The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-08


effects OF the coal strike will be far
reaching indeed. - Wilkesbarre, Pa,
Times.
Some OF the propositions that have been
made In congress in regard to placing
GOAL on the free list apply only to an
thracite. but TO be effective the duty
should be suspended on all coal, whether
anthracite or bituminous "a Senator
Lodge proposes, for our imports OF the
first are small In comparison with our
months of 1902 that closed with November
our total imports OF coal amounted 10
s2.23a.526 tons. or this 2,lsl.09s tons were
luminous. and dutiabfe. while only 5s i2s
tons were classed as anthracite and ad-
mitted free. On the showing Of the treas
ury figures. therefore. less than 2e per
cent OF the coal brought into this coun-
try In the first eleven months or lsVs was
anthracite.
While discussing coal figures. we may
say that our attention has been called 10
what seems to be wide discrepancy be-
tween the British figures and our own.
but this discrepancy can be explained. at
least to quite an extent ON Monday we
quoted from the Glasgow Herald-a paper
that we have always found reliable-the
statement that the shipments OF coal
from the United Kingdom to the United
States In the II months ending Nov. 30
amounted 10 1888 tons. The fgures
given out by the United States treasury
show that I'm the first IL months OF the
calendar year 1902 only 365. 446 tons OF
btuminous were received in this country
from the United Kingdom. and II to this
is added the entire receipts OF anthra-
cite II would only bring the figures up to
41s.I+ tons. This was ove- 100000 tons
less than the Glasgow Heralds estimate
based on the government reports OF the
shipments from Great Britain. But ship
ments made In November from the other
side might easily not reach the United
States in that month In fact. II is prob
able that most OF the coal shipped I'm the
last half Of the month OF November from
British ports would not reach here until
December. Take the United States
treasury figures for the month OF Novem-
Der. They show that In that month
alone 246. .669 tons OF btumlnous came here
from Great Britain, and II 10 this Is add
cd the total receipts Of anthracite. 1869
tons. II would bring the probable receipts
from Great Britain In that month up To
PSI 32s tons which would be very con-
siderably more than half OF what was
credited to the first IL months OF the
year.
on that basis It's fair 10 argue that
coal was coming here on n greatly In
creasing ratio. so that the shipments in
the last half OF November may possibly
have eaualled the total receipts on this
side during that month. II such was the
case, it would explain away the larger
part OF the discrepancy. which, at first
glance, would appear TO exist between the
figures OF the officials OF the United
States and those OF Great Britain.
IL has been argued that the 81 cents a
ton duty on bitum!nous coal amounts 10
but very little. but II that so? on the
basis OF the recently quoted freight rates
from Great Britain TO this country, which
have been as low az 5s. n ton from Swan
sea to New York. this duty would amount
TO about half OF the freight rate. AS the
average value. according TO the govern
ment. OF the bituminous imported from
Great Britain II $3.50 per ton on tho other
side. this would mean a duty or trihe
over 20 per cent ad valorem. which Ameri- |
ran consumers must pay as protection 20 |
the soft coal interests OF this country. |
that are now doing their best to take ad- |
vantage OF the fuel scarcity and force up !
their prices 20 double what they have |
ruled in previous years. Boston Herah |