14. Captain HAMILTON BENNasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the reason why the output of coal per man employed in America is more than double the output per man in Great Britain?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANWithout full investigation it would not be possible to estimate with accuracy the cause of the difference in coal output per man in Great Britain and in the United States of America. But I am informed that among the causes for the difference are the facts that the pits are shallower and the seams thicker and easier to work in America than in this country, and that the collieries are more recent in their development and equipment. It is also possible owing to physical characteristics of the seams in U.S.A. to replace hand labour by mechanical coal-cutters in the process of undercutting the coal to a greater extent than is possible in the mines of the United Kingdom.
Captain H. BENNIs it a fact that the quantity of coal extracted is limited to some extent by trade union rules with regard to electrical machinery?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI should like to have notice of that question.