§ 54. Mr. GEORGE HALLasked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give an estimate of the total potential capacity of all the coal mines now available for production in this country?
§ Captain CROOKSHANKDuring the period of exceptional demand last winter, collieries were producing at the rate, after allowing for holidays, of about 260,000,000 tons per annum. With the re-opening of pits temporarily closed, and the introduction of more labour and more machines, this figure could be materially increased, but the extent of such increase must obviously be a matter of conjecture.