The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-18
INQUIRY BEGUN FOR
: U. s. OIL PIPE LINE
Government Officials start In
yestigation Into oklahoma
and Other Fields.
PLAN IS TO SUPPLY NAVY
The Tour Of Inspection Will
Include Kansas, Texas
and Louisiana.
PLAN IS TO SUPPLY NAVY

WASHINGTON, May 17.--Cato Sells, Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs. and Lieut.. j..
Q. Richardson. u. s. N. as the personal
representatives respectively of Secretaries
Lane and Daniels. have left Washington
on a tour OF inspection and investigation.
the result Of which will be awaited with
considerable interest In both the business
and military world.
The trip OF the two Government repre-
sentatlNes Is in accordance with the pro-
visions OF Senate resolution which was
introduced by Senator Gore OF Oklahoma
after "a conference with Secretary Daniels
The resolution provided that the Secre-
tary OF the Navy and the Secretary of the
Interior should investigate and report as
20 the feasibility. expense and desirability
OF tho Government constructing, MAIN
tanning and operating a pipe line for the
transportation OF oil from Oklahoma 70
some point on the Gulf coast and also as
20 the feasibility OF the Government going
;rto tho oil producing business.
The primary object of the inquiry is TO
set an adequate supply OF oil for United
states ships and to conserve an adequate
supply OF fuel oil for tho navy.
An Extensive Trip.
The trip of Commissioner Sells and
Lieut.. Richardson will be extensive Kan
sas. Okla homa, Texas and Louisiana will
be visited.
Secretary Daniels in his last annual re-
port showed that England has appropri-
utsd nearly 100000 for oil tank pur-
poses and has entered the Mexican oil
business. Winston Churchill, First Lord
of the Admiralty, has announced that It
was necessary for the royal navy to es-
sablish refining plants and as n matter OF
necessity 10 enter into the oil business.
Mr.. Daniels explained that tho Amerl-
-. n -.
oil last year. and this year the amount
was certain to exceed l00000,O00 gallons.
while the consumption In the future was
"a serious problem. He said Ii would not
DO radical departure for this Govern
ment TO 20 into the oil business for the
United States has been building some Of
its own SHIPS and has established gun
and clothing factories.
Since tile adoption OF the Gore resolu-
ton. Commissioner Sells and Lieut.. Boyd
have been busy making inquiries into tho
oil and pipe line business and while there
IS some opposition To tho Government
entering into the competitive business. the
in, estisaL!on has brought out much inter-
estins information.
The Worlds supply.
Tie investi CATION showed that tine United
States has been producing "a per cent. OF
the worlds supply Of crude oil, Mexico
approximately per cent, Russia about
~ per cent, while the Dutch East Indies
Rumanii. Gdlicia and India produce prac-
tlcally all the rest OF the oil.
Since January l this year there has
been considc rIble development in Argen-
i!ns, Venezuela and other South American.
countries, and the STANDARD Oil Company
has Il prospective field in China.
The worlds production OF crude oil up
60 May /, 1914, Is estimated at 5.O0O,-
100000 barrels, ana of this amount the
United States mas produced 20 per cent.
The English Admiral VINO said he would
rather control the crude oil supply than
control the greatest fleet evidently knew
what lie Vas talking about.