The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-06-08

the lack of ships in the Gulf of Mexico. Local operators recently have been agi-
 tating the allocation of wooden ships owned by the government to the gulf
 trade to handle Alabama coal
 SHIPPING FACILITIES
 It is stated by some who have studied the situation that with the proper ship ping facilities Alabama coal can be de- livered at gulf coast points. Cuba and than can the West Virginia or Pennsyl- vania coals
 An official of one of the large operat- ing companies states that Alabama coal can be delivered at Tampa, Fla, for in stance, at total freight charge of $2.s0, which is considerably less than coal from any other field can be put down there Against the total freight charge of g 50 on Alabama coal the West Virginia fields, Alabamas strongest competitor in the gulf, West Indies and South American trade, must pay g ton freight from the mines to the seaboard at Newport News or Norfolk, and obviously 50 cents a ton from those ports to Tampa would not be o'ttatNiNt tO SiiiPpiHS iliNctSStS-
 Alabama would enjoy proportionate freight rate advantages to all other gulf, Cuban and South American ports were the shipping facilities available.
 The annual coal consumption along the gulf coast and in Cuba, it is stated, is about 2,5Oo,0O0 tons. Tampa alone con sumes 800 GOO tons
 WOODEN SHIPS
 With the allocation of wooden ships, should the government yield to the quest of the Alabama operators, loading and storage facilities would have to be provided at Mobile With storage ca pacity for 5000 to 100000 tons and equip ment that would load coal onto ships at the rate of 800 tons an hour the long de- lay at Mobile necesstated by the absence or storage and loading facilities would be obviated.
 The coal market, which has been dull for several months, is picking up, and with the resumption of operations at a number of furnaces and other industrial plants the demand from that source will ir crease considerably within the next few but with all the plants in the district running full time they cannot more coal than the present ca pacity of producing mines.
 In the event the government allots the W ooden ships to the gulf for coal car yluS PutPOScS II iS pidlHtu lO ai whereby Florida fruits, Cuban sugar and South American prod ucts of various kinds can be brought back 10 Mobile or New Orleans. thus providing cGrgoes both ways.
 In discussing the coal market yester- day, w. Carson Adams of Adams. Rowe & Norman, who are sales representatives oi number of the large operating com panies, said:
 "The domestic coal market is strong, the demand exceeds the supply, and it is not improbable that the domestic coal situation the coming fall and winter will be quite as serious as it was during the winter of 1916-17
 ''The steam coal market has been quiet, but has improved considerably during the past four weeks and the outlook now is that during the next four to six weeks practically all of the better grades of steam coal will be sold for many months ahead.
 SHORTAGE OF COAL
 There is a world wide shortage of coal m every country, with the exception of the United States. Italy. which pro- luces no coal. and must therefore depend ,n importations of coal from other coun- .res, cannot resume their industrial life on account of insufficient coal. Italy alone needs 100000 tons of coal per month, beginning at once.
 ..The United States never before had such a golden opportunity to get into he foreign coal trade and the tonnage ,f coal now being shipped, and which will be shipped from this country from now on for quite long time, will be linn ted solely by ships available for coal 
 'The United States shipping board has the coal producers of this coun- ny, allocation of ships sufficient to at least 2oo,000 tons of coal monthly to European countries. begin ling with July, and to gradually increase his tonnage until .5o0, 900 to 1,s00. 600 tons ,f coal will have been exported by the md of the year. This will be, in addi- ion to ships already engaged in the coal .arrying trade and ships flying foreign | lags, which are expected to come into | American ports for coal for transport /! lbroad.
 switzerland now requires 25o,oO0 tons 1 If coal monthly, and France is drawing | rom England 100000 tons per month.
 Much has been said in the past about | Alabama coals seeking foreign markets, | 70 that the coal mine development of this | district can be further expanded, and l Alabama now stands on the threshold of | m unprecedented opportunity.
 Cuba and the South American coun- ! ries on both the east and west coasts, l IS we'll as the Panama canal, should 1 Iraw a large tonnage of coal from this | field, and the only obstacle now in the | vay is a shortage of ships to carry it | rom, Alabama's gulf port, Mobile.
 ''The important thing now is for the | 'eople of this district to use all the l means at their command to see that | roper share of the shipping boards yes els Is allotted to Mobile for coal carry | ng. 20 that the mines of this district can un 70 maximum capacity, which would l 1ean. at the present high rates of wages !
 vast sum of money constantly turned