i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org

46 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
THE COAL TRADE OF NANTES
AND NEIGHBORING PORTS.
. U. S. Consul Louis Goldschmidt, at Nantes,
France, reports that the approximate prices of
coal at Nantes and neighboring ports, per ton of
2,204.6 pounds, are: Wholesale, $4.82 for coal
with 75 per cent, of large pieces; $4.24 to $4.44
for coal with 50 per cent, of large pieces; retail.
about $9.60 for coal of nearly all kinds. Regarding
the coal trade of Nantes and neighboring ports
he says:
"A few years ago a beginning was made at importing
American coal, but this has evidently been
given up, as during the past year not a ton came
into these ports. I am of the opinion that if the
foregoing prices can be met by some of our coal
exporters, some business can be done in American
coal. This would require sending a representative
here to open negotiations.with the importers,
and carefully selecting the coal to be shipped in
order to insure uniformity. It is important that
the quality of the coal come up to samples and
previous shipments.
"The very high price of coal at retail leads me
to believe that anyone who would establish a coal
depot here for the purpose of retailing on a large
scale might do considerable business, selling either
directly to the consumer or to the smaller dealers.
'this being a large manufacturing center, a considerable
amount of fuel is used, and 1,500,000
tons is not an excessive estimate of the yearly
consumption of all kinds of coal when all the industrial
concerns are running (some are now shut
down). It seems that we should get some of this
business, and I have no doubt that we can with
energy and 'push' of the right kind.
"Up to about four years ago the business was
entirely controlled by British traders, but recently
the Germans started underselling the British, with
the result that a fair share of German coal now
comes here, and I am told that owing to the care
displayed by the Germans in trying to satisfy the
wants of the trade by prompt shipments, and by
carefully selecting the grades and quality of coal
ordered, they are very likely to increase their trade
in this line. Most of the German coal comes from
the Ruhr district, which has lately suffered from
strikes, and the trade has diminished during the
last few months, but it is expected that when the
strike is settled the imports to this port will assume
much greater importance.
"The following firms are the chief importers
of coal at Nantes: Societe Generale des Houilles
Agglomerees; Compagnie des Charbons et Briquettes
de Blanzy et de I'Ouest; Compagnie des
Chemins de Fer de I'Etat; Diverses societes d'importation,
gaz, etc.; SocieTf des anciens Etats A.
Pergeline Harang; Compagnie des Charbons i)
Vapeur Powell Duffryn.
IMPORTS OF COAL AND BRIQUETTES INTO THE CONSULAR
DISTRICT OF NANTES. FRANCE, IN VTJD, BY
COUNTRIES.
NANTES. Tons.
Great Britain, coal 354,286
Germany, coal 58,909
Great Britain, briquettes 23,885
Germany, briquettes 2,318
Great Britain, coke 415
Germany, coke 1,660
Total 441,473
ST. NAZAIRE.
Great Britain, coal 533,772
Great Britain, briquettes 1,713
Total '.. 535,485
SABLES O'OLONNE.
Great Britain, coal 54,444
Germany, eoal 13,512
Great Britain, briquettes 2,454
Total 70,410
SUMMARY.
Nantes 441,473
St. Nazaire 535,485
Sables d'Olonne 70,400
Total 1,047,358
NON-UNION MINERS MAKE A STATEMENT.
The Louisville Courier-Journal announces that
it has received a statement signed by 55 employes
of the Wheatcroft Coal & Mining Co., at Wheatcroft,
Ky., requesting it to publish a denial of
alleged injurious reports which have been in circulation
about conditions at the mines. The
employes assert that while they are non-union
men, they receive better wages than are paid union
miners in Kentucky. They further state that
their employers have fulfilled every promise made
to them.
A bill is now before the general assembly of
Tennessee authorizing the state of Tennessee to
acquire, by purchase or condemnation, additional
lands for branch prisons and additional coal lands
for the use of the state in connection with its
main or branch prisons now or hereafter established.
It is the settled policy of the state to
employ convicts in the mining of coal or in other
mining or farming operations. It is specified that
the board having the matter in charge shall not
purchase more than 35.000 acres of coal land and
shall not pay more tnan $12 per acre for same.