Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-23
Correspondence Of The Star.

Correspondence Of The Star.
OTTAWA, Canada, November 20
The coal situation in the United States
Is reflected in Canada very seriously. as
the two great industrial provinces OF
Ontario and Quebec are largely depend
emit upon the United States coal fields
for their supplies. Canada has as large
soft coal areas as are to be found IN
the world, but. unfortunately. they are
located at the two extremes of the Do
minion--in Nova Scotia. on the Allan
tic coast and in British Columbia, on
the Pacific.
1t has never been economically profit
able to ship coal from those two ex-
tremes to central Canada. A certain
amount of coal reaches the interior, De-
ing shipped up the St Lawrence by
boat from Cape Breton mines. but the
period of navigation is only from May
until November. In addition, since the
war there has been real shortage OF
coal carriers The majority of Canada S
coal boats were Communicated early IN
the war by the British ministry of ship
ping, as they were under British regis
ter. Many of them were sunk by sub
marines, while those remaining have not
Vet been returned.
Supplies Running Low.
p There has been as yet no suffering
on the part of Canadian industrial
plants, as most of the large industries
keep stocks on hand, but the supplies
are beginning to run low, and unless ar
rangements can be made with the Amer
lean authorities to secure some sup
plies many industries before the winter
is we'll over will be compelled to close.
1t has even been suggested that all
stocks now on hand shall be placed I'M
der government control and a ration
Ing system introduced.
Since the American strike began no
| Goal has been allowed to be shipped to
Canada. and strong representations on
abe matter are being made by the
Canadian government to the authori7
ties at Washington. Canada has in
stftuted system of licensing, and, in
addition. has forbidden the export of
any coal TO Europe. Under the Ii
censing system the mines of Nova
Scotia and British Columbia are only
a'ffowed to export to the United States
american ships are also allowed to
bunker at Canadian ports.
IN view of the fact that European
export shipments which formed a
large part of the Nova Scotian trade
have been forbidden in order to con-
serve all coal for this continent, the
feeling here is that the United States
authorities should strain a point and
treat central Canada as generously as
possible. Nova Sofia mine owners are
already protesting to Ottawa They
cfaim that they are losing their val
liable European trade. They would
not object if this were going to bene-
fit Canada, but if the Dominion is no,
going to secure any additional sup
plies from the United States they pro.
test against being sacrificed.
AS soon as it was evident at Otta
va that the coal situation was agar
going to be. acute c. A. Magrath. who
was Canadian fuel controller through.
out the war, was recalled to the of
flee. He has been in Washington fol
the past ten days, urging the Ameri
can fuel authorities to relax their bar
On exports, SO far as Ontario and Que
bee are concerned. but SO far, accord
ing to his reports to Ottawa, withou
success. AS result the Canadian
cabinet is taking the matter up Will
the authorities at Washington.
The coal year begins on April /, an,
the official figures as to shipment vi
TO October 81 this year are interest
ing. Since that date no soft coal ha
entered Canada These figures SHOW
big decline in American imports int
Canada over the same period for tn
years 1917 and 1918. Part of this de
cline is. no doubt, due to the closinl
down of Canadian munition plants
but a real shortage of shipments in
ward also is noticeable. In 1917 GU
imports from the United States TO
this period were 6.S59,494 tons; 1911
was the first year Canada began t
manufacture munitions and there wa
Il jump in the coal imports for tina
period to 1925. 951 tons. The follow
ing year, 1917, there was another in
crease to 12,230,1S4 tons. The yea
1915 saw these figures maintained a
12,l2O.206 tons. But during the pres
ent year. for the seven months fror
he innnFtE have been Onl
S.6o6,242 tons. Even allowing for tn