
durable." On the other hand, for the making of gas and some (but very
few) other uses, the Nova Scotia coals are preferable to most coals of the
Atlantic States, that are raised east of the Alleghany mountains. If
the reciprocal release of all duties is agreed to, each of the different va-
rieties and qualities of coals in the United States and in the five provinces,
now known, or that may hereafter be discovered, will stand upon its
relative merits as to adaptation to different uses and purposes, cheapness,
facility and certainty of procurement, and in all other respects, in the
markets of the United States, and of the five colonies ; and whether the
Coast and Island Colonies do or do not furnish an increased demand for
our coals, of any kind, will depend on their superiority or inferiority, to
the colonial coals.
10. To rely in this age of philosophic and scientific experiment, dis-
covery, and improvement, and of continual application of novel materials
\o the arts, upon the presumption that any particular species of coals
will continue to maintain a present superiority over other coals, for any
purpose or use, would be somewhat unwise. Lord Dudley first applied
mineral coals to the manufacture of iron, and a century after. Huntsman
first used them in making cast-steel; in 1783, Cort invented the process
of puddling iron with mineral coals, and also of making bar iron by
means of their use; and, in consequence, such coals were chiefly sub-
stituted in the iron works of Great Britain for charcoal ; and Mushet's
discovery as to the coking of coals, was as late as 1801 ; and as re-
cently as 1824, the black-band ore, found by him in Scotland, was
first used alone, with the aid of mineral coals ; and in 1833 the hot-
blast furnace was first introduced by Neilson, of Glasgow, (Scotland,)
and raw coals substituted for coke therein; and until 1837, anthra-
cite coal was not successfully used with the hot-blast in smelting iron,
nor till 1841 for puddling and reheating iron; and various other dis-
coveries have been recently made as to the qualities and properties
of diflTerent coals; and even whilst this paper is being written, a me-
morial is presented to Congress, by citizens of high respectability, of
this city, setting forth the discovery of a mode o^ '' compressing" mineral
coals so as to enable a sufficiency to be carried by steamships for long
voyages, and soliciting the government to patronize the invention.
Whether our coals, or which kinds, or those of Nova Scotia, or those
of Great Britain, are the best to employ for " comjrression,'' experience
can alone test.
The second inquiry is, how will the abrogation of the present duty
affect our home coal interests and home trade in coals?
It may be, that the release of the duty in the United States upon
Nova Scotia coals, unless the " mining company'" in Nova Scotia raises
the prices of cnnls at the pit, (as some apprehend,) may increase to some
extent the importation of Pictou and Sidney coal», and if new coal-
fields should be opened in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Prince Ed-
ward's Island, or Newfoundland, of o^kr provincial coals also, into the
eastern Atlantic ports of the United States for consumption in New
England, and if so, the prices of such coals in those markets will
probably be lessened. AH these coals are highly bituminous, and the
chief consumption will be in the cities and towns of New England for
gas ; though m Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, and perhaps to
a limited extent in Massachusetts, they may be used with other coals
for puddling iron,* and for a few other purposes. Bnt no use will
probably be made of any Provincial coals in New York, and certainly
not farther south. Coals as good for making gas, can now be supplied
by Maryland and Virginia to New York, and at as low prices as any
provincial coals.
Heretofore the chief imports of provincial coals into the United States
have been into Boston. In 1853 nearly four-fijlhs of such imports were
mto that port. Statement C shows the amount of impofts from all of
the Jive colonies for four years, ending June 30, 1853. A table annexed
is based on returns from the custom-houses of the ports named therein,
and pr^es the facts just staled.
Tb^ additional supply of provincial coals thus furnished will neces-
sarily induce a corresponding increase of the exports of our products
and manufactures to Ncrva Scotia, and the other tnree coast and island
Provinces, wherewith to pay for such augmented supply, unless the
prices decrease in something like a corresponding ratio to the increased
supply, as some intelligent gentlemen predict will be the case.
The following answers may, it is conceived, be properly and truth-
fully made to the second query above propounded.
1. It is not supposed that the increased importation of the provincial
coals, all of which are highly bituminous, will in any degree interfere
injuriously with the interests of the anthracite collieries of the United
States ; and, on the contrary, it is believed it will benefit the anthracite
• In the able pamphlet of John L. Hayes, esq., published in 1850, as a memorial to Con-
gress in favor of an increase of the import duty on foreign iron, (p. 19,) he states the follow-
ing facts, which show that this cod cannot be used so as to make any but inferior iron :
"The superiority of American over British iron is unquestionable.^ Part of the British iron
is made from impure ores and sulphurous coal, and the eflfortsof the iron-masters are devoted,
especially during periods of low prices, to increase of make, and not of perfection of quality.
In many establishments, and especially within the last year or two, iron is made from old re-
fuse cinder, which is rich in metal, but contains all the impurities, sulphur, arsenic, and phos-
phorus which deteriorate the iron. Mr. Mushet, an English metallurgist, son of the cele-
brated David Mushet, says that common Welsh bars do not contain more than ninety per
cent, of iron. ' We often hear,' says he, ' of extraordinary makes of pig-iron as to quantity,
but never hear at any work that bar-iron has been produced equal in quality to foreign marks;
on the contrary, the general quality of British iron is much lower than it was twenty years
ago.' We have before us a letter from a former manager of iron works at South Wales, ad-
dressed to parties in this country, requesting employment as an inspector of rails. We make
the following extract in proof of the above position : ' In consequence of the increased quan-
tity of inferior materials, now used in the manufacture of rails, it becomes the more important
that foreign purdpasers should employ an inspector who is thoroughly acquainted with
every process in iron making, whose business would be to secure them from defective rails,
and secure a quality of iron possessing undoubted durability.'"
Mr. Overman, in his work on the manufacture of iron, (p. 130,) says:
" Suiphurous coal, by improper treatment, will produce sulphurous coke, and consequently
sulphurous metal, which, lu all subsequent manipuiations, will be iiOufiuUs, tfoublerome, and
expensive.
" By sprinkling a little water over red-hot coke, drawn freshly from the oven or pile, we
may ascertain whether it contains sulphur."
'i
M
coal interests. Anthracite coal, as before suggested, is not found in any
of the British North American colonies, and they will, if practicable,
barter their coals for anthra^ite^ or otherwise procure, and become
large consumers of it, for domestic fuel and other uses, to which it is
peculiarly adapted, and for which no colonial coals are equal to it.
The erports of our domestic coals to Canada were in 1863 (vide state-
ment D) 13,G03 tons, of the value of $57,299; of which a considerable
portion, it is believed, was anthracite; and to the coast and inland colo-
nies we sent 3,878 tons, of the value of $15,206, most whereof was
anthracite. This is the United States account; but the Canadian ac-
count, before referred to, (No. 1, statement A,) makes the quantity sent
to that province appear greater. The fact suggested that provincial
coals (Pictou, Sidney, kc) are useful for other purposes, th^i anthracite
will not as well answer, and that anthracite is necessary for certain
uses for whichlhe highly hituminous codls of Nova Scotia are worthless,
is abundantly proved by the documents contained in the appendix.
2. The same fact just stated exists in respect of the semi-bituminous
and bituminous coals of the Atlantic States, and the highly bituminous
provincial coals, as is proved by the same evidence. They are of dif-
ferent qualities and characteristics in several respects, and adapted to
different uses and purposes. The statement A snows some of the pe-
culiar qualities and characteristics of the provincial coals, and fully
verifies the representation now made. They are sometimes valuable to
be used with our anthracite and semi-bituminous coals ; but the purposes
are very few for which the provincial coals, to be used by themselves,
are preferable to ours, at the same or even less prices. When they are
preferable for any particular use, they will find a market in the United
States, even if the price paid ts higher. This has been the case against
the high import duty of 30 per cent, ad valorem, exacted since the first of
December, 1S46, and the still more exorbitant tax upon the consumers
in the United Slates of $1 75 per ton, or about 69 iW per cent, ad
valorem, previously imposed by the tariff of 1842! the exports of Pro-
vincial coals to us in 1853, were 120,764 tons, at $1 76 per ton,=
$212,847 — the duties were $63,733. The valuation did not, of course,
include the cost of freight from Nova Scotia, insurance, &c. Against
the colonial exports heretofore stated, our exports to the provinces in
1863, were 17,481 tons, at $3 67 per ton= $62,605.
In connexion with this statement, it should be observed that the
British "Cunard steamers," running between Liverpool and New York
via Boston an'! Halifax, (Nova Scotia,) formerly used provincial (i. e.
Pictou or Sydney) coals ; those concerned in the steamers being also
deeply interested in the Nova Scotia coal mines, and having the chief
control and management of them ; but, nevertheless, those steamers wow
principally consume Cumberland coals, (Maryland and IL::aioylvania,)
together with a small quantity of Lackawanna and Pitlstown, (also
Pennsylvania,) and some Virginia coals — all the varieties amounting to
nearly 60,000 tons annually, not included in the preceding accounts.
These statements show, on the one hand, that even if the cost of
provincial coals, at the doors of the provincial consumer, is less than the
cost of our coals there, yet he cannot well, for some purposes, dispense
with the use of our coals; and so too, on the other hand, it is the same,
13
to a limited extent, with respect to our purchases of Nova Scotia coals
in Boston and New York. And they show, also, that the quantity of
our coals consumed in the Provinces, is much greater than that of the
provincial coals consumed in the United States, in proportion to the
population of the respective countries. It is conceived the conclu-
sion thus deduced, from the facts shown by these authentic statistics
that there is no cause for apprehension of detriment to our semi-bitu-
minous or bituminous coal interests, by the proposed arrangement, is
incontrovertible, and that the abrogation by all parties of the duties on
coals, will tend to increase the trade in our coals of this character with
the provinces.
3. The several preceding statements, and those in the appendix,
show, that when provincial coals and coals of the United States, of
similar character and quality, and both intended to be api>Ued to similar
uses, come into our Atlantic markets, our coals maybe furnished, and pro-
fitably, as cheap even in Boston, as the provincial coals, though free of
import duties ; and especially since the recent vast increase of the facili-
ties of railroad and canal transportation from our collieries in the interior
to the Atlantic markets. The average of the wholesale prices current,
for each six months of the last four years, of our different coals, and also
of the Nova Scotia coals, in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
and Richmond, (Va.,) and in Halifax, (N. S.,) is given in the appendix,
proving the fact just asserted. Some of the causes are hereafter suggested
to sustain that proof, and to show that the release of the United States
import duty on the provincial coals will not materially alter the case.
4. Coal labor and most other labor is now ordinarily full as high at
Pictou and Sidney as in most of the United States, except in some of
the southern States, and on the Pacific ; and there is little probability of
change in this respect. The following statement of British emigration,
from 1851 to 1853, inclusive, shows that labor will not probably be
cheapened in the coast and island colonies by European emigration. It
is well known that many who emigrate to the colonies soon come to the
United States ; and most of the emigrants who stay in the colonies,
settle in Canada West.
; 11
< 11
Emigrants from the United Kingdom.
To British N.
American
colunies.
To Uuited
States.
To AuBtra-
Ua.
