The Detroit times., 1914-08-19
RAYMOND w. PULLMAN.
Times Washington Bureau, No. 7
Metropolitan Bdnk BuiJdin0.S

WASHINGTON, d. c.. Aug. ls.-As
soon as there were prospects or a
European war, In
Coal Supplies Of quiries began to
Warning Nations. come In 10 the
| United States geo
logical survey asking for information
upon the coal supplies OF the various
countries which are participating In
the conflict. For some peculiar rea-
son, many persons apparently had the
impression that some of the nations
might not have sufficient supply OF
coal to keep their navies going during
war which might last over a period
Of many months.
Although the government has never
published information on the coal sup
| ply OF other countries. most or the In
quiries were referred to DR.. Edward
w. Parker. the chief mineral statisti-
clan OF the geological survey, and in
most cases he was able to furnish the
desired information from figures
which had been gathered by the Inter
national Geological congress,
Practically all OF the countries en-
gagged In the great war have coal
supply large enough TO run their
navies for hundred years and more,
according to government statisticians,
although the coal deposits OF Europe
are exceedingly small compared with
the combined coal resources OF the
United States and Alaska.
Among the nations engaged In the
present war Great Britain has the
largest supply OF coal. The royal com
mission estimates that the reserves
of that country contained approx
mately 10000, 100000 long tons or
about 10000, 100000 short tons. Ger
many's coal resources are next in
point OF extent, and this leading foe
of the triple entente has about 49,
4G0, 100000 tons OF coal In its fields.
Russia has 10000, 00O, 900 tons; Aus
tria, 1900, 100000; France, 17.000,-
: 100000, and Belgium, 100000, 900.
England, besides having the largest
coal supply OF Europe. also has In
Canada, her possession, more than the
com bined deposits OF the countries OF
Europe, excepting Germany. The
known, coal supplies of Canada are
estimated at about 100000. 100000
tons.
Although these figures sound very
large to the reader, the amount OF
coal In the deposits in all OF Europe
is very small compared with that OF
the United States. In the United
States proper, exclusive OF Alaska, II
Is estimated that there are 3,2OO.OOO.-
000, 900 tons, or more than twenty
times as much coal as there r. in
Great Britain. which has the richest
coal fields of Europe, or more than
eight times as much coal as there Is
in all the countries OF Europe COM
bined
The amount OF coal used at the
present time Is enormous, and mining
engineers say that 1t Is fortunate for
Industries Of the present century that
the world has such enormous deposits
OF fuel under the ground. Statistics
show that the use OF coal Is increas-
ing rapidly every year out OF proper
ton to the increase In population. An
idea OF the enormous amount of coal
used In shipping may be gained from
the information that one OF the mod
ern ocean liners consumes from four
to five thousand tons of coal on each
trip across the water, or the product
Of an entire acre In the richest coal
fields.
During the past two weeks, while
the immense armies Of Europe have
been modified for
Fighting Plague battle. the warfare
at New Orleans. " h &c American
public health OFF,
GERS are carrying on against bubonic
plague In New Orleans has been almost
lost from sight. Surgeon-General Ru-
pert Blue, of the United States public
health service, reports, however, that
the campaign against bubonic plague
| In the southern city Is being pushed
as strenuously by the governments
health officers as Ii was three weeks
ago, when the fight was perhaps the
most important item of news.
A corps of ten of the best trained
commissioned officers and five assist
ant surgeons OF the public health ser
vice, who are working under the direc-
tion of Assistant Surgeon-General w.
| c. Rucker apparently have the fight
well In hand. although, according to
SUPERINTENDENT Blue, there will be
no let-up In the campaign until dan
ger or plague Is entirely over and the
chances sor Infection have passed.
SUPERINTENDENT Blue said yesterday
| tina. much good will perhaps come out
of the anti-plague campaign which the
government officers are now carrying
ION In New Orleans. Other southern
cities are considering the adoption OF
ordinances aiming to put an end to
the one source OF intection--the COM
mon brown rat
The governments public health Off
GERS say that even today many people
understand little about the nature OF
bubonic plague. This plague is dis
ease OF rats, and Is carried by infected
fieas. Owing to several erroneous
statements which have been given
publication, many people have been
given to believe that bubonle plague
Is a disease Of feas and Is carried