The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-09-19
GRAVE REPORTS ON
 TRIP TO EUROPE
By HOLLAND.

By hOLLAND.
 New York, September ls.--(Special)
 William R. Giaee. who is president of a very large American industrial cor poration and whose relations are inti-
 mate with the great international
 house of William R. Grace and com
 pany which was founded by his father
 and of which his brother Joseph F.
 Grace is now president. returned a
 few days ago from sojourn of nearly
 five months in Europe.
 Among other important information
 which he secured while in Europe and
 which relates to the internationl trade
 of the United States MT. Grace learned that the berchant marine shipping siiua-
 ton in Great Britain is in a most un- satisfactory condition. At least five
 years perhaps more, will pass before
 Great Britain has recovered from the
 heavy losses to her shipping which
 were entailed by the war. This state
 ment confirms the report brought by
 A C. Bedford, to his friends in this
 city after his return from a visit of
 five months to Great Britain and the
 
 ported that Great Britain had lost
 seventy five per cent of it's merchant marine during the war. and that sew
 erai years would be required to bring
 her merchant marine back to the condition which characterized it before
 the war began.
 Meanwhile the United States is
 rapidly gaining in the construction of vessels, adequate for our ocean com merce, and for that reason should be all the better equipped with facilities for successful competition in the mar kets of the world, for American com modities.
 But it is not the shipping condition in Great Britain which exclusively con eerns her manufacturers and those who hope to lead in international trade. FACE REAL CRISIS
 For in addition to the shipping prob lem there appears to be real crisis in Great Britain occasioned by the failing off in her coal production. In the past Great Britain has been in no inconsiderabie mea sure capable of manufacturing commodities for expor. at price which enabled her to meet the competition of other nations be- cause she got her coal very cheap. Now the United Kingdom is confront ing a rise in fuel prices and this it is feared will result not in only domestic hardships to the poor but will seriously menace the domestic industries and dangerously threaten her export trade. The price to the consumer of British coal has more than doubled since the war began and it has been found neces- sary carefully to ration present sup plies. There come intimations from Great Britain to the leaders in our financial district that the danger is great that Britains coal will entirely disappear from the export market. With a merchant marine far below the standard which was established be fore the European war began and with her fuel supply dangerously threaten ed and her export coal likely to be given up it would seem as though the states men and the industrial leaders of Great , Britain were facing a very serious problem.
 Meanwhile the ports ct coal from the United States are steadily incress- ing and if looks now as though this country will be able to command ths important South American market for coal e
 While the situation in the United States with respect to fuel supply ts l not dangerous yet there is apprehension l that for some years we are to have dear coal. This will be partly due tc l labor unrest IS the resuction of tho hours of coal production. Already manufacturers in some parts of the country are seriously considering tho 1 installation of oil in place of coal for fuel. Tn fact reports have come tc New York that two important mil corporations in New England are already installing apparatus which will Make use of oil for fuel in place of coal if possible and advantageous THE TEXTILE INDUSTRY Some of the companies in the textile districts in New England are also con templa ting installing fuel oil In place of coal and the presumption is that this new fuel will within a very shor, time have supplanted coal.
 Careful investigation has shown that the change from coal to oil Is not eE- pensive 1t being necessary to install only few simple and inexpensive
 factors. The feeding can be controlled almost entirely by automatic machinery dispensing with considerable labor. Already some of the n1 companies are making prepatations to meet the de mand New England will make This probably explains what for time seemed to be a mystery in the building of large plant near Boston, for the purpose of providing sufficient oi supply. Many thought when this plar l was first announced that the oil conl- panies had in mind the export of oi I from the port of Boston to various ports across the sea. Now the impress l sion is general that the oil companies are preparing to meet an expected de ! mand for fuel oil in place of coal il 1 many of the greater manufacturinf plants of England. While the use of oil for stationary power plants has just begun nevertheless 1t is expected that this use will rapidly increase the pre- sumption being that it is one of the l simplest most economical and satis- l q. atnrr rnAfhnds. of oVercominG