The Washington herald., 1920-06-27

Although reports indicate large
ly increased consumption of gas
oline, there is now a feeling among
leading oil refiners that there will
be gasoline enough this year to go
around. The season of increased
this year with much larger stocks
On hand than in the two preceding
years. On April =, 1920, stocks of
gasoline in the United States to-
tailed 626,393,000 gallons against
stocks of 546,062,40O gallons April
i, 1919 and 526,3S2,400 gallons April
/, 1918.
There was a heavy increase in do
mestic consumption of gasoline in
the first three months of 1920, which
was largely due to the increased
rumber of internal combustion en-
gines in use, a large part of this
increase being accounted for in the
farming districts. In the first three
months of 1920 there were 734,044,-
500 gallons cf gasoline consumed
in the United States, as compared
with $50. 0.112.5OO gallons for the first
quarter of 1919 and sos, $4,000 gall
NV lHo OI 15lo
Exports of gasoline for the first
three months of 1920 showed a
large increase, being only 1900
900 gallons less than in the first
quarter of 1918, a year of war. For
the first three months of 1920. there
were 112,701.100 gallons exported
compared with exports of 99.6S7,6 500
gallons in the first quarter of 1919
and 126, ,S59,SO0 gallons in the first
quarter of 1918. In the first three
months of 1920, there were 49,
$500 gallons of gasoline added to
stocks in storage as compared with
24S,735.400 gallons added to storage
in the first quarter of 1919 and 114,-
125.6O0N gallons in the first quarter
of 1918.
In 1919 the domestic consumption
of gasoline increased approximate
ly per cent over 1918 and the con-
sumption of fuel oil gained about
the same amount. The consumption
cf lubricating oil declined about 2
per cent and the domestic consump-
tion of kerosene about per cent.
The amount of oil used by vessels
engaged in foreign trade in 1919
showed a eain of 116 per cent over
1918, these percentages of increase
comparing with the increase in pro-
duction of crude oil in 1919 over
1918 of only approximately per
cent. The domestic consumption of
crude oil in 1919 was approximately
S75,000,000 barrels, while the do
mestic production of crude oil
to 37s,000,000 barrels. II
exports are taken into considera-
tion, the total amount of oil prod
ucts delivered by the United States
refiners to the trade approximated
43O,OOO,000 barrels of crude, or
about 55,000,00 barrels more than
production.
The oil men of the United States
are looking out of the boundaries
of their own country to keep up
the supply Of crude, and the prin-.
cipal factor of course, in this will
be tanker capacity to bring the
crude oil from Mexico and South
America to the United States.
More tanker tonnage is ordered
and building today than ever be-
fore, because never before such
shortage of fuel, espe-
cially of oil. Although the worlds
steam tankage Is today twice as
large as it was June 80. 1914, and
one-third larger than on June 80,
1919, tanker orders now placed ex-
ceed half the total tankage at pres
ent afioat- AS 100000. gross tons,
out of the total of more than l.
100000 gross ordered, are already
beyond keel laying. the worlds
tanker tonnage six months from
now should be one-eighth larger.
by. another year one-third larger,
and by another eighteen months
larger than 1t is today.
The notable point in this build
ing is the way in which the United
States has gained upon and Is now
about to pass Great Britain in
steam tankage. BY November 1,
1920. the United States should own
approximately 47.2 per cent and
Great Britain A per cent of the
worlds steam tankage. On July L.
1914. Great Britain owned SIS per
'ent and the United states 49, per