August 28, 1914. THE COLLIERY GUARDIAN. HI _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ GERMANY’S MARKETS. II. - COAL. A study of German commercial conditions inevitably entails a full consideration of the development of her coal trade. A model of skilful organisation, carefully and methodically fostered by Government, it is a monument to the astuteness and perseverance of our Teuton enemies, and from it are largely derived the impulses that have established markets for a whole host of German products all over the world. Thus it follows that, although the main purpose of this article is to examine Germany’s external trade in coal itself, the task would be incomplete without a brief epitome of the industry in its entirety. It is not so many years ago that the German production of coal ranked far below that of this country, but the last few years have witnessed an enormous expansion, and to-day, if we include the output of brown coal, the total output is but a few thousand tons below the British output. In the same period exports have rapidly increased—at a greater rate even than the output—but, in 1913, German coal exports were still greatly inferior in magnitude to those of Gieat Britain. As showing the relative advance of exports, the following table is instructive. It shows the exports and imports of German coal and lignite as percentages of the output and consumption respectively :— Exports (p.c. of Imports (p.c. of output). consumption.) Table B.—Output of Coal according to Districts. Year. Prussia. Saxony. Alsace- Lorraine. Bavaria. Other German States. Total. Dort- mund. Breslau. Bonn. Claus- thal. Halle. Total Prussia. Output (1,000 tons). 1900 59,619 29,597 11,980 758 12 101,966 4,803 1,137 1,185 199 109,290 1905 65,374 32,319 14,566 735 7 113,001 4,943 1,824 1,318 213 121,299 1906 76,811 35,063 15,663 749 11 128,296 5,148 2,072 1,381 221 137,118 1907 ! 8“,183 37,803 15,289 760 10 134,044 5,232 2,194 1,496 220 143,186 1908 ; 82,665 39,590 15,990 748 10 130,002 5,378 2,368 708f 215 147,671 1919 82,804 40,275 16,095 724 9 139,906 5,442 2,167 759 213 148,788 1910 86,865 39,993 16,177 729 8 143,772 5,370 2,686 774 226 152,828 1911 s 91,329 42,300 16,954 733 7 151,324 5,418 3,033 763 208 16c,747 1912 100,258 47,445 18,916 720 10 167,350 5,479 3,558 791 — 177,095 1912* 100 265 46,584 17,736 708 9 165,303 5,066 3,539 791 — 174,881 1913 ; 110,722 49,077 20,657 948 8 181,413 5,471. 3,817 811 — 191,571 Average value per ton raised (in marks). 1900 : 8’53 7’72 1115 9’70 6’48 8’61 12’56 10’66 1’30 10’03 8’84 1905 i 8’40 7’59 10’96 10’27 6’98 8’51 10’58 10’61 10’85 11’50 8’66 19“6 8’76 7’75 11’21 10’44 7’27 8’79 11’04 10’77 10’96 11 31 8’93 1907 i 9’52 8’78 11’93 11’01 7’51 9’59 11’97 11’49 11’88 12'10 9’74 1908 j 10’06 9’54 12’26 11 27 8’00 10 17 12’59 12’21 12’76f 12’72 10’31 1909 9’94 - . 9’54 12’11 11”25 7’01 10’08 12’39 11’65 12 50 12'74 10'21 (910 9’78 9 17 11’96 11’12 8’21 9’86 12’19 11’54 12’35 12’49 9’99 1911 9 73 8’80 11’43 11’15 8’83 9’67 12’10 10'79 11 72 12’87 9’78 * Certain modifications were introduced in the statistical method in 1912 ; the figures according to the new and old systems are therefore shown separately. f Since 1908 the “ Pech” coals of Upper Bavaria have been classed as lignites. .. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Year. 1885 Coal. 16’84 Lignite. ... 0’44 .... Coal. .. 5’04 Lignite. ... 19'28 1890 15’07 ... 0’42 .... ... 7’21 ... 25’61 1895 16’96 ... 0’61 .... .. 8 04 ... 22’66 I960 16’92 1’03 .... .. 8’21 ... 16’71 1901 16’86 ... 0’83 .... .. 7’07 ... 15'62 1902 18’00 ... 112 .... .. 7’30 ... 15’68 1903 18’18 ... 1’34 .... .. 7’17 ... 15’06 1904 18 27 ... 1’29 .... .. 7’56 .. 13’89 1905 18’38 ... 1’22 .... .. 9’53 ... 13’45 1906 17’97 ... 1’31 .... .. 8’22 ... 13’28 1907 17’97 ... 1'52 .. 11’05 ... 12’82 1908 18'12 ... 1’42 ... .. 9’37 ... 11’57 1909 19’37 ... 1'58 ... .. 9’89 ... 10'96 1910 20 21 ... 1’59 .... .. 9’05 ... 9’96 1911 21’81 ... 1'63 .... .. 8’56 9’09 1912 22’92 ... 1’74 .... .. 7'57 ... 8'47 *1912 23'21 ... 1'77 .... .. 7'69 ... 8’61 1913 23’45 ... 2’23 .... .. 7’17 ... 7’75 * New statistical methods were introduced in this year. The returns under the old and new systems are both shown for the sat e of comparison. Note.