Norwich bulletin., 1914-12-15
Alaska Coal is
 of Good Quality
sEcY DANIELS TELLS HOUSE
 NAVAL COMMITTEE
WAS TESTED ON CRUISER
Adequate Supply as Soon as Trans portstion Facilities are Available Gardner Continues His Guest for Hearing.

Washington. Dec. 14-F;ormal an- nouncement of successful naval tests of coal from the goyernnent-owned Mantanusl<a fields in Alaska was made today by Secretary Daniels before the naval committee of the house. Trials by the cruiser Maryland about ten days ago, Mir. Daniels said. had dem- 0nstrated that the Matanuska fields was gooG as any to be found and pointed the way to an adequate sup ply of fuel on the Pacific coast as soon as transportation facilities are avail able
 Alaska Coal For Government Use.
 The results of this test. over which navy officials have been exulting quiet ty for nearly two weeks, were par pointing experiments with coal from the Boring fields a year ago had dim med hopes that the rich deposits in Alaska ultimately would meet all of the governments demands for fuel on the west coast.
 The firing was easy and steam pressure was easily maintained" sad the secretary in telling the story to the committee 'The coal is said to have burned like points,
 Daniels Last Day Before Committee.
 Mir, Daniels spent his fourth and last day before the committee, explaining the needs of the navy in connection with the preparation of the annual ap- propFiation bill and answering aueS- tions on every phase of the national defence problem He told -of a pro- posal for building half million dol lar projectile plant at Philadelphia or Indian Head, Md. admitted that it
 was no secret in the navy that the supply of shells for the great guns
 of the battleships was inadequate and
 gave his views at length upon the
 retired pay question,
 Hobson Enters Controversy. ! Captain Winterhalter. the secretary,s aid for materials, was questioned about submarines and had quite an argument with Representative tIobson or Alabama over. war scareSS Captain W1nterhalter said that he was unable
 to see international dangers ahead
 pictured by MT. HOhson. Then the | congressman told the committee of a
 "scare" last year that put the Amer
 ioan garrison in the Philippines in a
 state of siege.
 'In May and for some months o1 1 last year. 1913,' said MT, Hobson
 ~our gunners at CorregidoF Island stood at their guns night and day with plans for a two year siege The all over the island were brought into Corregidor and everything prepared foI ! a siege except there was no transfer
 of the government from Manila It did | not IalNe any VlSIOn 10 see that. MT. HObson did not go into details
 as to the cause of these preparations
 and Captain Winterhalter apparently was not inclined to discuss the sub | ject,
 l Gardner Persistent For Hearing, Representative Gardner. of Massa- l chusetts. continued his efforts during | the day to get hearings on his pro- posed commission investigation of the nations preparedness for war. He ad- | dressed letters to Representative Pad gett, chairman of the naval committee
 and Representative Hay, chairman oi
 the military committee, asking then to summon officials of the two de- partments, certain retired army anC navy officers and former cabinet of ncers. Mir. Padgett replied at once f declining to scmmon former officers
 or officials and saying that the com
 mfttee preferred to hear the men now
 in charge of the government work. Tomorrow Assistant Secretary Roosevelt of the navy department anc | Captain Stirling, commanding the At.
 lantic submarine fiotilla, will be befor, | the committee