In December, 1916, the export quantity fell for the first time below 3 million tons, having remained between 3.2 and 3.9 million tons during the months from January to November, 1916.

In January, 1917, a figure of 3.5 million tons was again reached; it is the more significant, therefore, that the coal export, which from the nature of the case exhibits only slight fluctuations from month to month, falls again in February, 1917, to 2.9 million tons (as against 3.4 million tons in February of the year before), thus almost reaching once more to the lowest point hitherto recorded--that of December, 1916.

And it should be remembered that here, as in the case of all other exports, sunk transports are included in the English statistics.
"Details as to the destination of exported coal have since the beginning of this year been withheld.

England is presumably desirous of saving the French and Italians the further distress of reading for the future in black and white the calamitous decline in their coal supply.

The serious nature of this decline, even up to the end of 1916, may be seen from the following figures: "England's coal export to France amounted in December, 1916, to only 1,128,000 tons, as against 1,269,000 tons in January of the same year; the exports to Italy in December, 1916, amounted only to 278,000 tons, as against 431,000 tons in January, and roughly 800,000 tons monthly average for the peace year 1913.
"As to the further development since the end of February, I am able to give some interesting details.