1848
30,065
41,367
32,961
42,605
32,873
34,249
188,233
219,450
223.078
267,857
244,261
228,152
23,904
1849
3v?,191
1850
16,037
1851
25,532
1852
87,881
1853
63,460
[Vide " Statistical abstract of United Kingdom from 1840 to 1853," p. 27, printed by Par-
liament in 1854.]
14
The annual "passenger report" of Mr. Marcy, Secretary of State, at
the present session of Congress, (Ho. of Reps. Ex. Doc. No. 78, printed
March 17, 1854, p. 23,) shows that 163,200 emigrants arrived in the
United States in 1853, besides the emigrants from Great Britain and
Ireland anJ iiritish America; and that the number from British Amer-
ica who came to the United States was 5,613.
In the rigorous climate of New Brunswick, Prince Edward's Island,
Newfoundland, and Nova Scotia, labor cannot be employed so long, by
several months during the year, nor as advantageously, as it can be
further south, in the coal mines of the States of Pennsylvania, Mary-
land, Virginia, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky,
Illinois and Missouri.
6. Nova Scotia coals are subject to a duty, to be paid by the mining
company, called a "royalty" or rent charge of 2 shillings or 40
cents per chaldron, at the pits. (See statement A, appendix.) This
tax on the coals, which is reimbursed by the purchaser, for it is in-
cluded in the price he pays, is differently stated* in one of the docu-
ments annexed. It is said "the mining association pay a fixed rent to
the government for the privilege of raising 40,000 chaldrons, which
amounts to about Is. lOrf. currency (37^ cents per chaldron,) and 20
cents per chaldron on the quantity raised beyond that." Our coals are
not burdened by any such governmental duty, nor by any duty.
6. The shipping season generally commences at Pictou and Sidney
about the middle of May, and continues un^il the middle of November;
after which time, usually, they and the other northern harbors of Nova
Scotia are frozen up. Pictou is distant Irom Boston about 700 miles,
and Boston is distant fiom New York by sea about 200 miles, and from
Philadelphia by sea about 500 miles, and from Baltimore by sea about
650 miles, and from Richmond (Virginia) by sea about 650 miles.
From Riphmond, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, there is to New York,
shorter inland navigation. The navigation by sea, between Boston
and the three ports named south of Boston, is open throughout the year;
and but a small part of the inland navigation between New Ycark and
Richmond is ever closed, and rarely beyond a few days; and if neces-
sity should arise, continuous and uninterrupted railroad transportation
for coals can be made in a few days from Richmond to Boston. A
comparison of the list of freights by sea, for coals between the different
ports named, will show that they are ordinarily cheaper between the
United States ports, than between any of them, and Pictou or Sydney.
7. It has been intimated that one cause of the occasional cheapness of
European coals in our markets has been, that owing in part to the effect
and operation of our navigation laws, and in part to the course of trade,
foreign vessels, (and especially the larger class of vessels,) making voy-
ages from the other side of the Atlantic to the United States, for cargoes
of cotton, rice, tobacco, or other bulky southern products, or flour, pro-
visions, &c., of the West, also bulky, find difficulty in procuring full
cargoes to this country. The shipments to this country from the old
World are principally light articles, not of great bulk, and valuable —
. c, manufactures and the like. In the limited direct trade between
the old World and the southern ports of the United States, especially
is this the case; and in such trade also the European cargoes are gen-
::ui! ^> *ii tn\'< k* mm m
erally "assorted." All foreign vessels are interdicted from participa-
ting in our coasting trade, and also in our internal river trade. The
main part (more than eight-tenths) of the foreign vessels, trading be-
tween the old World and this country, trade through the ports east of
the Chesapeake bay ; and their deficiency of cargo, on the outward
voyage from Europe, is often supplied by taking in salt, or coals, and
sometimes iron, that answer for ballast as well as lading, and which
are carried very low, and sometimes for merely nominal freight. This
cannot possibly be the case in the coal trade from the British North
American colonies to the United States. On the contrary, the freights
from the coast and island colonies, are generally bulky and heavy, such
as oils, fish, plaster, wood, &c. ; whilst the freights from the United
States to the colonies (excepting flour and provisions) are generally light
and of small bulk, such as tea, manufactures, &c. Therelbre coals
from the colonies must always pay freight, whilst the United States
coals sent to the colonies, (for similar reasons to those above stated as
to the European shipments to us,) may sometimes have to pay nominal
freights merely.
8. The Provincial official account of the exports from Nova ScotiUt
(contained in the able official report of Governor Sir J. Gaspard Le
Marchant, to the Duke of Newcastle, dated October, 23, 1853,) gives
the following items as to the exports of 1852.
Exports jrom Nova Scotia in 1852.
To Great Britain, of all kinds value ^62,677 c. c. = $250,704
British West Indies " 213,034 852,136
Other British N. A. Colonies " 352,185 1,408,740
United States " 257,850 1,031,400
All other countries " 85,035 ' 340,140
Aggregate " 970,780 3,883,120
Exports of coals in 1S52 from Nova Scotia. (Same report.)
To British W.Indies, quantity not stated value ^432 c. c, $1,726
Other British N. A. Colonies " 16,925 67,700
United States " 33,781 155,125
All other countries " 769 3,705
Totalexportsof coal— 112,559 tons.. " ^56,907 $ 227,559
The Nova Scotia coals, if equal to ours in quality and general utility,
and if they could be f^arnished as cheaply as ours, it would seem, ought
(if they were driv: '- from our markets in consequence of the high
import duty of 30 pci ::ent. ad valorem levied in the United States) to
have found a market in other countries, where they could compete with
ours on equal terms. We exported in our fiscal year of 1852, 45,336
tons of domestic coals, valued at $188,906, and among those exports were
the following :
16
m T. • • I. ^ir * T r«a . .tons 9,175 vajue $36,782
To British West Indies *""=» ' 35.736
Cuba and Spanish West Indies ^^ »»;^|J gg'^g^
Mexico ^^ o'fti7 11,817
Republic of Central America ^^ ^'»^^ 23^33^
New Granada ,, '^^^ 2^668
Venezuela
And it appears that our «P- ^J^f-^tlrrel^'sVu tl" fv^t
'^3'8?« \r^l?:x^h'ill^S^"s6;;oo) ibove stated to
£^±rf^tsjrt^sf^r^^
t^rfllf .Tfov'or w'sbKrorco is^^o^^^ Sntffia that
:r fll^y;h;Colon?es, whilst the Onited^States sent to Canada
^TCeV^^tfsrwtltltaXff^oks have not been a^^^
compe e wTthou°Tn foreign markets where they were o" equal terms,
orb' tto Canada markets,°where the Nova ScoUa coals had the advan-
?a4of the Canada import duty of 2i per cent «g^'»f ™-. .^urdy
,S?y afford no warrant fSr the pred ction that a ■^•'l^^f °' *« ^""J,^",^
exacted will enable the Nova Scotia coals to compete with our coals tn
°%:Thrutrto which mmeral coals are applied in theUnited States,
are chiefly :
I. la the manufacture of pig-iron, puddling iron, &c.
J .. bar, rolls, and other wrought iron.
g' *» castings of metal.
4 Diatilleries and chemical works.
5-. For steam machinery in the manufacture of ;o«on^goo^^^^^
y" " used for printing presses.
i: To. Smlp^Zri I.U., river, ferry, .nd h.ri«,r b.... or .»g., .nd other cr.ft
propelled by steam power.
10 fuel for all kinds of vessels.
II. domestic fuel for dwellings, and for culmary purposes.
18, the making of gas.
13. glass furnaces.
It' I'cnnd 'whSiths. gunsmiths, tinsmiths, coppersmiths, armorers, brass and
cLoosirion m^ker , instrument and tool makers, saw makers cutlery makers,
boUer makers engine makers, and machinists, file cutters, na.l manufacturers,
,6 eve';;tnToftte;m power mills-saw mills, flour mills, plaster mills, oil mills, and
in whatsoever business steam raachmery is used.
Many of the manufactories of the United States are in Foximity to
the collieries, from which the coals used are procured; and this is the
case esTecTd^^^^^ respect to the iron manutactories of Pennsylvama,
m'';i3 Vi/dnia, Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, most of
which"are also°contiguous to the deposites from winch llieir iron ores
^ S^too" with reference to the immense steam navigation on the great
17
lakes, and on our western rivers, it is in the vicinity of the coal beds
from which its supplies of fuel are received.
The expense ot transportation by land or water, if for any consider-
able distance, is the most material item in estimating the cost of coals.*
10. The idea of Nova Scotia coals, that must pay a rent charge of two
shillings per ton before leaving the pits, that must encounter the expense
of transportation by sea of 700 miles to Boston, or 900 miles to New
York, or 1200 miles to Philadelphia, and then be transhipped and sent
overland, either through canals or by railroads, or up rivers, to the
places of consumption in the interior; and there undersell our coals
raised in the vicinity, is utterly preposterous. Our coal fields and mines
are as rich and productive as anjr in the world ; and, as heretofore ob-
served, the kinds and qualities of our coals in the different sections of
this Union, embrace nearly every known variety ; though, it is conceded,
that the Nova Scotia coals are diHerent in one or two particulars from
any description of our coals usually found in the markets of the Atlantic
cities of the Middle and Eastern States. So far as that difference con-
stitutes any superiority of the Nova Scotia coals for any specific use or
purpose, they will find a market in those cities, but no farther, as it is
undeniable, that for general utility, they are decidedly inferior to our
coals.
11. Another important advantage possessed by the domestic coal inter-
ests of the United States over foreign coals is, that purchases of our coals
can ordinarily be made by consumers, on easier terms, and with greater
convenience, than can purchases of foreign coals ; and so as to save
the expense of the intervention of the numerous *^ middle-men" between
the coal producer and the consumer, which cannot well be avoided in
purchasing foreign coals. In the neighborhood of our collieries, and in
the vicinity of our primary coal marts, other domestic products or man-
ufactures are often bartered for coals, and with mutual advantage to
both parties. Arrangements for credits upon purchases can ordinarily
be more readily made between the vendor and home purchaser of do-
mestic coaL<, thau in respect of purchases of foreign coals. In many
cases, except in the large cities, sales of domestic coals are not regu-
lated by the strict rules of commercial usage, controlling those of
foreign coals. The practice in the United States, pursued more perhaps
than in any other country, by all who raise products,of dispensing with
mercantile agents, and interchanging with one another their domestic
commodities i;)r home use and consumption, has grown up from rela-
tions and associations originating in different ways, sectional, Stat^,
neighborhood, social and personal in their character; but the custom is so
deeply rooted that it cannot be changed. As to the domestic coal trade
* Note. — Some years since, two French metallurgists were sent to Great Britain from
France, to examine and report as to the British mines, &c. In reporting as to the Iron fur-
naces near Glasgow, Scotland, these gentlemen (M. Dufrenay and M. De Beaumont,) e&f :
" The establishments in the environs of Glasgow have the inappreciable advantage of being
placed in the centre of a coal basin, in which are found united, the coal, the mineral of iron,,
the flux, and almost always the refractory clay necessary for the construction of furnaces.
