New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-27
By FRED B. PITNEY.

of coal supply. The coal fields of Europe
and England are accurately mapped and
measured to the last ton. No one knows the
limits of Americas coal fields.
1--WE have great coal mines in Calvados, in
Northern France, and until few years ago
they were paying enterprises, but when we
completed our northern system OF canals,
leading to the Channel, English enterprise
took immediate advantage of the opportunity
to send English coal in barges by way of the
canals straight to our factory doors, and our
Calvados mines have been closed for twenty
years. We are going to open them again. |
had a conference with the mine owners yes
terday. But now is the time for America to
take advantage of the opportunity.
"What you need, of course" he added, lis
feet. You must either buy or build a mer-
chant feet, if you are not to lose with the
end of the war what you have gained during
the war;
| had been waiting to ask him about a
rumor that came TO me early in the week.
The report, from very good source indeed,
that France, England and Russia had
agreed that the German ships interned in
America could be bought by American ship
ping firms and put once more in the ocean
carrying trade The reason given was that
the German submarine warfare had made
such inroads on Allied tonnage that the in
creased tonnage available for chsrtering by
them would more than Offset the benefits 70
Germany from the money and credit received
from the sale of the ships
"A couple of days ago. | said, 81 was told
that France, England and Russia had con-
scented to the purchase"--
81 don't know anything about that" he in
terrupted me. Il don't know anything about
that"
After leaving NJ Sembat repeated the in
cidcnt to another public man.
"If ne didn't know anything about it. why
was he so quick 70 break in with a denial
before had finished my question:" | asked.
81 should say" my friend replied, that
the rumor was pretty we'll confirmed. |
should say that it remains TO be seen If
Germany wants to sell the ships. | under
stand that they have been holding meetings
in Germany to talk about how they will re-
sumo their commerce after the war. The
ships might have been bought year ago.
don't think it is so certain that they can
be bought now"
A rumor is dangerous thing to deal with
in positive terms, and give, therefore, ex-
actly what | have on IT,
NJ. Sembat, however, is deeply interested
in the question OF the commerce OF France
after the war.
THE particular work OF my department
he said, sis being done from the viewpoint
Of the future, as well as the present. You
know that because we are az war we are
not neglecting our internal affairs Ny de-
partment has been and is principally con
cerned during the war with building up the
ports of France. You went to Marseiiles,
and know what we have done for Marseilles
with the Mars-illes -Rhone Canal The two
other ports to which we have given the most
attention are Bordeaux and Havre. We
have deepened and widened the channel Of
the Gironde. vastly increasing the facilities
Of Bordeaux; We are making a new port At
Blaye so that ocean traffic will not have 10 60
clear UP the river 20 Bordeaux, and we are
going to build new hsrbor. and still an
other port az Verdon, just within the mouth
Of the Gironde, where the Pointe de Verdon
will protect the roadstead from the ocean
storms
AT Havre We have improved the harbor
and increased the docking facilities. and we
are about TO take up Cherbourg and make
great entrepot of it, The Germans before
the war had made Cherbourg a stopping
point for their Transatlantic traffic, and were
preparing 70 make Cherbourg a German port
in France. We are going TO make Cher
bourg a great French port.
These are the three principal projects my
department has in hand now. The ports are
needed for war purposes, but they will be
equally needed fer pcaee pgSpassS. and tie