—The above figures include the equivalent of coal used in the manufacture of coke and briquettes. In 1913 the output of German coal and lignite amounted to 278,987,000 tons; in 1860 no more than 16,731,000 tons were raised, and in 1885 no more than 73,700,000 tons. Last year 11,324,000 tons of coal, coke and briquettes were imported and 44.912,000 tons exported, lignite not being included, leaving for home consump- tion 157,924,000 tons, or 2 35 tons per head of the population. The per capita consumption has steadily risen from 1*09 tons in 1885, and 1’77 tons in 1900. The home consumption in 1912 was 145,474,000 tons. On a similar basis 92,707,000 tons of lignite were reserved for home consumption in 1913, as against 86,988,000 tons in 1912. In 1912 the per capita consumption of coal (including lignite) in the principal coal - producing countries of the world was as follows :—United States of America, 4’89 tons; Great Britain, 3’89 tons; Germany, 3 51 tons ; France, 1’50 tons ; Austria- Hungary, 1’07 tons; Belgium, 341 tons ; Canada, 3’46 tons ; Japan, 0’23 ton. The nature of the change is to be seen when the figures for 1885 are contrasted with the foregoing. In 1885 the consumption per head of the population in Great Britain was 3 63 tons, in Belgium 2 25 tons. United States 1’79 tons, Germany 1’50 tons. France 0’79 ton, Austria-Hungary 0 59 ton, Canada 0'68 ton. and Japan 0’02 ton. The following table shows the output of coal in Germany last year, according to district:— District. Output (1,000 tons). Prussia — 1912. 1913. Dortmund 100,265 . .. 110,722 Breslau 46,584 . 49,077 Bonn 17,736 . 20,657 Clausthal 708 . 948 Halle 9 . 8 Total (Prussia) 165,303 . .. 181,413 Saxony 5,066 . 5,471 Alsace-Lorraine 3,539 . 3,817 Bavaria 791 . 811 Total (Germany) ........... 174,881 ... 191,511 The next table shows the production of coke and briquettes (briquettes made from lignite not being included):— Output (1,000 tons). < District. Coke. Briquettes. Prussia— 1912. 1913. 1912. 1913. Dortmund 22,134 .. .. 24,737 .. .. 4,557 ... 4,954 Bonn 3,717 .. . 3,928 .. . 532 ... 481 Breslau 2,926 .. . 3,114 .. . 107 86 Halle 121 .. 145 .. 94 80 Clausthal 85 .. ______ 86 .. ______ 73 79 appear to submit themselves to effective competition, as it is improbable that we shall, under any circum- stances, be able to detach a material portion of the trade with Austria-Hungary or Switzerland, markets in which the German coalfields hold a preponderating geographical and political advantage. On the other side of the account we have to remember that in 1913 over nine million tons of British coal were vended in Germany itself. There is still a valuable balance of trade that would appear to be readily assailable. No doubt the assault has already begun—an act of wisdom, for the rapid mobilisation of trade resources is as important as that of military forces. Beati possidentes, to adopt one of the famous Bismarckian sayings. There are three principal coalmining districts in Prussia: (1) The Lower Khine and Westphalian basin, which is by far the most important; (2) Silesia, Lower and Upper; (3) the Rhenish district in the neighbour- hood of Saarbriicken and Aachen. Westphalia and the Rhenish provinces produce over 100 millions of the total annual output of coal. In addition, deposits of brown coal are found in more or less abundance over nearly the whole of North Germany, but the principal brown coal fields are situated in Central Northern- Germany. The following is a summary of the German reserves, prepared by H. E. Boker for the International Geo- logical Congress at Toronto :— Total (Prussia) ....... 28,984 ... 32,011 ... 5,273 ... 5,759 Saxony ............ 62 ... 6> ... 61 ... 65 Total (Germany) ..... 29,141 ... 32,168 5,334 ... 5,821 In addition 19,058 tons of lignite briquettes were produced in 1912, and 21,418 tons in 1913. At a later point the destination of Germany’s exports will be studied in greater detail, but it may be observed at the outset that, of the total, about a third do no Actual Probable and District. reserves 1,000,000 possible reserves tons. 1,000,000 tons. Saar Westphalia and Rhine 16,548 Large Province 56,344 157,222 Lower Silesia 718 2,226 Upper Silesia 10,325 155,662 Saxony 225 ... Considerable Left of Rhine 10,458 — Other districts 247 ' ... Considerable Totals 94,865 315,110 Brown coals:— Prussia and N. German States 6.069'2 3,675’9 Saxony 3,000 — Bavaria 75 293’6 Hesse 169'6 98'9 Totals 9,314'3 4,068’4 Table A.—Analyses of Typical German Coals. Raw coal. Clean coal. o Cfl rfl ® fl O O cd Q Pl fl fl So and en. • fl si ® ® id A fe 075 I’M '£ O & ’cd 2 Q © £ Ash. Water ash-fr substa