The Cordova daily times., 1919-05-20
PACIFIC FLEET E, WANTS USE OF
 ALASKA COAL

ANCHORAGE, May 20 Especial to the Times)-Pacific coal is needed for the Pacific fleet, and fuel will be taken from the Matanuska field, thirty-five miles from Anchorage, if the bitumin- ous areas, in the course of develop ment, meet the present expectations of the commission appointed by the secretary of the navy to investigate Alaska beds with view to obtaining steaming supplies for warships. The Matanuska field, controlled by the government and subject to reserva- tion for its exclusive use, close to tidewater and connected with federal wharfage sites by government rail road, offers to the navy advantages it cannot acquire elsewhere.
 Assurance of the high-grade quality of the coal, confidence in the large quantity of the deposits and approval of the idea to devote part of the field to the use of the navy were expressed, following an investigation, by mem bers of the naval commission. 8s,
 The commission consists of Captain s. B. w. Kittele, Captain l.. E. Greg ory and Lieutenant L. Aikman, United States naval officers from the Puget Sound navy yard, Bremerton, Wash; Sumner S. Smith, head of the coal mining department of the Alaskan Engineering Commission, and Theo- dore Chapin, of the United States geo. logical survey, both of whom have their headquarters in Anchorage.
 At the instance of the navy depart ment, congress two years ago passed a bill appropriating $1,O0OOOO for in- vestigating and developing in pre- liminary way, for naval purposes, coal deposits in Alaska, but the bill was repealed before any of the funds were put to use. The department plans that another bill carrying sim liar appropriation shall be introduced
 
 The wording of the bill is that "$1 100000 or so much thereof as may be necessary, in the discretion of the secretary of the navy, may be used by him in mining coal or contracting for the same in Alaska, in transporting the same and in providing the neces- sary docks for use in supplying ships herewith; and the secretary of s+Aaj navy is hereby authorized to select from the public coal lands of Alaska such areas as may be necessary for use by him for the purpose stated herein.''
 "The navy wants coal" said Captain Kittelle, chairman of the commission, in explaining the coal land investiga- tion by him and his associates. "The navy wants coal in the Pacific. The navy wants Pacific coal in the Pa cific. Everybody knows from press re- ports that the Pacific fleet is to be re-established, and re-established on a much larger scale than heretofore. It probably will, if press reports are correct, be strong fleet of all types of war vessels, from dreadnaughts to submarine chasers. Vessels of this fleet may be operating i'll Alaska waters annually; therefore, the neces- c;4,- <o can be readily realized.
 ''The naval commission is charged with the duty of ascertaining, insofar as possible, the detailed facts relative to the quantity of coal existing in the Matanuska beds, the transportation facilities from the place of production to tidewater, the pier and water fa cilities, and the availability of labor
 We shall make our report to the navy department, which, in turn, will decide upon plan and probably then submit it's recommendations to con gress. I have no hesitancy in saying tests of Matanuska coal have shown it possesses the necessary steaming qualities. The commission. has visited the field and personally I am in- clined to believe the beds can be de- veloped to produce adequate quanti- ties for navy use. Certainly the navy hopes the field will prove to be linn itless.
 'In view of the fact that congress has once made generous appropria tion for the purpose of developing the Matanuska coal field, 1t seems reason able to suppose. because of the con tinuing need of the navy, that the ap- propriation will be renewed"
 Captain Gregory hopes the develop ment of the Natanuska field by the navy will nscessitate his return to Alaska.
 CT am ancnura1 1ed to belieye." he