The Seward gateway daily edition, and the Alaska weekly post., 1919-11-08

While the report of the navy Alas ka coal commission has not been of fiCally made public, anyone with good credentials, who wants to know its contents, can get access to 1t, says an article in recent Seattle PoSt-ln- telligencer, from the Washington, D. C., correspondent.
 The commission was made up of three naval officers, headed by Capt <. F.. W Kitlellc aS senior officer, the other members being Capt. l.. F.. Gre gory of the Brcmelton navy yarc, and Lieut.. Roy Aikman of the marine corps. It went to Alaska, last Aprjl, under orders of Secretary Daniels, to investigate the navy coal supply n the harbors O. Anchorage and Sew ard for coaling station.
 The report is very complete and con ,ains numerous maps, photographs and drawings, altogether making a volume eighteen inches square anda foot thick.
 Some Faults at Surface
 The report states that from the workings done 10 date in the navy coal part of the Matanuska district on ChickalOOn river, there is 250,00O tons of coal of naval quality in sight, but that on the surface it is badly faulted. With depth, however, the rc- port says, the tendency can reason ably be expected b be more favor able. The Kings river and the Coal creek sections of the same field are more even and offer better working conditions. The veins in these two sections are reported to be in some places wholly undiSturbed
 Altogether the report finds that the area containing navy coal in the Ma tanuska district is estimated to be good for a yield of 37.OOO, 900 tons, of which lS,OOO,OOO is ip the Eska dis trict and l9,OOO,OOO in the Kings Chickaloon districts.
 The report recommends that the navy department send up q force of geologists and mining engineers to make 2 thorough and scientific test of the whole Matanuska field, includ- ing diamond drilling to depth of 1000 feet, in order to determine the best location and the most practica- ble methods for mining operations.
 Costs S5.5O at Mine.
 The commission finds that so far as known at present, the coal will have to be washed for naval use, but it gives figures showing that the cost of mining and washing based on minimum production of i50,00o tons a year should not exceed $5.5O ton at the mine.
 Tn the matter of site for coal ing station, the commission states that it made careful examinations of both the harbors of Knik arm, at Anchorage, and of Resurrection bay, at Seward. It eliminates Knik arm, because of ice jams in the months from October to April, saying:
 Block ice shifts back and forth with the tidal currents and becomes thicker and thicker as winter ad- vances. This floating ice is Caught in 8 jam at the sForelandS, Cook in- let, both at ebb and flood, and piles up there in way to make the pas. sage of vessels very difficult, This, coupled with wintr gales, fog, and what is worse than fog in Cook Inlet snow and the swift currents makes the pilotage of Cook Inlet m winter veryl diStaSteful to the most experienced and hardy navigators. One drawback to these waters from the standpoint of marine engineer is that the waters of Cook Inlet, and especially of Knik arm, are heavily charged with g-acial silt, held in sus, pension, and the water is thus made nuch thicker than the Mississippi river water at it's muddiest in freshet time. Consultation with several of- ficers of steamers plying in Alaskan waters brought to light the fact that this circulation water had a strong tendency to choke ecnderSers aud