PETROLEUM AND COAL

THE KEYS TOTHE FUTURE. By W. T. THOM, JB., Ph.D. Associate Professor of Geology, Princeton University; Member, National Research Council, Committee on Studies in Petroleum; Formerly in Charge of Coal and Oil Work, U. S. Geological Survey. PrincetonUniversity Press. 1929.

The expressed purpose of the book is to present the story of coal and oil in a way which will "Make its significance clear to all who are interested in public matters but lack the time to delve into the rather overwhelming volume of technical literature now published.

The narrative is commenced by a chapter treating of the fundamental and growing importance of mineral products in the development and maintenance of civilization, that paramount part played by coal and oil in the recovery and utilization of metals, and the consequent influence exerted by mineral fuels, especially by oil, upon national and international policies. The limited space of nine short chapters are then devoted to a description of the origin, occurrence, methods of discovery, and utilization, of both coal and oil, along with a discussion of the present status of the fuel industries. The treatment accorded these phases of the subject are of necessity brief, but the material is well chosen, and concisely arranged—so that it suffices its purpose. The final chapters deal with the actual world reserves, and their relation to present and future social and political problems. The need for a carefully planned policy of cooperation and conservation is stressed. Reserves of coal are ample for time "far beyond the range of valid prediction, " but future security in oil supplies depends upon the curbing of present wasteful practices indulged by the producing industry, intelligent prospecting abroad, satisfactory agreements with other nations, and adequate support of researches pertaining to the discovery, production, and use of petroleum.

Department of Geology.