In view of the demand for Chinese coal in Europe, an American Commerce Report, dealing with Aden's coal supply. is of importance. The report says:—An Aden shipping and coaling company has recently completed arrangements for a cargo of 9,000 tons of coal from an American port to Aden. So far as can be learned. this will be the first Anierican coal cargo ever to come to Aden, and it will be used in place of Welsh coal. which has practically disappeared from the local market. The importing company expects to he able to sell it at about the same price recently obtained for the small supplies of Welsh coal which have been available, namely, at the rate of £10 10s, per ton.
The war has brought about many changes in the coaling business at Aden. During the last year before the war, that of 1912-13, the Trade and Navigation Returns of Aden show that coal imports totaled 134.750 tons. OF this total amount 115,143 tons, were listed as Welsh coal.
The small balance for this particular year came from India, Japan, and Portuguese East Africa. In 1918-19, the latest year or which figures are available, the total imports of coal at Aden were 76.683 tons. This total was made up mainly of 29,636 tons of Natal coal, 26,610 tons of Mozampique coal, and of 20,329 tons frou: Zanzibar. "During the years 1914, 1915, 1916, and 1917 there were annual average imports of about 12,000 tons of Indian coal, which coal is considered inferior, and is taken only when thai from other sources is not available. For this four-year period the average total imports amenned to 105,178 tons per annum.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.