Where all the material is taken from the same mine, any number of furnaces and rt^lli^ milU
can be included iu one gigautic ostttbiishineuc, and the costs of supcriateiideiiud and admiuig-
tration, which are borne by coal, in many of the works required in this country to produce
the same quantity of iron, are there united to one. Favored by these facilitieB, the Scotch,
fiiroaces are able to make iron at a coit of only £2. Os. 3d. per ton."
in this regard, it will require something more than the release of the
duty on provincial coals to unsettle it, and change the established chan-
nels through which it has been conducted. Our people have become
accustomed to this mode of doing business. Many different, important,
and influential interests are combined to preserve the present course of
trade, and it cannot easily be subverted or disturbed.
12. The statement A in the appendix shows that the "Mining Asso-
ciation" of the British provinces have had the management of the coal
fields upwards of a quarter of a century, and commenced working the
Pjctou and Sidney mines as long ago as 1827; and yet, not 200,000
tons of coals have been raised from the mines in any one year. It
would be a deplorable confession of our lack of enterprise and m-
dustry, and of our inferiority to the Nova Scotians, for us to apprehend
(even if a change of the control of the mines favorable to their mcreased
production should take place,) any injurious competition from them in
coals, either in our own, or foreign markets. If it were possible that
the entire laboring male population of Nova Scotia could engage in
coal mining, ihey could not produce two millions of tons of coal
annually. If they bought all their food, and drink, and raiment, all
their necessaries, and luxuries, abandoned fishing, ship-building, and
agriculture, and other employments of manual labor, and devoted
themselves exclusively to raising, shipping, and selling coals to the
United States, they could not materially affect the domestic coal inter-
ets of this country.
The stimulant to increased production given bjr the abrogation of the
United States duty of 30 per cent, cannot provide them the means of
increase ; it will no tchange the tide of European emigration from the
United States to Nova Scotia. The exoneration of their coals from
this duty will not have the talismanic power overeating additional labor
to raise, transport, and ship their coals ; or to give the population of
Nova Scotia, and the other colonies, the ability to consume, or other-
wise advantageously dispose of the additional stores of our manufac-
tures and products, which they must receive in payment for any aug-
mented shipments of coals to us. In truth, its effects in any way will
be limited as to both countries.
13. There is another consideration that should not be wholly lost sight
of. The statement A shows the character of the " gigantic monopoly,"
controlling the Nova Scotia and Cape Breton coal mines, compiled
from unimpeachable authorities. An American author of high intelli-
gence, Mr. R. C. Taylor, of Pennsylvania, in his "Statistics of Coal,"
in writing on this very subject,* ridicules the apprehension of competi-
tion from these mines, managed under what he styles "the deplorable
• NoTK.— Mr. Taylor, at page 189 of his valuable work, says : " In reciting tLese details, we,
SB well as our readers, cannot omit to remark the injuriouB magnitude of such gigantic monopo'
lie$ M the one before ub. In this case it covers an extent of more than twelve milliotu of
mens, or three times the size of Wales. It is scarcely necessary to say that its tendency is to
impoverish the people; to destroy all energy in cultivating the abundant natural resources of
. Infl cftnntrv : to prevent all fair and wholesome competition; to narrow the scope of active
amd productive industry; and to discourage all individual and general enterprise. On the
€ontinuttnce of such a dephrabh syftem, the rival coal proprietors of the United State; maif tttU
found their ealeulationt of a remmnerative intemal trade in coal at home, with eten greater sttfetf
and uttaiiUjf than on the influence of tariffs, and the rutrietions ofnUenational regtUatione."
10
system," which must continue to be so long as the monopoly is con-
tinued.
But even if the effect of the proposed arrangement should be con-
trary to the opinions now advanced; if the prices of domestic coals to
New England, and other consumers of the United States, are cheapened
by the proposed reciprocal arrangement, the result should not be dep-
recated by this country. The advocates of the doctrine of protec-
tion to our domestic manufactures— our iron, cotton, and woollen
establishments, whose aggregate capitals now exceed $200,000,000,
surely ought not to object; for all those manufactures will be m»i-
mediately and directly benefitted. So will our immense steam navi-
gating interests on the seas, and in our rivers and lakes; and so
will every branch of "home industry" that employs steam power and
uses coals for fuel. It does not follow that a reduction df the pnce of
coals involves the substitution of foreign coals for domestic coals. The
eastern manufacturer wants the domestic markets of Pennsylvania,
Virginia, and Maryland, and the markets in their vicinity. West and
South, wherein to dispose of his manufactures. If New England
abandons the coals of those States, she is certain to lose (to some extent
at least) their markets. Trade will regulate itself as to prices, and as
to buyer and seller. It languishes when it ceases to be an interchange
of commodities, at fair prices, to both. If domestic coals are reduced
in price to the New England manufacturer, by allowing the mtroduc-
tion of Nova Scotia coals firee, he is enabled of course to manufacture
chcaner, so that, in fact, the same quantity of Pennsylvania, Virginia, or
Maryland coals will buy a like quantity and quality of manufactures as
at this time. If the prices of the manufactures are lessened in a corres-
ponding ratio to the diminution of the present price of coals, the coal
producers and the manufacturer mutually realize the same profits as
now. • • • u
A careful and impartial consideration of all the premises, it is sub-
mitted, will result in the conviction, that any alarm lest the exoneration
of Nova Scotia, or other provincial coals, from the duty of 30 per cent,
now levied in the United States, or from all duties, may be fi-aught
with ruin to our domestic coal interests, is causeless. Pictou, or Sydney,
or any other provincial coals, cannot thereby be enabled to supplant
Pennsylvania, Maryland, or Virginia coals in the New England mar-
kets, or even to affect, injuriously, our domestic coal interests, whether
of capital or labor, there or elsewhere. In truth the fear that our do-
mestic coal trade, now amounting to more than nine millions of tons
annually, and increasing at least half a million of tons every year, and
the supply not then keeping up with the increasing home demand,
can possibly receive detriment from the competition of the comparatively
insignificaut product of the provincial coal fields, that yield less than
200,000 tons per annum — from which, too, shipments cannot be niade but
about half the year, and the coals also being all of one kind— and, if all the
available aid in labor, shipping, and capital that can possibly be ob-
tained to increase their production be estimated, and supposing that the
colonies can consume or dispose of our products or manufactures, ad-
equate to pay for the apprehended increase of the quantity of their coals
sent to the United States =U, it is conceived, be regarded as absurd,
I
I
4
^i
80
by practical men of an ordinary degree of commercial inteU^^^^^^
Instead of arguments ot this character agamst the onerous tax, the pec^
iSe of the UnTted States are compelled to pay for the P^vilege of us ng
Foremen coals, the possessors of coal fields, who entertain any such ap-
Sn^o^^ use more economy, and superadded energy and
industry, in working their mines and transportmg their coa s to m^irket.
And Sh mlans may be safely and fully reUed upon as all-sufficeut to
prevent No^I Scotia coals, and in fact all foreign coals, from "y^r.cusly
ErnV the^r iust interests. Monopolies, created by legislation and
SdSL le«is&n. are partial anfodious. Mononohes of energy,
enterprise, and indus ry . not founded on invidious legislative protection
LTKverse. Ex^^dence h.s shown that, in af «g;-. ^^'tLat
deetniction of the homfl coal InterestB. The toteUigent Mr. R. C. Taylor, oi onusyiv
Id his work, before cited, published in 1848, says : . „ „
» Coal trade between British America and the UnUed Statet.
"During the discussion of the United State, tariff bUl of IS^^. ^^^^.J^^^t^^J^V"^^
"^i: trsh^^taS^a; tconfirmed by ia-pection of our own tableM,at w^^.^^^^^^^^
of Penisylvabia anthracUe in the same market, and at t^\"™« ^^J".*! J* .^JducC^
demand for anthracite, and the almost total exclusion of American hUumtnou, coal from
*^S tf^'e proved to be the ree^t, for while the foreign coal of Boston fur instance, ha.
S the mining regions call for an adequate supply of mineral fuel, J d««« JPP^ ^"^ JJ
^T!Lrl*ndLin«romncea are destined to become extensive recipients of American coal, ana w
;^a2:u?t^S:iS;ir«ri^L««ra*/j, «««- ^l- amount of Nova Scotia coal .Uich ma,
"':^:^^:^J^£/£k duty on coal imported into the UnRed States.^ a^^^^^^
imBulse was given toward, the close of 1848 to the trade m coal ^o*^ theBn"sh colonies.
Se caZefof from 31)0 to 400 tons burthen each. were, on the passing of the act of Con
vort's "fcr'tS iroiimd otl»r mmufMture., for *e "ugpiy of >"" '''•™" "f ""JiS "L(°i«r
it
Neither the coal proprietors, nor the coal laborers, nor the coal coa
Burners of this country, nor any interest of consequence, can be jeop-
arded by the proposed exoneration.
And if the proposed arrangement should cause a large increase of
the shipments of coal from Nova Scotia to the United Slates, it is pre-
sumed that the exports, from the United States to Nova Scotia, of the
cotton, rice, tnr, pitch and turpentine, tobacco, and other nroducts of
the southern States ; and of the flour, provisions, &c., of the western
States ; and of the anthracite and semi-bituminous coals of the middle
States ; and of the manufactures of the middle and eastern States, via
our Atlantic ports, will be augmented nari pasm with the increase of
our imports of Nova Scotia coals. This must be the inevitable effect
of the laws of trade, unless we send the specie to Nova Scotia to
. pay for the coals. It is probable, also, that such augmentation of our
exports, in return for any additional quantity of Nova Scotia coals we
may buy, will not be limited to the increase of our imoorts of coals
merely. The effect of opening the Nova Scotia coal-trade, if such in-
crease should take place, will reach every article of trade and C3m-
merce between the United States and Nova Scotia, and especially those
proposed to be reciprocally exempted from duties. Commerce begets
commerce. And it is not doubted that, if the Nova Scotia coal-trade
should increase, its direct effect will extend to, and have a beneficial
influence upon, all the trade and commerce between the United States
and New Brunswick, Prince Edward's Island, and Newfoundland, and
soon reach and improve that between the United States and Canada.
It will tend to stimulate and invigorate all our commerce with all of
the colonies, and give it activity, value, and permanence. The benefits
thus resulting to various interests of the United States, will more than
counterbalance all the apprehended detriment that this country can re-
ceive by the cheapening of Nova Scotia coals, and our domestic coals,
in our own markets, and to our own consumers, if such should be the
result.
That the foreign-coal trade of the United States, or so far as it re-
spects the importation of coals, and especially of coals from Nova
Scotia, is now chiefly carried in foreign vessels, is shown by statenient
F, ante p. 6. As before stated, these importations are principally into
Massachusetts, with small quantities to Rhode Island and New York.
Some few vessels belonging to the United States, since the amelioration
of the British navigation laws, obtain freights in New York, or in New
England ports, for Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward s Island,
or the New Brunswick ports on the gulf of St. Lawrence, or the French
Fishing Islands of St. Pierre, or Miquelon, and make up their return
cargo in part with Pictou or Sidney coals; but the trade is not very
profitable to them. The same statement shews that in 1853, three-
fourths of the entire trade between the United States and the coast and
island colonies, was in British colonial vessels. The carrying trade
t^ " 1848.— The expectation suggesLea in the last parngfapii has noi bit:izs.s:tJy -"■^ir-^.
