Economic and Industrial Conditions

ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRIAL CONDITIONS Wales and Monmouthshire form an area, approximately one seventh of England and Wales. One-half of the land reaches an altitude of 600 ft. above sea-level, while one-half of this exceeds I,000 ft. This nature of the country enabled its inhabitants to maintain a distinct political existence for centuries after the English lowlands had become subject to one authority. It was not until the 19th century that the traditional isolation of Wales began to be profoundly affected by the development of railways. World competition is now operative to the embarrassment of local industries previously protected by the isolation of the local market. Despite present indications of slackening in the rate of rural depopulation in Wales, due to the depressed condition of industry, the movement constitutes a most urgent problem.

The Industrial Revolution in Wales.

In 1801 Wales and Monmouthshire had a population of 587,245, fairly evenly dis tributed over the land as the vast majority of the people were engaged in agriculture or in related occupations. As the in dustrial revolution developed, and particularly after 1841, the rural exodus, accompanied by the decay of many industries which had supplemented the earnings of agriculture, led to an enormous concentration of population in the iron and coal producing valleys of south-east Wales; eventually nine out of the 13 counties in cluded in Wales and Monmouthshire suffered an actual decrease in population. By reason of the variety and superior quality of its output and because of its close proximity to tidal waters, the South Wales coalfield became from 1881 the chief coal-exporting region of the world.

In the record year 1913 the output of the coalfield was 56, 830,000 tons and the number of miners was nearly a quarter of a million. Normally over 7o% of the output is carried away by sea, about 45% passing through Cardiff alone, which has increased in population since 1841 at the rate of io,000 for every additional million tons of coal shipped annually from the port. According to the latest official returns (1931 census) the population of Wales and Monmouthshire was 2,593,014, of which well over 5o% (1.660,534) was concentrated in the two counties of Glam

organ (1,225,713) and Monmouth (434,821).

Welsh Coal Mining.

The mining valleys of South Wales present difficulties. They are narrow, with swift-running streams and precipitous mountain slopes ; they are in some cases prac tically cul-de-sacs deeply trenched in the bleak and infertile uplands. The level ground is occupied by roads, railways, canals and the surface works of the collieries, and the hillsides are used as waste tips. There is little room for houses and the congestion is often very great. In the Rhondda valleys, where the best steam coal is mined and which have a population of 162,729, the density of population in the area actually built upon is about 23,00o per sons to the square mile. The same causes, which have given Welsh coals their superiority, have also made mining in this area more costly and dangerous than in other parts of Britain. Welsh coal is dry and fiery and the fine coal dust is a constant source of danger. Loose-jointed coal and loose or rotten roof, more frequent in South Wales mines than elsewhere, are responsible for numer ous accidents accompanied by loss of life. For these reasons, the output per man is less than the average for the rest of Britain. But the superior quality of South Wales coal commands a price which balances the extra cost of production.

Since there is practically no choice of occupation, chronic unrest is almost inevitable, especially in times of trade depression. The rapid development of the fuel resources of all countries during the war years and the consequent keen competition for markets, have seriously affected export. Since 1923 unemploy ment and "short time" have been prevalent and have entailed great hardship and suffering. In Dec. 1927 the number of miners employed in the coalfield was 177,700 as compared with 220,200 at work in 1924. The output of coal in 1927 was 45,500,000 tons as compared with 56,830,00o tons raised in 1913. In 1927 pits were closed down and at times the number of unemployed coal workers in South Wales has reached ioo,000.