Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-16
UNITED. STATES NEEDS
634,594,000 TONS
Bitpminous Output Must &c 14.5
Per Gent Greater Than
Last Year.
SHIPS REQUIRE MORE COAL
Most Puzzling Question of Fuel
Commission at This Time Is How
to Produce the Tonnage Necessary
TO Supply All.
Especial to The Timcs-Dispatch.l

WASHINGTON. June l5.-Aftcr
months OF investigation. including a
broad survey of industrial field. as we'll
as governmental operations. the Federal
fuel administration has reduced the
nations coal needs to rock bottom
basis and has found that in spite OF
all conservation measures. voluntary
and involuntary, 6S4.594. 300 tons Of
bituminous coal alone must be pro-
duced and made available IL the war
machine is 10 he kept going at fun
speed and tho country is 10 he kept
warm during the coal year beginning
April /. 1915.
The estimates now completed are
l,aseI upon figures submitted by the
va-ious departments OF the government
by Industrial consumers. by state ad
illustrators. by local dealers and by
every agency, official and unoiii cial.
concerned in the business OF fueling
the American people. The figures ar
rived ut are believed to represent the
irreducible minimum amount of coal
required to see the country through
another winter.
In order TO meet the demand, the
country must produce 79,s6G,0o0 tons
more of soft coal this year than 1t
produced last year. This means an
inc1 eased output OF about l4.5 per ceht
over 1917. To secure the 634,594.0oH
tons during the current year it will he
necessary to maintain an average week
~ output OF slightly more than I2o0o
900 tons.
This amount of coal has not been
produced in any single week during
y iof@ - ,iyN ~
dustry. The nearest approach ever
made TO Ii was reached during the week
of May %. when the official reports
indicated that n total of ll.Sll,000 net
tons had been mined.
Demands for increased coal tonnage
are being made in almost every drec-
ton. Take the case OF ships in foreign
service. The Shipping Board has est-
mated that to supply bunkers to ships
in the foreign trade will require 80
per cent more coal than in 1917. This,
OF course, includes the allied shipping
which is being used TO re-cnforce the
American transport service.
The Industrial requirements of the
country, augmented By the enormous
expansion OF war manufactures, Will
demand is per cent more fuel in 1918
than in 1917. The public utilities have
declared in their reports tina, - PEI
cent increase Will be necessary in or
der 10 supply them Domestic con-
sumers will need Is per cent more and
the railroads ask for : per cent more
NEW REaUIREMENTS CALI.
FOR 9,UO0,0ON Tons
On top OF these increases there are
10
demand an additional 100000 tors.
Two million tons OF this have been
allotted as substitute in the West
for oil. The remaining 100000 tons
will be used TO provide for an additional
ten days shortage supply TO the indus
tries and public utilities outside of
New England. The regular allotment
for New England will provide for thirty
days additional storage in those
States.
No increases have been allowed for
exports, for the manufacture OF bee
hive coke or for the bunke.ing of do
mestic ships, including those on tho
Great Lakes. This means that Canada
vii! secure no more tonnage than was
shipped 10 her last year. although
there is strong demand from the war
industries OF tn4 Donfinion for more
American fueh- -
II is. of course, not unlikely that
the estimates in their present form
may he slightly changed as the war
wears on. but from the information
in hand the fuel administration is con
WINGED that any such changes will not
decrease the aggregate amour. OF soft
coal tonnage, which must be produced
II all imperative demands are met
Here is the amount OF coal each group
of consumers viii require during the
current year.