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vo ten cents. ALASKA'S COAL FOUND TO BE BEST STEAMING FUEL TRIED BY NAVY SEATTLE, Dec. 15. ? The Washington correspondent of The Times today telegraphs his paper that "two members of the House naval committee told him that 'misnamed conserva tion' is dead, as far as Alaska is concerned, and that an era of real conservation and develop ment is about to begin. The naval committee members are also said to have stated: "Heretofore owners of Eastern coal fields have been able to maintain a grip on the throat of the navy department, and force the government to pay 'any old price' for its coal for warships. The fine test the Mat anuska coal has passed will end all this and it will end the practice of carrying coal from the Atlantic to the Pacific, at a tremendous expense to the government" WASHINGTON. Dec. 15.?Alaska's coal is the future fuel for the American navy of the Pacific. This, in brief, is the result of the tests made by United States cruisers, and when the news was made public late yesterday after noon, the little colony of Westerners in Washington met in a local hotel to paint pictures of a great future for the coal industry of the North. Daniels Breaks News. Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, testifying before the House committee on naval affairs yesterday said: "Unlike the tests made with the Bering River coal, we have used hand-picked Matanuska coal for our latest tests. The coal so tested is in all respects highly satisfactory for the navy's use, and if the coal tested is a fair indication of the general character of the coal in the Matanuska field, our fuel needs for the Pacific fleet will be supplied. Stokers Endorse It. "An official report on the tests made by the U. S. S. Maryland state that the firemen pronounced a 'forced draft' trial of the coal gave the Maryland the easiest 20-knot run the cruiser ever made. Firing was easy and the steam pressure was easily maintained. The coal is said to have burned' 'like pine knots.' "An unofficial report on an evaporative test at one of the experimental stations, practically confirms the tests on the Mary land, The general result was gratifying to the navy department and points the way to an adequate supply of coal on the Pacific Coast, for the navy, as soon as reasonable transportation facili ties arc available." The testimony of Secretary Daniels was made the feature of newspaper accounts in several of the Eastern papers this morning. ALASKA EBNER 70 REORGANIZE SOON BOSTON, Dec. 10.?The Boston News Bureau declares the Consolidat ed California-Nevada Co. vrll bo organ ized under Deleware laws very shortly with $5,000,000 capital comprised of 1.000,000 shares, par $5.00, by A. W. Middle ton. former treasurer of the AlaskatEbner Gold Mines Co., tho property of which company was lately bought at foreclosure In behalf of a bondholders' committee for $225,000. Shareholders of the Alaska-Ebner i Co., whose equity in the property was! wiped out, have been asked by Mr. j Middleton to pay a 50-cent assessment and receive new stock share for share. The supposedly best asset of the Alaska-Ebner Gold Mines Co., con sisting of 100,000 shares of Ehner Gold Mines Co. stock, will not go into the new company, as it has been op tioned until next spring to the United States Smelting Co. The latter is understood to have spent on develop ment work between $350,000 and $400, 000 on this gold property, which lies' in the same district at Juneau as the Alaska Gold Mines Co. BUY CAVALRY HORSES. NEW YORK, Dec. 15,?Three Ital ian cavalry officers arrived on the liner Regies d'ltalia^to buy 12,000 horses. THE WEATHER TODAY. Maximum?32. Minimum?2S. Partly cloudy. UTAH POSTMASTER CANT QUIT JOB COLTON. Utah, Dec. 15.?Layman H. Marble, merchant and postmaster here, has retained an attornoy In an endeavor to bo released from his official position. His term expired more than a yoar ago but the govern ment has tailed to appoint him a suc cessor or to release him or his bonds men.'- , The Increase in mall matter since the adoption of tho parcel post was established has caused him sorious loss. Mr. Marble says, and ho has been obliged to place his own goods outside his store to make room Inside for mail matter. U. S. SECURES BULK OF LATIN BUSINESS BOSTON. Dec. 15.?Tho 1913 trade of the Jnited StateB with twenty La tin-American republics, based on both sales and purchases, exceeded that of any other single country accord ing to a statement made by John Bar rett. head of tho Pan-American un ion, in an address before the Latin American commercial conference hero last night GREAT BRITAIN TO PAY. WASHRINGTON. Dec. 15. ? Great Britain has assured the United States that It will not delay American ships longer than necessary to search them for contraband and will pay for dam age to perishables. Amicable