In some regions, though, wood was scarce. In England, as populations grew, cities expanded (particularly London), and commerce boomed, demand for energy began to outstrip supplies. England was one of the first countries in the world to feel the energy squeeze. But, unlike most countries, England had a fallback. It had large reserves of coal quite close to the surface, much of it near rivers or the coast, so it could be transported cheaply and easily by sea or canals to the major cities, including London. English manufacturers and households began switching over to coal. By the seventeenth
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