The sun., 1919-04-28
MORE COAL IS SENT
TO SOUTH AMERICA
Shipping Needed to Hold
Trade Taken From Great
Britain.
BY AMEDEE J. CASEY,
Editor American Coal JournoI

Editor American Coal JournoL
Coal exports from the United States to
South America have increased about $50
per cent since 1914, according to a re-
cent compilation, and this In spite OF
handicaps in the way of lack of ships to
carry the coal and high freight rates
There is opportunity for further increase
not only in the South American trade,
but in the trade with Europe. There are
orders in the market here for coal from
virtually all South American ports, from
Italy. France and the Scandinavian
countries. but shipments are held W. be-
cause 1t Is next to impossible to obtain
bottoms in which TO ship the coal.
Prior to the war, Great Britain al
most owned the South American coal
trade. She had the coal and the ship
ping, labor and freight rates were low
as compared with America and her COM
mercial organization was such that she
could easily provide for return cargoes
and thus she was placed in an extremely
favorable position.
The war changed all this. While the
American coal output increased from
513.000.O0 to 6S5 100000 tons, Grea,
Britain's production decreased approx
mately 20 per cent. or from 2s7 900 .00C
tons before the war to 23O. O00. 900 tom
in 1913. Out OF this reduced output she
had to increase her normal shipments "a
France and take care as best she could
of 1taly's war needs Naturally her
South American trade suffered and her
total exports fell off about sc per cent
Great Britain practically admits the
loss Of her world coal trade. upon which
much OF her national prosperity wa
based. She admits that America = q
dangerous competitor, with every oppor.
tunity OF retaining the advantage wor
during the war. where the annual re-
quirements are between 5000. 900 and
5000 900 tons.
The question Is. What is America 20
ing TO do to develop and hold this trade
Despite the admission OF Great Britain
that she has lost all but about IL
per cent. OF her South American coal
trade, 1t is not to be expected that she
Is going to sit back and accept the stu
alton without an effort to get back what
was formerly hers And Great Britain's
commercial organization is too strong TO
be disrega rded in the slightest degree.
America is the logical purveyor Of coal
to South America. We have the coal in
abundance and we need South American
products. so the matter OF return cargoes
is provided for. Also we have the ships.
Board to release sufficient tonnage to
the coal trade.
As matters stand, this Is just what the
Shipping Board Is not doing For some
reason. which the coal trade finds II
difficult to explain. 1t is extremely diff
cult to obtain ships TO carry coal. Not
long ago the Government released a
number OF neutral steamships which had
been used for war work
No Charters to Garry Coal.
It was expected that some OF these
could be chartered 20 carry coal to South
America, but the Shipping Boards char
terng committee refused to permit II on
the ground that harbor conditions in
Argentina would tie UP the ships. 1t is
generally understood. however, that no
such objection was made abroad and
this tonnage was taken TO carry British
coal from Cardiff.
There was hope that the situation
might he relieved by the return 10 their
private owners of ships requsitioned
for war purposes. This has been do shed,
shrs will he held until approximately
4 900, 900 tons OF food are shipped
abroad an operation which will keep
this tonnage in Government service until
next fall al least
Another difficulty placed in the way
Of the development OF trade with South
America Ia the high freight rates. and
within the last week the Shipping Board
has announced that there will be no re-
ductlon in these. While rates do operate
to a considerable extent to restrict bust
ness. they are not so much OF factor
as the lack OF tonnage, because there
are Arm orders here at prices which
cover even the high cost of shipping