That there has been no larger demand for the provincial coal we ascribe only to the simple
fact that no bUuminous coal will hereafter be able to supplant the use ofanthracUe for general
purposes, and especially for domestic we."— See page 200, " Statutus of Coal.
; /
!i
between the United States and Canada, U quite equally divided between
the augniented commerce proauceu uv » j* I.-.r-^n Vlntips will cive
cal exfrnption of certain leadmj, art.ctes '"»^-f^\^„'i''^J; ^„l?„d
^tt flTthat'our Canada and other colonial trade and navigation now
our foreign "ade. « now about 146,000 me^^ y .^ ^^ ^^^
146,600, and it "PPf "»'''»'** Sridlb NorSi American colonies, in the
,ilh Canada an/the otter four Bn^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^ ^y,_
^l'^ elo Nex? to lie whaM cod and mackerel fisheries, our
,n all 66,620. Next '" «« ™ ^ , ; ;, ,he best nursery of, and
"1:*^'^'' rXTteCent,1^d patriotic native American seamen,
"= "^ I"d bv^he'counlrT TaS "S na,iomU intercH «/ high imporia^,
possessed by the country. •«" . , . „alumal ttauman. Addi-
S«i o^ht u, '>'f-''^^f.^^^yl^^^S^y.\\\ stimulate and
uonal ™P S""^"' '° 'Xn o^^^^ of seamen, that whilst in peace
l^^fr^^rSS'to'^S'^e^^^rof r flag upon the oceani time
I'?t"7o»^.H^r.S»rlTrf'ii*76)^^^^^
repress the mtroducuon of »"'"* .^r'.h" j-^estic coal interests of
thereby protect and «"«'^e<^^^y ^^nrmTasr affected the
Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Vir^nia, tor .t tne m ^, ^^ ^^
ultramontane coal mterests at all. It w A. very sngntiy.
tariff of 1846 r^P''*^• Iv LtcrihedXT^^^^^^ "> '"^""'"'
ao per cent, ad valorem may l-^ »«"'''e^^°J° provinces were not
U,e same domesuc coal mtou^^^^^^ ^,^ j„„„ae
really regarded by the ™^'"f „ °"' to require such measure to
coal iotere .'s, us »[ ^^"^"^^^XXnor wSrth special exemption
prevent »r..,e..aon by rtmw^^^^ arrangemLt does not, if
!f?„"l.!l5^•|S. .t,;. do.nS BrUM cU. or any foreign »als.excep
i";p\he^e British No^^
'^"e1srrUM\itfemVGuSrs recommendation is ^opted.
rduywm4tdSSto'26 per cent, ad valorem; ortf the new
A..
tariff bill reported in the House of Repr«ientaUvea is passed af pn-
aented, the duty will be rc<luced to 20 per cent, ad valorem. Man/
complain of the duties on coals because they arc articles of general
necessity, and should be cheapened as much as possible to tlw con-
•umer ; and they insist that the present, and both the rates proposed
as substitutes, are too high. Thr various manufacturers who use min-
eral coals, and especially the iron, and cotton, and woollen manufac-
turers, contend that coals should he regarded the sanie as "raw ma-
terial" for such manufiu tures, the taxation of which injures and dis-
courages, instead of protecting and encouraging the manufacturer.
They contend that, in proportion as the raw material is cheapened,
they are enabled to furnish the manufactures cheaper. It is significant,
that in many and various memorials to Congress, and pamphlet pub-
lications found here, made by those who ask for federal legislation in
ai'i of our "home industry" engaged in the making of iron, the protec-
tion, in the same mode, of the domestic coal interests is not referred to
favorably .• In truth, the iron interest$, and the coal interests, are in this
respect antagonist to each other. The iron interests of the Atlantic States
desire foreign competition with our domestic coals, in order that the
prices ofboth may be reduced, and that they may have a greater vari-
ety. And the interests of the other manufacturers using mineral coals,
and of owners of steam mills, and of those concerned in steamships
and steamboats, (which two last-named interests have increased vastly
within the last ten years,) and others concerned in steam, are .^11 on
the side of *'/ree trade in coals'^ Insomuch as the southern portion of
the confederacy below the parallel of 36° north latitude as yet uses but
few mineral coals, the enhancement of the prices of foreign and domes-
tic coals some 20 or 30 per cent, in our Atlantic cities, by a duty on
imported coals to such amount, it is argued is no detriment to that
section; and also that, as below the same parallel there are but few
domestic coals raised, except for consumption in the neighborhood of
the mines, the benefits directly accruing to that section from the prc^*
tection and encouragement of the domestic coal interests are quite lim-
ited. There are, however, statesmen who regard the high duties on
coals as detrimental to the Southern cotton, rice, and tobacco interests,
and to the Western grain and provision interests, and, in fact, to all
our eocport interests. One of the injurious effects is to destroy the
British markets for our products exported to the extent of the value of
the British coals that would be exchanged for such products and im-
ported into the United States but for the high duty; though at this
time or hereafter it is not supposed that, if the present duty was wholly
released, the shipments of British coals to the United States would be
very greatly increased. Our imports in 1863 from Great Britain and
Ireland were but 109,761 tons, of the value of $276,336; but other cir-
cumstances than the high duties now operate to prevent any large im-
portations of coals from Great Britain to the United States. If such
* 7s the isAmorS"! of the iron maoafajntn'rArB c£ New England to ConsresB, asking for a mod-
ification of the tariff of 1846, presented in 1860, prepare" by John L. Hayes, esq., of Maine,
which ii, perhaps, the ablest and most ingenious pamphlet published on that side of the que*
tion, at page 17, coals are referred to as not needing protection, because under the tanff of
1846 " the price of combustibk hat inengttd."
increase was to take place, it would not '^«^' ^^y.f J^jntTniuri-
SL of the three AtlUic State, atove aj^cjfied It cou U not m^or^
ously interfere .™''\ '^e eoalm»re^t.of t^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^
of lUrnois, having the most ""^^"'^ "'" . „^ _.„ ;„;„,„ to its coal
State of the confederacy -^^ ."f™ „Wreh2d a^XJ^^^^^ ,^^j
interests from foreign '>°"P^»""°'%7Xkv that ranks next after
is supposed, to rank next •<'h^;^»« J-XKucky ; nor Indiana,
I, faciUtiesfor the ^^^^Zlk^^U^'^^^^^^^'^^ '^^ ^"
are completed, the competition oi ui ^^ ^^^^
lantic States in m neral f ^^^pf^^^^fV^^tiror U^^^^^^ North Amer-
Ihere will be no rivalry fr«";^, ^reat Britmn, or the br^^^^
iean colonies, or ^^^^^^.^^ ^^^^ be
fevor of *" r;^^Lrr of ewr being "depmdcn^' on any foreign coun-
^"%r;fow no inSgeSct^en^oftl^ United States indulges any
^prehensZlha" t frie people of ^^l'''>'ii;r^y:rZl^:S't;>
Mexico bordering us, on the south, and on ^^^ /m^^^^j^ar
arcesstothe States still iurther south ot both American cui »
rSngo^er upwards of 67 flegre.. oflon^Uule , and fio. ,h 4Tjh
^GtS^ Mexico, or one or die^o^^^^^^^^
mmmsmm
S:yhr.ugl«l the Union, either of iron, copper, lead, .mc, coa.^
vamy» lur "h variety of metals and minerals, rich in
«
unsurpassed intelligence, enterprise, and energy; the idea of any "<cV
pendence" by the United States upon any other country /or anything is
out of the question.
One single product of our Southern States controls the labor of more
than three millions of the population of Great Britain and Europe, and
its being withheld from them for one year would involve them in
distress. With the variety of climate of this confederacy, and its
diversity of products for human subsistence, it is quite improba-
ble that famine will ever extend over it all at the same time; and the
same remark may be made as to the prevalence of pestilence in the
United States. Countries that do not possess such variety of climate,
and rely mainly upon the production of one or two articles of subsist-
ence, liable to be affected by the same causes, are more exposed to
such calam'ties; as was the case of Ireland in the famine of 1S47, on
the failure of its potato crop by the rot. But, in this country, a failure
of crops in one part, or a failure of one product, can generally be sup-
plied by the production of the other sections, or of other products not
likely to be affected by the same causes; and such domestic products
may be conveyed with facility and cheaply by our rivers, canals, and
railroads, pervading every portion of the Union, (excepting as yet the
newly acquired western and southwestern countries, and the Pacific
region,) and thereby all necessity fot a resort to foreign aid is avoided.
The British North American colonies hi.ve not, of themselves, such re-
sources. Their productions, whether of the forest or of the field, of the
earth or of the sea, are more limited in variety, and particularly as to
articles of necessity for human subsistence. They produce few of such
articles in great abundance. They produce still fewer articles that are
indispensable that we do not produce, or for which we have not avail-
able substitutes. We produce everything they can need in any exi-
gency. Consequently the colonies' must uecessarily be dependent
chiefly upon us, their nearest neighbors, in times of scarcity to supply
a deficiency in the articles they produce, and at all times for the nu-
merous articles that they do not produce, and that we do. To this inex-
orable decree of the God of nations, regulations as to trade and com-
merce made by either government must in ihe end yield. And, there-
fore, whilst we do not in any degree jeopard our independence by
throwing open our ports, and our trade and commerce, wide and free,
to these'colonies, every such measure increases and strengthens their de-
pendence upon us. 1 T • 1 o
A statement anne.^ed exhibits the coal statistics of the United States
for 1840 and 1850, as compiled from the published and unpublished
census returns of those years. It is to be regretted that they could not
have been furnished less imperfectly. The detailed returns of some
of the assistant United States marshals, who took the census of 1860,
axe represented to be confused and irregular. Those returns do not
profess to give an account of any establishment, or manutactory, or
work, or mine, of which the annual product is less than $500; and it is
bi: J 4.\ -...J .i-.._ fU^ r.+otictir>^ aa tf> tVinc#3 nF ^xrh\rh snoh nroduct
is over the sum specified, and many establishments are altogether
omitted, and most of the compilations understate the marshal's returns.
The ofl&cer flkving charge of the unpublished schedules, m commum-
the different census accounts 9V®^®li,jneTand established has been,
formation, the only thing ^^''^l^%'''l''''^^'l^^^ if not
that those who are m search of «f Ae«/i^ and ^^^ ^JJ^^^^ ^igi^d;
8atis6ed of their disappointment in ^^^fXEe^e Ls repo^^^ is pretty
insomuch as the ^n/^^i-ble character of ^^^^^^^^^
of them:
Published census accounts of 1840, p. 355.
. ,„ , . .oAn toM 863,849
Anthracite coal raised in the United State, in 1840 .^^.--^ — .^
Semi-bituminous, bituminous, and cannel coals raisea in in« « 985,824
1840, 27,603,191 bushels, at 28 bushels per ton - ^^^ 3^013
Number of men employed in raising anthracite coal •-• 3 ,,gg
Do do do othercoals ^^ f4,355.602
Capital invested in raising anthracite coals • 1,868,862
Do d«-"-*'*^®''*?*l'V*-5";Mn'7*"^"V"""!'- 1,528,110
Coals consumed in 1699 iron manufactories m 1840, (p. 354,)
Unpublished census, Mcounts of 1850.
