Started  on  a  comparatively  small  scale,  "nominated  loading  "  (so
called  because  specified  days  were  "  nominated "  for  particular  desti-
nations) steadily  became  an  established  success.  The  advantages  it
offered  were  more  and  more  appreciated  in  proportion  as  the  difficulties
of  the  railway  companies  in  dealing  with  the  traffic  increased,  though  it
was  mainly  the  troubles  experienced  during  the  course  of  1917  that
offered  the  greatest  incentive  to  the  companies  in  general  to  accept
methods  which,  it  must  be  confessed,  had  not  at  first  been  regarded  in
every  quarter  as  really  feasible.  If  the  new  system  succeeded,  it  did  so
on  its  merits,  and  the  time  came  when  it  had  been  adopted  by  practically
all  the  leading  railway  companies,  with  excellent  results  in  the  way
alike  of  economy  of  labour,  better  user  of  rolling  stock  and  greater
economy  and  efficiency  in  working.
OTHER  REMEDIAL  MEASURES.  >7'2.^

Coal  Transport  Reorganisation  Scheme.
Within  the  first  thirteen  monthsof  the  war  the  number  of  enlistments
of  men  concerned  in  the  mining  industry  of  this  country  was,  according
to  the  second  report  of  the  Coal  Mining  Organisation  Committee  (see
p,  695),  250,750,  while  the  falling  off  in  production  during  the  first  twelve
months  of  the  war,  as  compared  with  the  corresponding  pre-war  period,
was  29,925,000  tons.
Early  measures  were  taken  by  the  Government  to  deal  alike  with
this  shortage  of  supplies  and  with  the  advance  in  prices  following  thereon.
