Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-19

GApoIt o1 VoaAS
Dubious Advantage. ,arr. enough
to affect the production materially. In
1912 100000 short tons were export
ed, while 100000 tons were sent
abroad In 1913. This represents less
than per cent of the total product.
AS long as the war lasts tho demands
upon our coal reserves by neutral and
combating nations must inevitably be-
come strong. In fact. increased ship
ments Of coal to South American ports
already have begun.
Our industrial life depends upon our
coal reserves. 1t is therefore not a
matter of unmixed good fortune that
we should have good opportunity to
our coal reserves are necessarily linn
tied, and there Is no fiattering profit
in Fastening to eQualize the world s
fuel advantages with our own. The
reserves of easily accessible anthracite
and bttuminous coal in the United
States amount to 1900, zoe, oe0, 900 tons.
Further, there Ia nearly half as much
more of the same grades Of coal which
are accessible with difficulty. Again.
bituminous coal and Ignite. These fig-
ures do not include the vast reserves
of Alaska. 1t Is estimated that North
America possesses nearly tWo-thifds
of the worlds coal reserves.
This country produced about IS per
cent of the worlds petroleum in 1913
The geological survey estimates that
the maximum yield of the United States
d. SEQ. 900 barrels. American petro-
leum has long held q world supremacy
almost as assured as that held by
American cotton. Russia, however. has
inexhaustible stores of oil, as has Aus
trian Poland or Galicia. The Russian
developed. The United States product
has been sold all over the world. and
likely will hold this widespread trade
for many years. A few years ago this
oils. In 1914 we took 773.o52.4s0 gal
Ions Of Mexican petroleum. worth Ill.,
776,737.
The United States has been both i'm
porter and exporter Of metals and me-
tallic ores.
United States Both Our i'm
Importer and Exporter. 49,
have been double our exports. while
we have exported twice as much me-
tallic copper as we import. We are,
however, large exporters of ores and
crude metals. According to the opin-
ion Of experts. far too much Of our
ores and crude metals is shipped
across the Atlantic for part or COM
plete manufacture, and then returned
to us. Europe's largest exports of
metallic ores to this country are those
of manganese and the ferro alloys. We
import considerable lead and zinc from
Mexico. Russian ores are the main
source of platinum, while the sources
Of anthony. arsenic and bismuth con-
sumed in this country are largely for
eign.
All the more essential minerals, how
ever, are here in abundance. OF the
entire output Of the worlds most en-
sential mineral. iron ore. more than 40
per cent Is raised from American mines
The countries which rank next to the
United States in the production of iron
ore are Germany. Great Britain and
France, all at war. and producing less.
Austria, Russia. Sweden and Spain also
are large producers of this ore. The
iron reserves of the United States are
and the estimates of these
reserves run into the hundreds of bill
lions of tons. With its stupendous
supplies of iron and coal, this country
is in excellent trim for taking over the
whole of the worlds trade in steel and
iron products.
There already has arisen a sharper
demand for American steel. English
whose supply from the Bel.
gian and German mills has oeen cur
Off. are placing orders with American
while Japan and the
countries of South America are
The smelters of the United States
Furnish the world with IS per cent of
its and at Least 30 Per e ssns OF
Comma res in Importance with the United
than sol. 100000 pounds year are pro.
dmced. and the country's reserves are
thoueht to be large enough to respond
over long period Of years to .a .s de-
mand increasing at the rate ss,o OF 81
600 9Ser p0 ths greatest single producer Of
in A tns sIsr M na%sa anS
SPAIN ,,,, Our lead and zinc reserves
ssa annarently ample for every de-