383
Number of coal-raising establishmentB .-.. '".'.'.'.. .... tons 4, 408,750
Product (bushels of coalat28 bushels per ton) -j-- $6,299,376
Value at pits of coal rMsed " 13,875
Number of men employed \ $304,976
Monthly wages '. $7,992,731
Capital invested - •••;;;-; V'^^'^V^'IZri" or evidently stated incorrectly, the
The foregoing items from the unpublished f<=»™« ""^f ' ^^g
as 10 "*«^ ,p, . ^1 given are taken from the je-
june 30, 1850. i he Items oei g ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^
stract of the Census,' (pp. 154 to lt>"»; w"/^" l^^ number of colliers or
prepared with care and stati stical ability.* 1 he n umbe^o^c^^
.No„.-Therewereinl850colliersorxoaltr^^^^^
in cotton factories, 34,409; m woollen f!^*«"«\** 'T^J ' JTd S miU 47 409; in glass facto-
i„«.u.Us, 57.579^; Um.b^^^^ ,.U founders, ,,353;
turers, 2,046; saw-makers, 554; tin«niths, 11,747. ^j,^ United States had then 525946
The^commerce and naj;igation^-port of^l^^^^ ^^^ 233.steamers, inj^2,
969 steamers ; and in 1853, 271 «^'J»«" ;^ "J^'Jf »' '^Ce aS uJJards of 20 steamships
tons, and it is estimated there are 2,000 steam ^e"*"; . ^°^™ "*," I g^eam frigates are to
Sd Vessels in the naval, revenue, and ««««* XSJ^J'^Ss^nuX^ Sfferfnt branches
be built. The United States use at least 50,000 tons ot coals annuaiiy '"«'«' ^
of the pablio service.
87
coal traders in the United States in 1860, 2,948, and in which none are
allowed to either Pennsylvania or Louisiana, and the numbers of di^rent
occupations, &c., &c., have been taken from the published " Census
Report,'' p. 67 to 79, &c.
COALS RAISED ANB COALS CONSUMED IN THE UNITED STATES IN 1850.
Domestk coals consumed in United States in 1850, Jrorn " Abstract of Census," pp. 154 to 160.
In 1094, manufactorie* of cotton goods ^ ^?i'SJ
In 1,559 do woollengoods «1-'o4o
In 377 do pigiron o^'-J"
In 1,391 do castings Roa*n«a
In 4S8 do wrought iron - p***'""*
Total quantity --■ .......-..-—• 1,540,965
The exports of domestic coals same year, as per United States Report on Com-
merceand Navigation, for 1860, p. 40, were, (value, $167,090) *J.7ol
Estimated quantity of domestic coals consumed in the United States in 1850, /or
all other uses and purposes than above specified, and under statement of quantities
above given, as was used in the manufaotories mentioned 5,6W),UW
Estimated total quantity of coal raised in the United States in 1850 7, 079, 746
The tons are estimated at 28 bushels per ton, and weighing 2,240 pounds.
The estimated value of the coals raised, (7, 079. 746 tons,) at $2 50 per to"' »'e'S'^'»' *"
kinds of coals, and in the various different localities where they are raised, is |I7,b99 *>.
The " Abstract of the Census" {ihid) states, also, that the quantities
of "coke, culm, and charcoal" used in the United States mthe same
manufactories above mentioned were as follows :
Bushds.
!U 165 236
In pig iron manufaotonos ^' J43 750
«"»'"«■•- ::*.*.:::!''.."!! i4',5io;828
wrought iron '
Total - 71,819,814
What quantities of" coke, culm, and charcoal" were used in same year, 1850, for uses and
purposes besides those above specified, cannot be stated from any certain data.
The imports into the United States of foreign coals for same year,
1850, and the exports of foreign coals same year, were as follows, (vide
statements B, C, and E) :
Tons. Value.
Imports offoreign coals into the United States in 1850 ieO,439 tSTS. 817 (p. %6)
.do from do do 6,480 bb,m}£ {j>. iM)
Exports....
Foreign coals consumed in the United States in 1850 —
173,959 311.855
The memoranda in the appendix contains estimates of the quantities
of all the mineral coal (anthracite, semi-bituminous, bituminous, and
cannel coals, &c.,) raised in the United Slates, in the year ending June
30, 1S54; and also of the quantities supposed to have been raised
ki several of the different States, in the same year, upon which the
estimate as to 1864 are in part based. The absence of authentic and
f,o,*o;« Aat^ wK*.rpnn to found these estimates precludes the idea oi
their being advanced as any thing else than conjectural indices, or
approximations to the true quantities. Notice is made also ot the
movement and progress of the domestic coal trade, prices of diflerent
I
coals at different places, in past years, and in 1864; ^^^ l^^^^^J^'^'^
Ty increase of the raising of coals « "-« .^l^' ""PJl™ ^^^^.^^
of Jny product of this country, and it is bel;ev^^ «^^^^^^ .
Ihe cotton crop of the southern section ^^ /he United State^^
shown, and of the cost of transportation and prices of freights between
different ports and places. The statistics therein ^ven have been
gaTh ei C col^ercial newspapers -^ other pubh^^^^^^^^ o^^e
United States. All the statements presented with this pape^^^^^^^^
to hive been compiled from the returns of the United States treasury,
ly b^fulirrS "pon, a, may also those taken from the official
^'^^^t^^T^c^ has suggested that the quantity
annuaCsed by New England, for two or three years past, of Penn-
svlv^^ia. Virginia, and Maryland coals, is an average of about
Sootons. Acarelulconsiderationof the f ^tistic« now p~
has induced the opinion that the quantity stated is too small. This
op n on is strengthened into conviction by the fact, (proved beyond a^l
nEestion by the census returns for 1860, that m the year named, at lea^t
?63 000 ^ns of mineral coal were consumed by the New Lngl^^^^^^ cot
ton woollen, pig iron, castings, and wrought iron ^manufactories and
Slersrtive aSd a half millions of byshels of coke, culm, and charcoal
were also consumed in that year in the ^-^^ fl^^Z^^Z^^t^l
wrought iron manufactories. These quantities do "ot inc ude ^e coals
^&c used f .r railroad locomotives, for domestic fuel, for ^lass manutac
mri^s for gas foroth^ manufactories and mills, for P"ntmg presses,
for st;amship; and steamboats, and many «*er Purposes Th^^^
not include the consumption by those whose ««t«J^„^"f"^^^^^^^
produce over $600 annually. Nor is ^^e ^^"^""JP^'^,",^,,^^ X^^^^^
&c., by the 13,932 black and white smiths, the 286 armorers, the »1
£ ument'makers, the 90 boiler-makers, the 101 brass and composi-
btrke s, the 485 cutlery-makers, the 318 gl^is^n^^^^f^^"^!^ ' ^^-^
46 fiS-cutters, the 301 gunsmiths, the 9,741 machimsts, the 940 nail
marfacCers, the 69 law-makers, the 2,124 tinsmiths, or the 143
dumber &c. &c , in the six New England States (vide Census Re-
W Pre^^^^^^^ &c.) included. Considering the increased con-
LmptLnlce'l860,iti^ confidently assumed that -t to ^ha. .u.
millions of tons of mineral coals, &c.. were consumed »« few England
during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1854 And "^arlyaQ of these
coals were domJic. and from the three middle Atlantic States, b^^
mentioned ; and nearly the whole of the coke, culm, and charcoal used
?y the same consumers, and others in the United States, «^«^ domestic
also, as but fifty tons were imported into the United States, in 1853 and
non; in 1852. ^Not more than 110,000 tons of f«^7J_^"^^„^' ^^;;^^^^
say about 20,000 tons was probably British, and 90,000 tons JNova
s7otia coals, it is estimated were used in all Ne^y England dr ring the
year 1854. The total immrts of all foreign coals into the United States
?n IRfll l..« the ern^or/of same coals, was 231,009 tons, of which
i08,83l'tons were from Great Britain and ^f 1?"^' ^f. 1?^"'^,^* ^^"?
from the British North American Colonies ; and of which it is estimated
that one-fifth of the European coals, and four-fifths of the provincial coals,
so imported, being near the quantities just specified, were consumed
29
in New England in 1863. As the imjwrts of foreign coals have not
increased in the last year, the same estimate is made for 1864. The
domestic coals exported in 1863 were 79,160 tons. The quantity has
increased in 1854. It is supposed that the domestic coals sold to foreign
steamers for fuel, on their voyages from our ports on the Atlantic, m
the Gulf of Mexico, on the Pacific, and in the great lakes, (and there-
fore for foreign consumption^ though not included in the accounts of do-
mestic exports,) if the quantities could be obtained, when added to the
exports, would nearly equal the total of all the foreign coals imported and
used in the United Stales. As before noticed, there is sold annually in
Boston and New York quite 60,000 tons of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and
Maryland semi-bituminous and bituminous coals to the British Cunard
steamers alone.
Estimating the annual increase since 1860 at ten per cent, per annum,
the quantity of coals raised in the United ^tates m 1854 would be as
follows :
Quantity estimated to have been raised in 1860 7,000,000 tons.
Ten per cent, per annum increase for four years 2,800,000 "
Quantity raised in 1864 9,800,000 "
But to prevent the charge of over-estimate, the quantity is now set
down at nine millions of tons, which is certainly beneath the true quantity
raised, and this does not include- the quantity of domestic coke, culm,
Sec, that cannot have fallen short of ninety millions of bushels in the
same year.
A statement in aypendix contains an estimate, based on the best
authorities that could be procured for reference, of the acres in square
miles of the coal-fields of some of the principal coal countries of the
world, wiih their present supposed annual production and exportation.
The areas of the different coal-fields of Great Britain and the British
Isles and Ireland have been variously estimated. The aggregate area
of those fields is now generally set down at 11,860 square miles.* The
annual production of these mines has also been difft^rently stated. The
following statement gives the production for the year 1854 at forty-
two millions of tons. The consumption and exportation is estimated as
follows :
;1
til
t>\\
•Note —The statement referred to shows that Great Britain is hrstof the countries of the
old world as to extent of coal-fields, production, and exports of coals ; but the single State of Il-
linois has /«ur times, and Iowa has twice the area of coal-fields that Groat Britain has. Vir--
cinia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Ohio, each exceed Great Britain in such area; and Illi-
nois, Iowa, and Virginia, each exceed such area in Great Britain and all Lurope united. In
production. Great Britain stands first, and the United States next; and of the United States,
Pennsylvania far exceeds any other State in production, and in fact she produces more than
half the entire quantity raised in the United States. The British North American provinces
exceed in area the coal-fields of Great Britain and all Europe together, but do not equal Vir-
ginia, Iowa, or Illinois. See vol. 1, p. 26, Sir Charles Lyell's travels m the United States,
describing the coal-fields of Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky.
ill
80
Production of coal in Great Britain and Ireland in 1864.
Tom.
