THE NORTH-EAST INDUSTRIAL REGION.—The mineral resources of this region constitute the basis of its economic activities. Its coalfields fall into two distinct groups. The Coal Measures occur within an area defined by lines drawn from the mouth of the Coquet to Middleton in Teesdale, and from Middleton to a point on the coast a little to the north of Hartlepool. In the south-east part of this area they are overlain by Magnesian Limestone, but, though the coalfield is here concealed, it has been proved and is worked at the present time. It has been estimated that the coal seams may be followed under the sea for a distance of three miles from the coast. Coal also occurs in the Mountain Limestone series in the north-east and the north-west of Northumberland, but so far not much has been produced in these districts. The total available contents of the whole region have been estimated at 10,780,000,000 tons, while the yearly output at present averages 54,000,000 tons. Much of the coal is shipped to London and other seaports on the coast, but, of course, much is also consumed by the varied industries of the region itself.
The iron industry owes its origin to the fact that ironstone is found in the Coal Measures along with the coal. The greater part of the native ore used at the present time comes, however, from the Cleveland Hills, which produce about 40 per cent. of the output of Great Britain. In the valley of the Esk, near Whitby, there are two seams of ore which increase in thickness towards the north, and unite to form the main Cleveland seam, from which the bulk of the ore is at present obtained. This ore contains phosphorus, and could not be used in the manufacture of steel until the discovery of the basic process, by which lime is added to the lining of the Bessemer converter or to the Siemens hearth to form a base with which the phosphorus may combine. Even at the present
time phosphoric ores cannot be used in the manufacture of acid steel, and this is suggested as one reason why the output of the Cleveland mines does not increase more rapidly. Middlesbrough is the centre of the iron-smelting industry, which is also carried on at Stockton, Hartlepool, and other places, where coal, ore, and flux can all be easily brought together.
Shipbuilding is an important branch of the iron and steel industry of the region. The principal yards are situated below Newcastle on the Tyne, which has been deepened to permit of its navigation by large vessels, on the Wear at Sunderland, at Hartlepool on the coast, and at Stockton on the Tees. These districts have made rapid progress within recent years, and the tonnage of the ships built there now averages over 45 per cent. of the total tonnage built in the United Kingdom. Other industries of the region are also associated, to a large extent, with the manufacture of iron and steel. There are great engineering works at Newcastle, Stockton, and Darlington ; and railway stock is manufactured at the last named town. Salt is obtained from the Keuper marls at Middlesbrough, and there are great chemical works on the Tyne which derive part of their raw material from the Magnesian Limestone in the vicinity.