MARKETS FOR ALASKA COAL. 23 
larkets, as may be seen by the great increase (289 per cent) in consumpl ion of coal on the 
orthern Pacific coast during the last ten years. This means a large increase in manufactur- 
p and other business interests and indicates that there is a substantial permanent increase 
1 the demand for coal, which, barring overproduction or an unlooked-for invasion of petro- 
sum, will ultimately lead to an upward tendency in prices. 
CAPABILITY OF COAL TO COMPETE WITH PETROLEUM. 
The following factors determine the possibility and result of competition between coal 
nd oil: 
1. Relative adaptability of coal and oil to the special use under consideration. 
2. Relative efficiency of oil and coal. 
3. Relative prices as determined by cost of production and freight. 
\. Supply available. 
RELATIVE ADAPTABILITY. 
The factor of relative adaptability determines the special markets for coal or for oil in wh ch 
le other can not compete at any price. Much of the Alaska coal is of such quality that it 
: especially suitable for use as a domestic fuel. As such it should find a widespread market 
long the Pacific coast, selling at a good price in San Francisco and the California oil fields, 
ompetition with oil will be slight, at least until improvements are made in the methods of 
urning oil. Competition with other coals will be considered in another place. 
There is much high-grade coking coal in Alaska, and coke will not come into competition 
ith petroleum, but will sell independent of the presence and cost of oil, the price being 
etermined solely by competition with other cokes. The present and prospective increase 
i steel and smelter industries will create a strong demand for coke. 
The Alaska mines will also furnish a high-grade blacksmith's coal. Petroleum will not 
jmpete for this purpose. In fact, the oil fields themselves will constitute one of the most 
btractive markets, and any extension of the oil fields will create new demand for black- 
nith's coal. The present supply of such coal on the Pacific coast is largely brought from 
le East at great cost. 
It does not seem practicable at present to adapt petroleum to general naval use. Pefro- 
uni will consequently not compete with Alaska coal in this market. Much of the Alaska 
3al is well adapted for use on war ships or wherever high-grade smokeless steaming coal is 
squired. The only effect which petroleum has at present in this market is to render other 
ml available for competition, and thus indirectly to reduce the selling price, if naval 
rchiteets succeed in solving the structural and storage problems which at present keep 
etroleum from being used in this way conditions will be changed, for petroleum has many 
ivantages over coal for this use. 
RELATIVE EFFICIENCY. 
The factor of relative efficiency is determined primarily by the quality of I he coal, the fuel 
alue of petroleum being more nearly constant. 
The United States Naval ''Liquid Fuel" Board has obtained the following results from 
ssts with the Hohonstein marine water-tube boiler: 
Equivalent evaporation from and at 212° F. per pound ofoil.a 
Pounds. 
eaumont petroleum (average of 47 tests) ' '-'■ '1 
ilifornia petroleum (average of 20 tests) 1 ' ■ •'" 
ixture (dregs) of Beaumont and California petroleum (average of 2 tests) . . 11. 52 
-Kept. U. S. Naval "Liquid Fuel" Board, 1904, pp. 250 252 
Bull. 284—06 3 