- ^ . 22,600,000
Domestic connnnption and nnaller mamtfaotureB -• •- g^oO.OOO
Production of pig-iron \'.'.'.'.'..'. 1,000,000
Cotton mannfacture* • " 1,«00,000
WooUen, linen, and »ilk manu&cturei, &c ^ __ 400,000
Balt-worka ■'/.'. 700,000
Lime-workB •• [ 1,300,000
Railroad carriages, Bteameri, &c. 1,500,000
Bhipped from Great Britain to Ireland __
38,000,0fi0
42,000,000
Total production in 1854 ===
Mr. McCuUoch in his " Commercial Dictionary," of 1847, ^«J;\'^
298 London edition of 1860, gives .the production a 34,600,0^^^^^
for he year 1845. Mr. Spackman, m his work, published m London
n 1847 styled " An Analysis of the occupations ot the people, p. 96,
St mJ;s?hetotaf production for 1846 at 38,400,000 . on.. Insomuch
L the official returns of the exports of Great Brita n, for 1845, show
Lta^reater quantity. by731,000 tons, was exported to the colonies and
considered that less than U per cent, per annum is a lowed ioi he
Lcreased consumption since 1846, and that no account is taken of the
consumption of Ireland, except by including the exports to tha island
?rom Great Britain, it is believed this estimate of forty-two millions of
onT for 1854 will be regarded as equally •' moderaler The estimated
average value of these coals at the ?its is about 10 shillings per ton, or
illKoO. The average cost of these coals to consumers m cities
and owns, to which they cin be transported readdy ^nd cheaply, and ^
purchasers in ports of 'shipment abroad, varies from 11 shilhngs to 36
^"^KsTrlrurces of the United States,. both in -1 and iron; the
nearer equalization of the wages of labor in this and the old World,
con inuaUy taking place in consequence of the emigration of hundreds
o? thousands of tli^best Eurooean laborers hither every year ; the fac
that foreign capital is constantly seeking profitable and safe investment,
here, to e!cape^he apprehended political convulsions in the old World;
and the unequalled enterprise and industry of our people, caused by
?he cheering^nd invigorating influences of our repubhcan institutions
upon the working men, rendir it quite certain that in less than a quar-
ler of a century we shall outstrip every nation on the globe m the pro-
duction of coal and iron, and in t he manufacture of iron; and that we
' .. .- Z , , -_ fv-;- ...u;»-* •M«n.,^on'B " TtritUh SfAtlatioB. (London, 1831,) pp. f"
to 74- Porter's " Progress ol the Nation," (London, 1851,) P- 274, &«! Marshall s atat^
258, 259, &c.
»1
shall be in advance of every other people in agricultural products, and
in navigating and commercial resources.
Coal and iron have been and yet are two of the most important ele-
ments of the vast wealth and gigantic power of the British empire.*
The attainment of her high position by us is not so likely to be accelerated
or even aided by legislative restrictions, as to the trade and commerce
between this and other countries, or legislative efforts by us to stifle
or depress the industry of any other nation, as it is to be retarded by
such measures. Whatever increase may occur in the cjuantity of coals
raised in this countiy, it will be less attributable to legislative wisdom
in imposing fetters upon the foreign coal trade, than to the superior
natural advantages we possess in our rich and exhaustlesa coal fields ;
to the extended and increasing markets at home and abroad ; to the
rapidly augmenting facilities for the transportation of our coals from the
interior to the seaboard markets, and to the energy of our citizens. No
increase stimulated and quickened by restrictions in the form of oner-
ous impost duties on foreign coal, can be depended upon as per-
manent. Prosperity thus created is factitious and in continual peril.
The federal government may rightfully, and ought to, encourage, ad-
vance, and protect the development of our home resources by provid-
ing for the use in our public works, and by our army and navy, of do-
mestic coals and iron, even it at higher cost than the foreign articles,
when the quality is equal. But generally ♦' laisser lesfaire" is the true
rule that the coal and iron interests of the United States should main-
tain. Stringent courses as to the trade and commerce of any other coun-
try, even if in retaliation for illiberal restrictions enforced against us,
cannot result in good to this, though they may harm the other country.
It is believed such illiberal policy is discarded by a large majority of the
people of the United States. For the last fifteen years the most en-
lightened and free nations of the earth have been maintaining and put-
ting into operation the wiser principles of ^'freedom of trade.^' We
are in practice behind several of them; for the average rate of duty im-
posed by the tariff' of '46 is higher than the average rate prescribed by
• Note.— BridBh authors, in writing upon this subject, say: "As rospocts the supply of
coal, Britain is singularly favored ; a large portion of the surface of the country having under
it continuous and thick beds of this valuable mineral— vastly more precious to us than would
have been the mines of the precious metals like those of Peru and Mexico ; for coal, since it
has been applied to the steam engine, is really hoarded power, applicable to almost every pur-
pose which human labor, directed by ingenuity, can accomplish. It is the possession of her
coal mines which has rendered Britain, in relation to the whole world, what a city is to the
rural districts which surround it— the producer and dispenser of the various products of art
and iadaatry. "—McCulloch's Dictionary of Commerce, p. 296. " The value of the mineral
products of England would be greatly inferior to what it actually is, wore it not for the abund-
ant supply of good coal found in various districts of the kingdom. It cannot be necessary to
point out the many advantages which it derives from the possession of our coal mines, the
sources of greater riches than ever issued from the mines of Peru, or from the diamond
grounds at the base of the Neela Mulla mountms. But for our command of fuel, the inven-
tions of Watt and Arkwri^ht would have been of small account; our iron mmes must
long since have ceased to be worked, and nearly every important branch of manufacture which
we now possess, must have been rendered impracticable, or, at best, have been conducted upon
ft comparatively insignificant scale."- Porter's Progress of the British Nation,'' p. 273. "Our
coal mines have been sometimes called the black Indies; and it is certajn that they have con-
ferred a iiiou»ittud iiuies moi'e i'eai advautage on us than wc have uerived from tb6 conqa-ost o.
the Mogul empire, or than we should have reaped from the dominion of Mexico and Peru. —
McCuUoch's Account of the British Empire, vol. 1, p. 597.
■t \
Co.n.,'iltie "f W,,y. ""''"«»»"?, "^X S o^ imp""«to be paid by
tl,o Unitcl *,*.«, .lo not >'""8f' *„"i^Se^„pred in the counlnes
U.0 cmsuracr a. the Umtod '''"«^'.''' "'^^i, ;„ euch instance, a few arU-
„a,nea. Of cou.su, lo arrive at 'h'^ '«^«^J'" « ^enl. in Great
cles. -uch ,.» tobacco (^''.ch pays nearly .^_ ^^^
Britain,) >m: .f'^''^^™' 1"'" ''fri^^eolonies upon the i.nportauoa ol
acted ill ly- l>"l;''h North A™"^""",^ j^g not exceed Vii per cent.
-;!''n;:3';lnu::nv%l;rXirorr:r^^^
„nd inannlacturcs ol Creat Bntain. States will be
The increase ol the demand for "'»'' ^ '"^ „f ^n Wnds, steam
caused by ibc increase ol the "''« "^ ^.i""^* and upon oar inland
,„unulaciJ,ri...s, '""'%''«"" Sfind ntb" augmented use of coals
waters, loc;.,iuot.ves for ™V' topmost coinpetent to form a correct
fo, ,us and or '>'™-»;;/":'„J,S«Td to excess the convicfon that,
opinion on tins subject have not "«»'»"•= eoiinlrv will not be equal to
il „,„ny years to cou.e, the =" '^^ '7,"h\,7earThe deficiency will be
the don..nd lor honie "'"^""'P"""' '', .u'^ .|,nemand will continue to
near live hundred th.msand tonss and hat t^ d^™- ^^, the
exceed the supnly. ''"'» 'fr;;^„iS„diX,andOhio, &c., are more
deficiency unul the n.d h'"*' "''TH™; ^j,„jiible wealth brought
fully opened, and a '^'g" Pf '»" "L, vet S' „"' '"*'"""''' "'"'""'
into- n,:,rket, .y-- ""^A^^ " AlUhe A a'nic cities rely principaUy
riCn,"y rr V giir atKl Lyland for domestic coal, and on
SUa SS and Nov=„ Scotia for ^- '-jS^^tet the augmentation
brought into .lie United >?tates '»' »-^' " f^' ° d Xd it is^ stated,
and for particular purpo.es. ^^- '^"^" ■mdr.r„»rt 4,000,000 tons,
now raise 40,000,000 tons of coals ""»"; > ' ' ? „ i"^ i„er«ising as the
Living 3S,OOU,000 tons tiir home consumpmui^^^lncr^^
S»v ihHt th..r.> i* m> lH»sit.vo ^'^'^>''"f ;;f * X'J^^^^^^^^^ pre*-/ interesta of the country;
Thw» our lo«klauiro U sviri^ly uoi to "^'^^^f'f J^,S;7.!Jh) .-eL. Inmatteri of legislation or
it i« tH>«m.l .0 l.H»K forwartl, .vo« for a P*"^»^;;fX«u'ht al^^^^ be conadered, unle*. wme
A...-1 «rra,u:...n.ujt, tho »u«oroat*of remote pen«>^«'Wg^t atway8J»^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ j^^
d other
he new
by the
lives of
paid by
auntries
ew arti-
i Great
luiy ex-
atioi of
)er cent,
an ours ;
oanufac-
products
} will be
Is, steam
ar inland
■ of coals
a correct
ition that,
B equal to
2y will be
ontinue to
ke up the
,, are more
}i brought
i markets,
principally
al, and on
will yield a full
housand, and a
ij taking off the
un not at ail tat-
ow that the re-
; in fact, I maj
\£ consvnftion.
of the country ;
of legislation or
red, unleaa some
inply of coals in
omcwhore in the
sao to ddoy ; but
33
use of coals is in the United States, it is not extravagant to estimate
that, in twenty years, the home demand will exceed 20,000,000 ot tons
annually. The anthracite coal of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Vir-
ginia will find its way west, and the bituminous coal of the same States
continue to supply the Atlantic border; whilst the States of Ilhnois,
Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri >yill meet the
wants of the ultramontane region; but so soon as the railroad trans-^
i)ortation contemplated is completed, all will send a portion of their
vast stores of superior coal to the seaports for exportation, and at cheap-
<3r imces than any other coals can be supplied. A sagacious writer
on the subject of the increase of coals in the United States estimates
that, in less than thirty years, as much as 35,000,000 tons will be raised
unnoally, smd find a profitable market.
It is not a little extraordinary that, whilst most of the statesmen ot
this country denounce the restrictive tariff system, ^"^ yp\;^^^\^f^^^^\
i'rom some of the despotic governmental senilities ot the old World, and
boast that we are in advan(-e of mankind in respect to the doctrines ot
*' freedom of trade," some of them still cling to the protective <luty on
coals, in the face of the fact that Great Britain, Austria, Russia, the Nether-
lands, the Hanse Towns, Mexico, Sweden, Cuba, and some ot the Brit-
ish colonies, and several other countries, have released all impositions
upon foreign coals, and admit them free of charge or impost.
