New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-29
WAR BOOSTING PRICES
France Feels the Pinch in
Wheat and Petroleum.
BLACK SEA TRADE STOPS
Vessels Normally Plying Be.
tween Odessa and Marseilles
Are Mostly Greek.

Paris, Dec 20-The recent naval opera
| tons at the mouth OF the Dardanelles in
which Greece and Turkey have been en-
gagged have had serious consequences for
French trade. Thus the embargo on
Greek vessels coming from the Black
Sea has stopped the supply Of wheat from
Russia destined for Marsellles, for Rus
! sian wheat Is mainly carried in Greek
| bottoms. The three great commercial
syndicates OF the Mediterranean ports Of
France made complaints recently to the
| French government on this subject.
These comprised among Others the export
and import -four millers of the South Of
| France, and they requested the Minister
OF Foreign Affairs to ask the governments
| Of France, Great Britain and Germany to
urge the Turkish authorities to raise the
! embargo.
The price Of bread has not diminished,
notwithstanding a comparatively plentiful
harvest in France and the golden crops
Of this season in America. The Balkan
war has had other injurious effects on
French industry. There is danger Of a
| famine in mineral oil and OF the products
OF petroleum, such az spirits OF petroleum,
kerosene for lighting and heavy oils.
During last year the amount OF Pc
troleum imported into France was 2,4oS,OoO
hectolitres. Russia supplied Of this total
$1,000 hectoitres and Rumania $4,000
hectoitres: that Is 10 say, these two coun-
tries supplied France with almost one
half OF the entire quantity required for
consumption. The importation In petrol
spirits and lamp oils reached total Of
2,0l7O00 hectolitres, and of this stock
2t60CD hectolitres were purchased In Rus
STA and $4,000 hectolitres in Rumania.
Lastly, 1,4il,OCO quntals or hectolitres OF
heavy oils were needed. and of this Rus
STA furnished 2s 90 quintals and Rumania
100 quintals.
Most OF the oil cargo boats also belong
TO Greeks, and have therefore been shut
up In the Black Sea until now. Ii would
be useless to think of utilizing tank
trucks for bringing petroleum. motor
spirits and heavy oil by rail. The cost
would be too great; moreover. the number
OF such tank trucks is altogether insult
ficient. and the Rumanian lines. which
have barely sufficient rolling stock for
| ordinary times. would be unable TO meet
this increase OF traffic.
A resumption of the war. even IL it did
not extend beyond the Balkan Peninsula,
would not only create a serious deficit IN
the stock OF mineral oil in France. and
consequently a marked increase In price
but would also add 10 the cost OF food
| stuffs. and therefore both the food OF
many Industries and that OF the people
would soon feel severely the effects or a
continued blockade Of the Dardanelles.
The bumper harvest IN the United States
and the thousands Of barrels OF oil
shipped TO Europe cannot replace at pres
ent in France the great trade in wheat
and naphtha and petroleum from the
Black Sea to Marseilles.
Notwithstanding the crop of wheat in
France this season. which was rather
above the average in quantity, II not In
quality. the article OF prime necessity
has barely decreased q decimal in price.
The South Of France already seems TO be
getting short Of the right kind Of grain;
the Marseilles wheat trade prefers hard
dry wheat To the softer kinds harvested
IN the regions north Of the Loire during
the late wet summer.
Although the Bosporus at CONSTANT
nople IL scarcely half mile wide at one
spot. and the Dardaneles about the same,
present events SHOW what mighty
lthoroughfare is this narrow waterway foI
the trade of the Mediterranean countries
and Of Western Europe.