23 DECEMBER 1922, Page 29

THE ROMANCE OF COAL. Illustrated. By C. R. Gibson. (Seeley,

Service and Co. Os. net.)

We may not be grateful for all the gifts that coal mines have given us—smoke palls, fogs, an industrialized England, and a social revolution—but their history may certainly be called a romance. Not only does Mr. Gibson deal with the actual mining in a popular though interesting fashion, but he also describes some of the chief effects that coal-power " has had upon our civilization, both for good and evil. He is, we are glad to note, sound on the smoke abatement question ; his dissatisfaction with present conditions being, however, chiefly the result of knowing how valuable are the by-products with which we so madly and harmfully pollute the air.