And why should consumers of coal in the United States—the manu-
facturers of cotton and wool, and pig iron and castings, and other man-
ufactures—the railroads, the gas-light consumers, the steamship and
steamboat owners, and the hundreds of thousands who use coal—be
compelled by law to pay a tax of 30 per cent, to the proprietors of do-
mestic collieries for the privilege of using such foreign coal? It foreign
coals are the best or the cheapest, there is no justice in coercing the coal-
consumers to pay 30 per cent., any more than to constrain by law the
consumers of coffee or tea, or marble, or spices, or wines, or watches,
or other foreign product or manufacture, and of many other articles ot
foreign merchandise, luxuries as well as necessaries, now imported free
of dutv or proposed so to be. , . , j ^
With respect to the British North American colonies, the trade and
commerce between us and them should be regarded as an American
co^xmENTAL QUESTION. We should uot be content with a "jrow
view of the present state of things merely. We should ex end our
vision to the future; and every American of mtelhg ence must discern
if ithaBt^benrocured at such a cost as to render the price of coal in this country equal to
wVa\Kn for^gn colSiJs. there must be an ead at once to the great adj-t^; ^^ - -
facturing which we now enjoy." Again, Juno 18, 1842, (/fttd p. 44i.) Coal u ^^^
not capfble of reproduction on^^^^^^^^^
'rTerd¥;5^;.^a^'on coals/The U^^^^^ States - lorMdden b^^^^^^^^
to levy any such tax. and, besides, we have more taan twelve Umes the coals ureat onwu
has.
3
34
.n that future the cert.iu ^^^^^
United States, if not m the same .^f^^lJ^^^^^^^^^^ and connect-
ish North American Colonies, «P;»| ^'^^bitrmSc^exis^^ an uneX-
similar laws, and like customs ^nd habit.s^««^^^t^^ ^ ^^,
.iuRuishablo congeniality ot American ^^^ '^/^^ ^f^^ liberal as well
Aiiierican pride m both, which, if the ^^^^^f' ^ ^^ benefits which
as just, wilt secure to the colome^^ am to "ursdvcs ^^^^ institutions
coild result from the '^^ ^;";;"";J„^^^^^^^ dangers
over them. with(.utjmyot the inconvenien^^^^^ incorporation into the
^vhich some apprehend »"7^, f '"gj^n 'f t^e senLents and feel-
Confederacy. By the sedulous ^-ultivatmn o^ i American repub-
ings just acfverted to, ^itU them a^^^^^^ 1^^ established in this
lies south of us, a truly '' ^'"ZfZmelZerofthe governments of Eu-
hemisphere, despite the restncUve measures ottn ^^^^^^^ ^^^
rope; and which ^y^tem would, in a quarter^o^^a^^ y, ^^^ ^^^^^^
trdde and commerce, ^nd regulate he comm^^ .^. ^^ ^^^^^
But if these colonies are forbidden by us to be ou . ^^.^^^
them as if they were our f "^"^'^^.^^tv ^rto u^ tend to en-
and position just referred to as held by them t ^^^^^^ ^^^
gendlr hostile feelings ^g^^^^ "-^ .f^l^?^^^ every good
Enemies. Hence wise and P«t""t^ P°\^^yJ;"^,d liU-^to foster and
citizen of the United States to cher^h the^r goo^ ^^ ^^^^^ ^^.
encourage evei? measure «f ^^^"^^^^l^^^^^i"^^^^^^^^ than in their
liberal reciprocity, and even to go ^a^ther ^^n t^ g^^^^scan afford to
present colonial condition they ^^n go. 1 he Unitea ^^^^^^j^^ed,
lo this. If trade, commerce, and f^'f ^t^^^^^^^ respect to all the
and unfettered, between «J J^^^^ Ts Xy Je betwe^en the several
products and manufactures of <^»ther, as tney . ^
States of this Confederacy, ^t ^"J^^f b^?^^^^^^^^^ American ar-
The arrangement P'^^P^^^f J^^^^^^^^^ it must, at this
rangement. and^ot - ^jf-^^^^^^^^^^ of the United Kingdom
r;:^hrit"if;rot^^^^^^^^ iL convention respecting the colonic.
as to which such necessity will exist. g^^^^^^ j„
The vasdy superior streng^^h and r^wer oi m .^j^^^^
years, their hardy population, tbeir va^uab c re^o r , i
u. hrr^^after certain, steady, and permanent. ^ ^^_ ^^^ „«.tUmpnt of
000,000 tons, with an aggregate of imports and exports exceeding ui
1864 $80,000,000 ; and as to available, practical, maritime resources and
strength, they are in fact the fourth power of the world. It is estimatetl
that one-third of their population have a practical knowledge of sea-
faring life. Their aggregate population is now nearly three millions,
and equals that of the six New England States. Deduct their joint
contribution to the navigating and commercial resources of Great
Britain, from her statistics, and she loses her so long vaunted supremacy
on the seas, and falls behind the United States. _ .
The British North American colonies are, at this time, superior m
every element of national strength and power, to the " old thirteen
United colonies of America," when, in 1776, they dissolved "all alle-
giance to the British crown," and declared themselves '* free, sovereign,
and independent States." Some statesmen entertain the opinu)n that
the probabihties of future collisions between the British colonies and
the United States arc stronger than as to any other people and the Uni-
ted States; and that a warlike contest with tlicm, a tew years hence, is
more to be deprecated than a conHict with any European power,
though the colonies should be unaided and alone. ,
As the coast and island colonies lie alongside of our commercial
pathway across the Atlantic to northern and western Europe, in
the event of war, the entire force of our present navy would be
required to blockade the colonial ports and coasts for the protec-
tion of our European commerce. Doubtless they could assail us in
this way to our serious annoyance ; and we could also, in such war,
hiiure the colonies greatly; but, in the end, their harm would be our
loss, as damage to us would, in the same manner, recoil upon themselves.
No one can hesitate to concede the folly of such conthct on the part of
both. Evil would ensue to both, but no possible good could grow
outof itto either. The ideaof a subjugation by the United States ol the
colonies, and retaining them against the wishes of the people, (it it was
not repuenant to the principles of our government,)is as impracticable
as was the resolution of the ministers of George the Third, seventy-eight
years ago, to reduce our rebel ibrefathers to submission.
Insomuch, therefbre, as history teaches, among other lessons of the
perversity of mankind, that the very causes which o«gA« to pz-eren^^ colli-
sions and wars between contiguous nations often create them, Riid that
always when hostilities do ensue these causes augment their danger
and aggravate their evils, the propriety will be conceded o reiterating
the declaration, that it becomes every true and loyal patriot of ooih
countries to seize every opportunity of removing or obviating all pos-
sible pretexts for difficulty, and of adopting every means tending to
ore vent misunderstanding and ill-feeling. t, • • l tt *•
P When Great Britain fields (as the debates m the British I^^^^^^^
LordsofUth and of29thof June, 1854, and the proceedings on the Ca-
n^Sian bill clearly indicate, she will ere long with honor and grace and
dSvand wisdom, yield) tothe irreversible and inexorablefi^^^^
St S colonies k?e to\ecome free republican Sfes -^^^^^^^^^
«, . ^L_ ^:„™ «f <,j>,r5mon l^ws- n common language, ana a.
Ill iifr pxceoi as tni; lICb oi coiii!i!<^«« > — ^7 — -- .. _,
_n orlm, and those growing ont of their P--'" -»"X' ™^
the bonds created by commercial and social intimacy, may render then-
86
dependent upon each other; when with feelings of honest pride we can
hail this new star in the constellation of American Republics, the inter-
ests and the duty of those who may administer the governmental msti-
tutions of both, will prompt the establishment of a system of com-
mercial intercourse between them untrammelled and uiisliackled by
any exaction or any imposition. With such mutual arrangements and
by the cultivation of harmony and peace, the two united will be a power
paramount on the land and on the sea, at home and abroad, and not only
superior to any now existing, but to any recorded in history. It will
be the triumph o^ American principles and the establishment of Ameri-
can supremacy.
APPENDIX-
Coals in the British -possessions in North America.
Pacific country.— In the report of the Rxploring cxpodition by Cap-
lain WilUcs, United States navy, it is stated that coals ot gojxl quahty
may be found on Vancouver's island, but that the Hudson Bay Com-
pany had tried them, and owing to their being taken too near the surface,
they did not do well. Indications of coal are found m New Albion,
near Fraser's river. , , tt •. i o. . • i„ «r
[ Jn Washington and Oregon Territories, on the United States side ot
the 49th parallel, there is reported to be an ubundance of coal. Gov-
ernor Stevens states there are extensive supplies near 1 uget s sound.J
Canada.— ^o discoveries of coal-fields have as yet been made in
Upper Canada ("Canada West") to justity the expectation of their
being worked. Andrewis Rep. of 1860, p. 83. Taylor^s Stattstics of
Coat p. 184. Martin's British Colonies, p. 181. MoGrefror s torn, i^tat.,
rot. 6, V' 193. , r 1 "^
No. l,ro/?iaa/. J— Statement of the quantities and values of coa s im-
ported into Canada during the years 1860, '61, '62, and '63, distin-
guishing the countries whence imported, from inspector-general s othce,
customs department at Quebec, June 12, 1864 :
1850— Valuei.
QreAt Britain.
B. N. A. Colonies
United States.
Totals
Tons imported.
£13,833 $56,338
1,247
8,606
23,686
4,988
34,424
94,744
39,790
1851 — Values.
£24,600
870
10,765
36,135
$98,000
3,480
43,060
1852— Values.
£22,309
1,127
13,005
144,640
71,243
36,441
$89,236
4,508
52,020
155,764
72,823
la-iS— Values.
£20,850
4,060
27,055
51,165
$80,200
16,240
108,220
204,660
80,053
Frincc Edward island.-lt is stated to be, "in respect f^t^ g^« °^'
apparently a continuation of the great Nova Scoua and New Brun ,-
w"Sk coal-field," but no coals have been exFK)rted therefrom, nor an
mines worked there. Andrews, (I860,) p, 83. Taylor 206, and Map
208
. Newfoundland.-&ome coals have been found there, but no mines are
worked. Ibid and Martin 161 ; Andrews's Rep. of 1862, p. f^^'^'
Gregor, ib. p. 342, states that 366 tons were exported to the United
Ss in 1836, 1840, and 1841; but it is presumed these were ballast
"t^XS-There are extensive coal-fields in the interior d"
thifpro^ce. The area is estimated -t^.OOOsqi^re miles making
with the other provinces 18,000 square miles. ^^2/^^! ^^''/Tavlor p
mines in this province are described in Martin, P; 2**' ^"^^^^^^^^^
186. The coal mines have not been worked lor ^^e jeare,^^ ^^
coals proved indiflferent and the procuring ^^/^"^J^^'^^^^rAffidal
vhohZ is found in large quantities m NewBrunswick.^ :*^*'^. S?cf ?*
returns of the exports of 6oals from New BrunswicK, ir^m xo^o .o
SHs as followF: 1828, 66 chaldrons 1829, f ^ ^\^f ^Ji/,^^^
70 chaldrons; 1831, none; l^f, 3 chaldrons; 1833, 138 chal^^^^^^^
1834, 687 chaldrons; 1836, 604 chaldrons; 1836, 17 chaldrons, ibJ/,
38
' f'i
*w3
Si
< r
12 chaldrons; and in 1838, none. Martin, p. 244. Andres's Report,
1850, at pages below cited, gives the following accounts from the Co-
lonial returns :
New Brunswick — Exports and Imports.
