The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-11-14
NAVY'S COAL BILL
SHOWS ITS GROWTH
Admiral Bradford Presents Some Inter.
esting Facts in His Report.
SUBMITS SOME RECOMMENDATIONS.
coaIlng Stations Have Been Located at Port
Isabella, Bassalin Island, and at Polloc,
Mindanao-A Complete Station Has Been
Established at Yokohama, Japan, and II Is
Now Fully Stocked With Coal.

Washington, d. c. (SpcciaD. A
striking illustration of the growth OF the
American Navy is presented in the single
statement in the annual report of Rear
Admiral r. B. Bradford, Chief of the
Equipment Bureau of the Navy, that he
spent S2,273,IIG last fiscal year for 324,-
lo8 tons OF coal at an average of $7.oI
per ton.
The report says that this was nearly
os7G3 more tons OF coal than were used
during the preceding fiscal year. Ten
years ago the coal consumption was 49,
oco tons per annum The domestic coal
costs s.. 20 per ton, and the foreign coal,
of which there were used Io5,ooo tons,
cost $3.50 per ton.
Admiral Bradford has scattered Amer
ican coal all over the world wherever
suitable storage could be found. He has
placed 1900 tons at Yokohama and
5000 tons at Pichilinque, Mexico, and
he has sent large quantities to Guam and
to the Philippines. He carried 5000 tons
by water from the Atlantic coast to
Mare Island California, where it came
into competition with English Cardiff
coal. They have averaged the same in
cost. viz, 5000 per ton, but at present,
owing to the scarcity of American
freight vessels, the best Cardiff coal is
considerably cheaper at Mare Island. 1t
is recommended that two large steam
Io,ooo-ton golfers be built TO keep de-
pots supplied in time of peace and to ac-
company the fleets in time of war.
Summarizing the work accomplished
during the year the report takes up Ca
vite and says that the bureau is about to
open bids for a 45ooo-ton coaling station
there. Efforts have been made TO obtain
site for a coaling station at Cebu, but
thus far without success. Coaling sta
tions have been located at Port Isabella,
Bassaln Island, and at Polloc, Minda
mao. A complete station has been estab-
lished at Yokohama, Japan, and il is now
fully stocked with coal The same state
ment is true at Pichilinque. Mexico,
where through the courtesy of the Mex
ican Government, coal and colliers of the
United States have been admitted to the
station without port or customs of any
kind
In the West Indies a little work has
been done at San Juan on the coalng
scale, but Admiral Bradford expresses
in securing sites for other coal depots in
the West Indies. 1t is said to be essen
tial that some of the deep water ports of
Cuba should be made available for this
purpose, as the entire waters surround
ing Cuba are most important in a STRAIT
egic sense and supplies OF coal should be
near at hand. Estimates are submitted
for improvement of coaling stations at
most OF the Atlantic ports. including a
complete modern plant at Norfolk. Ad-
miral Bradford specifically says GAS
the department is aware, efforts are
being made to establish other naval coal
depots at important localities, which it
is deemed unwise to discuss in port of
a public character"
During the year the navy paid for
pilotage $23,5II-a considerable decrease
over any previous year since 1896. Naval
officers are supposed to pilot their own
ships in all ports, but there are occa-
sions in tortuous channels and where
charts are not considered reliable where
prudence requires the employment of a
pilot. The system, however, is gradual
ly disappearing from the navy with i'm
proved charts.