adjust ment of all shipping troubles Is ex pected shortly. SI FIE LOSS IS SEVERE SEATTLE, Dec. 15. ? It was an nounced at tho offices of the White Paso railroad company thl? morning that the Moore's wharf at Skagway would be rebuilt Immediately. Nows from Skagway that tho Whlto Pasa dock, known far and wide na tho Mooro wharf, was totally destroyed by Are at 6 o'clock Saturday evening, caused genuine regret when tho first account of the fire v^hs published in The Empire yesterday. Tho dock was a Bouanza-daya landmark, over which millions of tons of material to develop Alaska and the Yukon have passed since 1S97 when Captain Wil liam Mooro built 1L Complete dotalls of tho firo were received this morning in a private wiro to Tho Emplro. Tho Are origin ated under the trestlo work of the railroad track which skirts tho bluff, and between warehouso 1 and 2. It is believed the Aames wore caus ed by sparks from tho ash pan of a locomotive which was in tho yards. Owing to a high north wind tho Aames spread rapidly and in loss than throe hours tho entiro structure, from tho ofilco, on the North, to tho oro bunk err, on the south, was ontlroly des troyed. Only by the timely arrival of the government steamer Peterson from Fort Seward were tho ore bunkers saved from destruction. The Peter son-brought thirty tnen from Haines. Tho Potcrsou'8 pumps woro used ef fectively, throwing a salt water stream upon tho blazing structure. The loss Is estimated to bo fully $100,000, as Tho Emplro predicted yesterday, and Is well covered by in surance. In addition to tho wharf, twenty freight car3 on a siding woro burned and tho entire track grade leading to tho oro bunkers. 4? ?' ? ? "fr ? + 4* ? CRUISER MUST LEAVE. ? ?> ??? ? + WASHINGTON. Dec. 16. ? * ? The German cruiser Cormoran ? + arrived at Guam today, accord- * ?> lng to a consular dispatch to * ? tbo Stato Department. Her 4? + commander was told that sho ? ?> must interne or leave im- ? + mediately. ? ? ? ? + *?*?** * + + -J GIVES A RAILROAD TO GEN. CAFtRANZA VERA CRUZ, Dec. 15. ? Goneral Manager Morcom of the Moxlcan Rail way has relinquished the manage ment of tho property and turned it over to tho Carranzlutas. Sinco Carranza left Mexico City he has boon practically operating tho Mexican Railway for military pur poses. CIVIC FEDERATION1STS REPORT GOOD TIMES BOSTON, Doc. "15.?Reports to John Hays Hammond, chairman of the in dustrial economics department of tho National Civic Federation, received from thousands of correspondents In every section of the country, indicato I that business is improving and that tho country is on tho verge of an era of great prosperity. SEATTLE TRANSPORTATION MEN BOOST ALASKA AIDS SEATTLE, Doc. 15.?Seattlo officials of tho group of transportation com panies operating to Alaska have strongly endorsed the recommenda tions of Secretary of Comemrco W. S. Rcdficld, for aids to navigation in Al aska. and committees have been ap pointed to send lettors to all Congress men and Senators, asking their assist ance In securing appropriations for tho work. ? ON THE HUMBOLDT. SEATTLE, Dec. 15.?The Humboldt sailed North at noon today. Juneau passengers include F. J. Bailey. Mrs. H. E. Blanchard, P. 'Vedrich, Mrs. W: A. Ferguson and J. N. Nelson. Tho Empire has more readers than any other Alaska paper. ??? mm Mrs. F. L. Hinson, tho mother of Mrs. John Z. Bayless of Thame, and Mrs. William Baylors, Sr., tho mother of John Z. Bayloss, William S. Bay Ices and George Bayless. died In Bal timoro yesterday, the deaths occur ring within an hour of each other. Tho news was received by Mr. and Mrs. Bayless yesterday, a telegram contain ing tho sad announcement Early this summer Mrs. J. Z. Bay leas was called to Baltlmoro by the serlouB Illness of her mother. Mrs. Hinson rccovorcd and apparently was enjoying tho best of health when her daughter returned to Thane. No warn ing that her condition had again bo como such as to causo alarm had been received and tho death was a so vero 3hock to her daughter. Tho death of Mrs. William Bayloss, Sr., nl?o was unexpected, although It was known In Juneau that she wan critically 111 In Baltlmoro. William S. Bayless, oldest son, loft Juneau nearly two weeks ago for Baltimore, In re sponse to a telegram announcing that his mothor's condition wns grave, and ho reached tho family home three days ago, accompaniod by Mrs. Bay less. Gcorgo Bayloss, of Pcrsovcrnncc, who Is taking a mining course at Mi chigan School of Mines, also wan nt his mother's bedsldo when the end came. Mrs. Bayless last visited here with her husband am? uaugjiier. aune An na Bayless, nearly "four years ago. Mrs. Hinson had never been to AlaBka. Sho-was tho wife of a prominent Bal timore physician. * * ?> * ? ? * V ? ? 800 ARE ENTOMBED. ? ? TOKIO, Dec. 16.?Bight hun- * ? dred Japancso. miners wero + Imprisoned when an explosion, * + caused by fire-damp, wrecked. + ?