S": '^°' '" ^' ''''^'' 'T8,S' il;]!l-^^f' ^^'"?l-:^r'"f %fS ^o^CBriUin, £16,836.
Exports, 1843, (p. 400,)
Imports, " "
Exports, 1845, (p. 430,)
Imports, " "
Exports, 1848, (p. 404,)
Imports, " "
Exports, 1849, (p. 431,)
imports, " (p. 432,)
—to «
— fVom "
2,011, 1,T74— to "
20,191, 13,554— from "
' ' — to "
— fVom "
1,312, 750— to «
24,438,
-from "
1,642;
1,699; to
none ; from
470;
624; to
611 ; from
«
«
«
105.
782;
1S6.
1,548;
13,339.
S,192.
Statements B, C, D, and E, give the subsequent years from United
States returns. A letter dated June 29, 1854, from a highly intelligent
colonist, states: "No coals or a^phalte went from this province {N. H.)
to the United States in 1853, while large quantiues of anthracite were
'""E Scotia.— The " General Mining Association," as tenants of the
British crown and lessees of the late Duive of York, have a monopoly ot
all the mines and minerals in this province, including Cape Breton. 1 ne
lease is for 60 years from 1827, at a rent of ^3,000 sterling, equal to
^3,333 currency, or $13,332 per annum. It limits the quantity ot coals
to be raised to 20,000 New Castle chaldrons, unless a tax or "royalty
of 2s. currency is paid for all over that quantity. In 1845 the limit was
extended to 26,000 New Castle chaldrons, or 62,000 London chaldrons ;
equal to 65,000 tons, or thereabouts. The capital of the company is
^400,000 sterling, or $1,936,000; and the association owns 14,000 acres
" The " Albion" mines, near Pictou ; the Sydney ; the Bridgeport, and
Bras D'or mines, on Cape Breton, and the Cumberland, (" Joggins, )
near the head of the Bay of Fundy, are all that have as yet been
worked. The product of the latter is very small, and the Joggins
coals are also said to be indifferent, though some years since anticipa-
tions were entertained of their being valuable. In Andrews s report ot
1850, p. 95, is a detailed statement of the Albim and Sydney mines from
1840 to 1848, inclusive, (and coals large and small, and sittings, are
included,) and it appears that, in the nine years stated, they both raised
but 42-^,680 chaldrons, or about 535,000 tons; making an average ot biit
about 50,444 tons raised per annum. At page 96, same book, is a like
detailed abstract for 1849 of each one of all the five mines. It gives
the following quantities in chaldrons :
Cumberland, Joggins
Albion, Pictou
Sydney
Bridgeport
Bras D'or
Total duddrons
Total tons
Raised.
Exported to
U.S.
923chal
32,323 "
26,482 "
16 "
59,944 "
74,930 "
201 chdl.
27,961 "
6,665 "
34,812 "
48,515 "
To Colonies.
Home consumption.
666 chal.
1,265 "
7,376 "
9,307
11,384
54 chal.
3,097 "
12,466 "
16 "
20 "
15,823 "
19,880 "
m
13,353.
It
Statements of the product of these mines, other than the above, for dif-
ferent years anterior to 1849, and of the amount of "royalty" paid for
coals raised, and the exjmrts from and imports into Nova Scotia and
Cape Breton prior to said year, both Colonial and of the United States,
are to be found in the following authorities: Martin, pp. 230, 233,
234. Taylor, 199, 200. McGregor, 296. Andrews's Report on85Q, pp.
96, 97, 98, 348, 356, 362, 370 et yassm. And all the data show that
the total production of all those mines in no one year, prior to 1849,
exceeded 200,000 tons, and the highest export to the United States ot
coals from them was in 1848, being 153,122 tons.
No official account of the entire jrrod'mt of these mines since 1849 is
had; but the statements of the exports from Nova Scotia and Cape Bre-
ton of coals since thai year, when compared with the product m 1849,
above given, as to the proportion exported, and that retained tor home
consumption, (less than 29 per cent, of the whole, and less than 50 per
cent, of the exports to the United States,) will enable an estimate to be
made of the annual product that will not be out oi the a^ ay. 1 he tol-
lowing statements are therefore given of the Colonial accounts ot the
exports of coals to the United States from Novia Scotia, &c., being
taken from Andrews's report of 1862, at the pages cited :
The exports of coals from Great Britain and Ireland, to all countries,
as stated m the British accounts, are as follows:
Years.
3840.
1845.
1850
1851
1862
Tons.
Value.
1,606,080
2,531,282
3,361,888
3,468,515
3,636,621
Value.
^576,000
973,635
1,284,224
1,302,473
1,359,685
$2,787,840
4,711,393
6,185,642
6,303,669
6,580,875
Exports /torn Nova Scotia of coals to the United States, {colonial returns,)
from Andrew's Report of 1852.
1849 (p. 565).
1850 (p. 565).
1852 (p. 557).
Chaldrons.
69,625
71,472
47,376
Tons.
87,036
89,475
59,226
In 1852, according to Governor Sir G. Le Marchand's official report
of the province to the Duke ot Newcastle, before referred to, the whole
quantity exported was 112,559 tons-value, ^56,907. c. c, equal to
2««fv af^a . ^l.A tU««Ql.i«r^f thp rnakfixnorted to the United States was
^38,781 c. €., equal to $155,124; anct to the British Norjh Ajn'-ejC'in
Colonies, £16,925c. c, equal to $67,770 ; and to the British West In-
dies, ^431 c. c, equal to $1,724 ; and all other places, i;7G9 c. c, equal
to $3,076.
40
i
A letter from E. Cunard, esq., dated July 5, 1854, gives the follow-
ing statement of exports to the United States of all kinds of coal:
1851— From Pictou, 41,828 chaldrons; Sydney, 8,486 chaldrons— total, 50,314 chaldrona.
1852 — From Pictou, 55, 952 chaldrons ; Sydney, 8,540 chaldrons — total, 04,492 chaldrons.
1853— From Pictou, 72, 838 chaldrons ; Sydney, 8,153 chaldrons- total, 80,991 chaldrons.
The following is from the United States treasury accounts of imports
of coals into the United States from Great Britain and Ireland, and
from the B. N. A. Colonies, from 1843 to 1849 inclusive. The four
years since are given in detail in statement C, ante, page 4 :
Years.
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
Great Britain and Ireland.
Tons.
27, 132
34,883
27,294
59,384
55, 106
42,358
65,148
Value.
$83,9(8
116,578
99,718
176,596
174, 959
145, 789
160, 312
British N. A. Colonies.
Tons.
13, 185
51,196
52, 207
95,230
92, 180
153, 122
93,256
Vati
ue.
$28,734
115,906
122,975
195,452
194, 173
312,294
245,840
And the account of the exports from the other colonies into Canada of
coals for 1^0, '51, '52, and '53, (No. 1, below,) shows that the entire
value of all the colonial coals sent to Canada in these years was but
^7,303 c. c, or $29,212.
Imports of coal from B. N. A. colonies into U. S.—from U. S. returns.
Veaw.
Into United Suites.
Into Boston.
Into New York.
Into Philadelphia.
Tons.
Value.
Tons.
Value.
Tons.
Value.
Tons.
Valuo.
1850
98,256
116,960
87,512
120,764
$188,784
221,681
161,764
212,847
55,730
51,615
68,713
89,843
$105,291
96.134
120;037
156,623
12,909
12,033
6,943
11,419
$96,434
25,462
14,718
24,672
2,488
2,148
7,293
8,296
$4,541
3,995
13,314
13,619
1851
1852
1853
Statement of the principal coal countries of Europe and North America. ;
the area, in square miles, of knawn ^coal-fields in each; and the estimated
production and exports of each in 1854.
Countries.
Area in
sq. miles.
Gt. Britain, Ireland, and British Isles
Belgium
France
Prussia and Prussian States
Russia
Austrian States.
Spain
British North American Colonies. ,
United States
1,160
550
1,720
GOO
Unkno'n
3,410
18,000
163,157
Production in
tons.
42,000,000
6,500,000
5,000,000
4,500,000
1,300,000
i,i;i;u,uuu
500,000
200,000
9,142,000
Exports in
tons.
4,000,000
2,000,000
100,000
1,000,OOJ
None.
*uu,uuO
100,000
140,000
80,000
he follow-
al:
14 chaldronR.
)2 chaldrons.
II chaldrons.
of imports
;land, and
The four
. Colonies.
Vati
ue.
$28,734
115,906
122,975
195,452
194, 173
312,294
245, 840
Canada of
the entire
was but
etums.
Philadelphia.
s.
Valuo.
!8
18
m
$4,541
3,995
13,314
13,619
America. ;
estimated
Exports in
tons.
t,000,000
J,000,000
100,000
L,000,OOJ
^one.
400,000
100,000
140,000
80,000
41
These figures nre, of course, mere estimates, based upon supposed
increase of suppc ^d product and exports of past years. The areas are
taken from geological works of authority. , ^_ ^ „ ^ _, ,
The increase of the export of coals from the United States to Canada
has been regular and steady since it first commenced, about fifteen
years ago. It has now increased to upwards of 13,000 tons annually.
The statements referred to at page 2, as being m this appendix, as
to prices of freights for coals between different ports, and as to prices o
different coals at different places, are omitted for want of yreme and
authentic data in time to compile the same. From Pictou to Boston,
S3 50 per chaldron of 36 bushels is now ordmarly charged for freight;
but freights and prices vary according to demand for vessels and tor
coals. (See Taylor, pp. 203 and 204, &c., as to prices of different
coals, and relative value, &c.) So, inland transportation by railroads
and canals, from collieries to the Atlantic ports, varies according to de-
mand for coals; and, in fact, the cost of transportation pretty much
regulates and controls the prices of coals. The coal interests, and those
of the comumers, are generally subordinate to the railroad and canal
interests in this respect, and with injurious effect. The statements as
to the character and qualities of the different coals are omitted, because
of the difficulty of condensing them so as to be satisfactory. (See
Tavlor, p. 193, &c., and Professor Walter R. Johnson's Report to the
Secretary of the Navy in 1543, Senate Document No. 38r, 1st session
28th Congress, on this subject.) '
The increase of coals in Pennsylvania since 1819 has been from 365
tons that year, o{ anthra<:ite coals, to 5,600,000 tons m 1854. A state-
ment of the quantity of anthracite coals raised m that State from 1819,
has been erroneously published, by Mr. McGregor and others, as being
of the entire quantity of coals raised in the United States. It is of the
anthracite coal raised in Pennsylvania alone. The accounts of semi-bitu-
minous and bituminous coals raised in Pennsylvania cannot be accu-
rately obtained. At Pittsburg in 1853, it is ascertained, there were
22,305,000 bushels consumed, and 14,403,921 bushels were sent from
the market of that city elsewhere; making 36 708,921 bushels, at 28
bushels per ton, equal to 1,311,033 tons, at that point alone. {State-
ment of A. Cummings, esq., to Hon. J. IbbbiTis, of I a.)
42
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