The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-05-06
BIZ RAYMOND PULLMAN,
Times Washington BaredH.


Metropolitan Bank Building.
The government will soon conduct
the most thorough test. OF Alaskan
coal which has ever been made. The
bureau OF steam engineering OF the
navy department In July VIII send TO
Contro Ter Bay,
NAVY TO Alaska, the armor-
TEST ALASKAN ed cruiser Mary
COAL. land, which Will
load 500 tons of
coal mined on the old Cunningham
claims, which were declared Illegal
during the last administration. This
coal will be given a thorough sea test
-by comparing its merits with those OF
Pocahontas coal which is-nOw- largely
used in the navy.
Naval experts have frequently point
ed out the fact that in event or war
the American fleet IN the Pacific ocean
would be al considerable disadvantage
If IL had TO depend upon eastern coal
10 supply fuel fer the vessels. AT the
present time all OF the coal used by
the United States navy is mined in the
eastern fields. Carrying coal from At
lantic points 10 Manila. Honolulu and
IT
nensive, and takes much time. The
navy department is, therefore, very
anxious 10 avail itself OF a cheap sup
ply OF coal from Alaska, and II Is
with this end I'm view that the bureau
OF steam engineering, under the direc-
ton of. Rear-Admiral Ii. l. Cone. VIII
conduct in july series or tests 10
see If il can be established that Alas
kan coal is suitable for the running
OF naval vessels at high-speed forced
draft steaming at sea.
The 500 tons OF coal which the gov
eminent will use In the test on the
cruiser Maryland have been mined by
"a special expedition provided for by
congress. which has worked under the
direction OF Joseph
SPECIALLY A. Holmes. chief or
[ h e eau or
MINED. mines There are
no wagon roads 70
Boring river fields, and as the country
Is very broken and badly cut up the
coal was sledded over a trail from
Trout creek 10 saltwater during the
winter. AS soon as the ice breaks in
the Boring river the coal will be TAX
ed down the river in barges 10 Chilkat,
whence IL will be loaded on the Mary
land
The test which the navy department
is making this year in the Boring field
Will be duplicated next year in the
Matanuska field in Alaska, SO that the
government will have accurate data
on the value of both kinds of coal
taken from the famous fields OF the
northwest. II is not known what will
be the outcome or the tests, but IL is
expected that II the coal is found sat
isfactory for use on warships con-
gress will provide the navy with coal
reserves In Alaska and transportation
equipment which in. the future will
supply the whole Pacific feet with
accessible coal which can be obtained
quickly in case of emergency.
How to get reasonably accurate esti-
mates of crop production Of the coun-
try Is a problem which the federal
government. the states, railroads and
commercial organizations have at
tempted to solve
ACCURACY foi many years,
OF CROP and the results OBJ
REPORTS. tanned are seldom
satisfactory TO all
interests.
Prof Cyril G.. Hopkins, 81 the Uni
versity of Illinois. is the latest author
ity TO attack the accuracy Of govern
ment crop reports, and a statement
which he has made on Facts and Fic-
ton About Crops" has been answered
by George X. Holmes Of the bureau OF
statistics of the department of agricul-
ture.
The Illinois educator has restated
the fact that the crop reports of the
bureau of statistics OF the department
of agriculture and the reports OF the
bureau of the census OF the depart