> the workings of tho Fukuota * ' ? colllory into last night. Res- ? ?b cuo crews are at work. 4 ? y ?> ,% .j, ,j, A 4. # J. a, 4. 4. ?|. CUBAN GENERAL DIES. HAVANA, Dec. 15.?General Joso J. Moutcguado, commander in chiof of tho Cuban army, died today. "FIVE BILLION" CROPS. WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.?Tho de partment of agrlculturo today an nounced that crops this yoar wore valued at five billions of dollars. SEIZE WAR PRIZE. LONDON. Dec. 15.?Lloyds has an nounced that tho Norwegian steam ship Ran, which reached Liverpool Nov. 29 from New New York, hao boon taken into custody by tho British authorities as a prize. She was load ed by Barber & Co., the cargo in cluding cottonsocd products, copper and leather, part for Liverpool "and tho remainder for Gothonborg and Malmoo. PARISH SAYS UNITED STATES FAVORED ENGLAND'S CAUSE ( BOSTON, Dec. 15.?It is published here that Sir George Parish, arriving in London, romnrked that ho might make another trip to this country. He was most struck, he said, with unanimity of feeling in this country in favor of Great Britain's caoo. CONSCRIPTION CERTAIN NEW YORK, Dec. 15.?A London cable says: The movement in favor of conscription in Great Britain pro gresses rapidly. Men who are in closo touch with public sentiment are pre dicting that it will come before Christmas. ON TRAM CASE. KETCHIKAN, Dec. 8.?Judge Thos. R. Lyons and Maurice D. Loohey ar rived up on the Evans this morning. They camo on business connected with tho suit of the old Brown Ala ska company against tho Granby Con solidated Smelting, Mining & Power company to prevent tho latter con cora operating an ncrial tram acrouG tbo property of tho former. Tho case promises to be- an interesting, one. MUTINOUS ARRESTED BERLIN, Dec. 15.?Newspapers In Vienna today published reports of a Russian mutiny before the besieged fortress of Przemysl. One newspaper said: "Several battalions aro known to have been cent away In fetters, to prison camps near Pctrograd." German Offlcors Die. Tho war office announced today that Lieutenant Goncral Strcck, for mer inspector general of ordnanco, had died from wounds received at Ypres, and the newspapers an nounced the death on tho battlefield of General Von Brlesen, commander of an infantry division, and Major General A. Von Martin. GERMANS ESCAPE INTERNE CAMP BUT ARE 8ENT BACK ZEVENHAR, Holland, Dec. 15?Two Gorman officers, who had been pris oners hero, and~who violated their pa role by escaping across the border In to Germany, rcturnod today to the In torno camp. They said their govern ment ordered them back. BRITISH AIRMEN SHOW DESIRE FOR WARFARE LONDON. Doc. ID.?A British offl cor and his mechanic, who had bocn compelled to . descend upon tho sea wheu'Uitlr motor bt'Camo dis abled. were pteSfed. up yestcrdajpin the North Sea . by the stoamship Or ange. Nassau. The aviators refused to loavo their craft until they were assured they would not bo interned in Holland. ? ?> * * ? * * ? ? ? * j ? * RUSSIAN RESERVES * * ARE CALLED * ^ * PETROGRAD, Dec. 15.?Ow- 4> *? tag fo tho gigantic German <? military oporationa in Poland, + which have coot tho Russians <? * thousands of men, a call was + * mado totlay for 1,000,000 rosorv- - ? ioto. * 0. * + .;. REICHSTAG SPEAKER TELLS OF RESOURCES BERLIN, Dee. 15.?Spoakor Kaompf, of tho Reichstag, announced today that 69 mombors are seeing active ser vice. Moro than 2,000,000 Germans have offered their services as volun teers, but only a fraction haB so far been called. Germany has plenty of men, ho added. Before tho Landsturm was called out for war Germany mado her next soason's food supply secure so far as she could by having mon harvest win ter whoat crops. BERLIN DECLARES JAPS AID RUSSLVNS BERLIN, Dec. 15.?According to dis patches from tho eastern theatre, re ports that Japanese are fighting with tho Russians have been confirmed. Export Japaneso artillerymen are manning some of the big guns In the Russian artillery sections. Moro Jap anese troops are reported on their1 way to tho Russian front via Trans Slboriaa railway. BRITISH TROOPS TO TRAIN IN EGYPT LONDON, Dec. 15?Tho government press bureau has announced that a contingent of Australian and New Zealand troop3 has been landed In Egypt. They will remain there until their training Is finished; when .they will bo transported- to France. INCOME TAX TO GET LOST VODKA REVENUE PETROGRAD, Dec. 16. ? It I s ru mored that Russia may Impono a tem porary lncomo tax to balanco the loss to the government of too rovenuo for merly derived from the sale of vodka. ??? o .; REDMOND REPORTED IN ARMY. LONDON, Dec: 16.?A rumor its cir culation Sn Parliamentary circles to the effect that John Redmond, the Ir ish Nationalist leader has bcon given a commission In the army and that ho will soon leavo for the front, MOSLEMS IN REVOLT; AUSTRIA