'The war in Europe contributes 10 the high price of coal in Shanghai in that the "War caused a world-wide ner ease in shipping rales. Before September 3 the price of Indian coal, Janded sri Shanghai, was roughly $64 ton. At that time' the time charter vale of shipping was nine shillings a dead-weight ton but now that rate has risen to 22 shillings one added to the fact that It takes about 50 days to make a round trip from Shanghat to Caleulta the freight price on one ton coal has inereaced fo the present abnormal figure of $145.
The coal actually costs 4 ton in Caleut 40.0 importers com= 38 customs duty tu Shanghai, ing charge, $6 lost weight delivery charge males a coal gest the doater Sail, delivered {o lis coat yards "OF course the coat {or his health an be tacks on about business entire
Spor cent. for his modest share, whi brings the total to over $220, the ssu the "consumer has. to\ pay for coat when it tinaly" reaches him.
But it will Rot remain long at th price, "It'is significant to note. that during the Great, War: shipping rates ose as high as 82 chilings es dead eign ton, "which "over" wice ay shillings, and Shipping men believe high as. the" present figure of 22
that rates wil din as high as they were during the last war Ir'the' war in China. ceased, the price of conl, in tine, would hive substantial decline because the short distance aver which the coal would be freighted would have a negative effect on. the shipping rate. For Jexample, It takes $0 days to bring a eat go of coal from Calcutta to Shang-hal but a cargo from some China port, such as Tsingtao, could reach Shang hal in three days. Even if the Chino war die come to a halt, experts figure that It would take fully a year before suMefent coal could be brought to [Shanghai to remedy the situation.
'The type of coal which has been @ealt' with up to now is soft coal. Anthracite, or hard coal, is being Imported to Shanghai (rom Indo-China and is selling on the local market for $180 a ton, Coal dealers predict that the price of hard coal will reach the some heights as that of soft coal In a Tew months as it ix doubtful whether 'oF not Indo-China can continue to meet Shanghai demands.
Thspite of the high cost there has keen a terrify demand for soft coal in Shanghai, Practically every factory in Shanghai is equipped to burn only soft coal and as long as industry keeps booming there will be a demand for fuel, Biggest consumer of coal Shanghai Is the Shanghai Power Company, whose power plants eat up linest 700,000 tons of coal each year. By agreement with the KGM.A. the power company obtains 300,000" tons from that firm at something like $46.9 ton, but the balance, almost, 400,000 tong, must be obtained elsewhere at Jocai_market prices. 'The S.P.C. has contracted for coal up to June of this year, but if the price rises higher after hut' period, the rales for bulk power supply will necessarily increase also As far as local merchants are con-corned, dealing in coal these days is 1 risky business, and the dealer has to take all of that risk. "A dealer has to advance about $800,000 to order a shipload of coal from Calcutta. Naturally it takes time to place the order and charter a ship and by the time the coal is on its way to Shanghai, hostilities in China may cease, thus causing a sudden psychological drop in the price of the commodity, Bid the dealer would have to sellout ata Los Things Look Black Indeed, things continue to look black inthe ¢oal industry, and that's no pun either. At least as long as the Calcutta market remains open hai will be able to get coal, whatever the price, but it will be recalled that during the Great War there was 9 government ban on the export of coal from India. 'The price of coal in India has not increased much since the war began, but there have been no demands upon Indian industry similar to those of the Great War, and it there should be a call for India to expand. her manufacturing' facilities, might result in the shutting off of, India as a source of coal. Even now, local coal merchants "are studying Ways and means of importing coal from the United States at a price which would meet the present' cost of Cateutta coal.
There is w certain bitter irony about importing coal to China when one realizes the amazing mineral Wealth of this country. In certain. provinces, oilways are laid on beds of coal while in others whole stretches of wre cut through seams of thrown health report for the week ending midnight, February 17, shows that the total number of deaths from cor in the Settle all causes amongst the foreign and
ment rs 12 Chinese 852. Deaths from notifiable diseases were:—Foreigners, " Tuberculosis Typhoid Fever and Beri-beri 1 ead Chinese, "Tuberculosis 82; Typhoid Fever 31; Dysentery 6; Diphtheria Beri-beri 4; Influenza" 4;" Cerebrospinal Fever 3; Relapsing Fever 2 and Smallpox, Typhus Fever, Choleraie Diarrhea 1" each, flames and for a while threatened adjoining buildings, of the ladders which firemen placed against th Lodgers Escape Downtown Fire Shanghai, Feb. 17.
What might have developed into a major catastrophe was dealt with in quick time by the Fire Brigade yes terday morning when fire broke out flimsily contructed building, at the intersection of Avenue Edward VII and. Szechuen Road, congested with Chinese lodgers,' Dramatic scenes of escape were witnessed through billowing smoke as firemen brought three turn-tables into action allowing scores of horrified residents to reach safely. It is believed one or two of the lodgers jumped short distances from the ladders and that cat was killed in a long leap.
The building Involved Is known 35 the former Chartered Stock and Produce Exchange, House 4, Lane 128 'Avenue Edward VII, at the west side of Suechuen Road.' These promises include 120 Avenue Edward Vil. It ig estimated that about 900 Chinese fof the poorer classes were living In the building when the fire started, at 830 am. It is considered almost miraculous that there was not a sin-fle casualty either among the stam Deding tenants or among the frefight-
Roof Burned Through The flames are thought 10 have started on the first, floor, in a room occupied by the makers of ivory and Imitation Ivory mah jones sets. Possibly an overheated charcoal stove caused a wooden partition to ignite, after which the room caught fre. At any rate, the flames spread rapidly to adjoining rooms and to the second oer. Later the roof was completely burned through.
The Fire Brigade dispatched 9 number of engines from the Central Hongkew and. Sinza Stations to the scene, and the ght against the flames tasted 3 hours and 15 minutes. Capt. H. G, Reed, Chief OMcer. and Mr. W. Charters, Deputy. Chief, directed the work which brought into faction all the important resources of the Brigade. It was estimated that the fie raged out of control for the first $2 minutes.
Flames shot from windows and root with spectacular vehemence, and masses of smoke quickly laid 'a pall over the immediate vicinity and ampered the work of the Orémen fas well traffic In Avenue Edward VIL and Szechuen Road. A large detail of police from Central Station and Poste Mallet maintained the fire lines and directed the heavy morning traffie so as to facilitate the work of res-ne and fire extinction. "A party of British blucjackols from TEM. gun boats in the harbour were kept readiness In Avenue Edward. VII during the erilieal part of the con ation, Passages Cluttered Up The fire had been controlled only in the nick of time anda later inspection of the interior of the build ing clearly showed that, had it not been for the prompt intervention of the firemen, the entire building might have been gulfed. Narrow passages on the first and second floors had been further narrowed by odds and ends that had been stored there for lack of space in the densely Populated rooms and the corrugated fron root made things considerably more difficult for the firemen who had. to work hard to break through 80 as to be able to attack the flames from the top a well ws from the sides.
Heavy smoke and extreme heat considerably hampered the firemen in their work. Hose was extended "NCDN" Photos.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.