ASKS PEACE?; BELGRADE IS RETAKEN BERLIN, Dec. 15.?Authoritative reports today from Con stantinople say that a Mohammedan uprising has occurred in the Caucasus, armed Russian Moslems deserting and joing the Turkish troops in their war against the Muscovites. It is declared that the Moslems have unitedly declared their intention of waging war against Russia. Priests have aided in the agitation, it is said. "TURKEY FORCED INTO WAR." An olhcial dispatch from the Turkish capital says the Sul tan declared his country had been forced into the European war by attacks from the allies, in a speech delivered at the opening of the Turkish parliament today. It is officially denied in Constantinople that the Turkish battleship Messudich was sunk in the Dardanelles. Berne, Dec. 15.?That Austria has made tentative peace proposals to Russia was asserted by Swiss newspapers today. LONDON, Dec. 15.?The recapture of their capital, Belgrade, by the Servians, the retreat of Russian arms in Western Galicia, the intimation from St. Petersburg that Germany is seeking the aid of Sweden, and reports of only slight changes in Poland and the Western war theatre, summed up the situation as the 135th day of the European war arrived today. BELGRAD AGAIN SERBS'. All dispatches agree that the Servians re-entered Belgrade only after one of the bloodiest mass attacks of the fighting in the Balkans. The Austrians were driven out after having occu pied the city for two weeks. Vienna declares successes in West ern Galicia compensate Austria for the losses the army sus tained at Belgrade, and declares that her troops have occupied Dukla, where several thousand Russians were taken prisoner. The official report says the pursuit of the Russians has com menced, all attacks of the enemy having been beaten down. SWEDEN IN THE LIMELIGHT. "Systematic attempts on the part of Germany to force Swe den into the war as an ally of the Kaiser has led the Stockholm cabinet to consult with Denmark and Norway regarding a joint formula for the guarantee of the independence of the three na tions," says a Petrograd dispatch to The Mail. It is believed in London that the Swedes will enforce their neutrality at any cost. TO HOLD WAR COUNCIL. A dispatch from Copenhagen this afternoon reads as fol lows: "At the invitation of the latter, King Gustave of Sweden, and King Haakon of Norway will meet King Frederick of Den mark Friday and Saturday at Malmoe, Southern Sweden, to discuss affairs of common interest which have arisen as a re sult of the war. The three kings will be accompanied by their ministers of foreign affairs, and by their secretaries-" FRENCH RETAIN POSITIONS. An official communication issued in Paris by the war office this morning says the French troops have retained the Terri tory won two weeks ago in the Yser Canal district, and have con tinued an advance in the Argcnnc forests, west of Hellcbrake. WATCH NEXT RUSSIAN MOVE. A Times dispatch from Petrograd says: "The German inva sion reached its crest Saturday. Having failed to undermine and overthrow the Russian wall, the invaders have now ceased to threaten further inroads into Poland and interest is stimu lated in the next move of the Russian staff." SOLDIERS SPEECHLESS THOUGH NOT WOUNDED ?4? PARIS,, Dec. 15.?Medical men arc interested In number of curious cases In the military hospital. It Is reported from Lyons that soldiers aro under troatmont, who have been struck deaf, dumb and blind by explosion of shells, although not wounded. There aro cases at Dunkirk where nmnesla was produced by eholl explosions. ADVANCE AGAINST SUEZ CANAL HALTED? CAIRO, Doc. 15.?British military authorities have flooded tho desert east of Port Said for many miles, pre venting a Turkish attack in that quar ter. (Port Sald ;ljes at the northern end of fb.-vSuez canal, where It jqlns the Mediterranean'. It?. la on tho western edgy of' the Arabjfch desert.) British ' military aeroplanes are making constant flights over tho Si nai peninsula. They report no sign of the Turks. It in believed the Turkish j . advancu against the Suez canal has d. CABINET DISCUSSES REQUESTS EOR SHIPS WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.?President Wilson met with his Cabinet this af ternoon to discuss the renewed' re quest of Governor George W. Gooth als, of Panama, for destroyers to guard tho neutrality of tho United States at tho Panama Canal, whero representatives of the warring nations ? aro said to have overstepped tho limi tations of wireless telegraphy. CANADA FACES DEFICIT; WILL HAVE TO BORROW MONTREAL, Dec. 15.?Minister of Finance White announced today to tho newspapers that Canada probably will havo to borrow a hundred million dollars annually during the duration of the war. CABINET TO MEET. PARIS, Dec. 15.?Tho French Cabi net has been called to meet in extra ordinary session in Paris, Dec. 22nd. '