Systematic investigations of waste and loss of petroleum and natural gas, especially on lands under the control of the Government, were begun.

Methods of drilling oil and gas wells so as to prevent present wastes were demonstrated in Oklahoma and other States.

Individual producers and organizations of producers cooperated with the bureau in efforts to lessen waste of oil and gas.

As a result of the bureau's efforts great waste of natural gas has been stopped.

Investigations were begun to determine how the cyanide process can be used more efficiently in leaching silver ores.

The smelting of titaniferous iron ores, with the object of making available as sources of iron great ore deposits now unworked, was studied.

SOME URGENT NEEDS OF THE BUREAU.

NEED OF MINE-EXPERIMENT AND MINE-SAFETY STATIONS.

At no time since the bureau was established has it been provided with the funds and facilities necessary to meet the many legitimate demands made on it for investigations looking to greater safety or increased efficiency in the mineral industries. Not only have the number and urgency of these demands increased more rapidly than the ability to meet them, but the lack of necessary funds and equipment has at times embarrassed the bureau in its efforts to save the lives of miners.

On March 3, 1915, in response to widespread demands, Congress passed an act (40 Stat., 959) directing the Secretary of the Interior to establish and maintain in the important mining regions of the United States and the Territory of Alaska, under the Bureau of Mines and in accordance with the provisions of its organic act, 10 mining-experiment stations and 7 mine-safety stations, movable or stationary, in addition to those already established. The act states that the province and duty of these stations shall be to make investigations and disseminate information with a view to improving conditions in the mining, quarrying, metallurgical, and other mineral industries, safeguarding life among employees, preventing unnecessary waste of resources, and otherwise contributing to the advancement of these industries; provides that not more than three of the mining-experiment stations and not more than three of the minesafety stations shall be established in any one fiscal year, and authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to accept lands, buildings, or other contributions from the several States offering to cooperate in carrying out the purposes of the act.

Under the law three mining-experiment stations can and should be established during the current year-each in an important mining center, where investigations under Government supervision will increase the yield of metals now being mined or will result in the mining of deposits now unworked.

It is proposed that the mine-experiment stations shall investigate such problems as particularly concern the development and utilization of the mineral wealth of the regions in which they are situated, and it is expected that each State in which a station is situated, by supplementing the appropriations made by Congress, will cooperate in the study of mining problems by giving attention to problems that are local or especially concern that State. The act establishing these stations directs that they shall be maintained under the Bureau of Mines in accordance with the provisions of its organic act. This provision enables the director of the bureau to prevent duplication of work at different stations and to coordinate all investigations to the best advantage.

Some of the problems that will receive special attention at these stations are improvement of metal-mining methods to insure larger recovery of ore and greater safety; investigations of milling methods and metallurgical processes for the treatment of those ores in the recovery of which by existing methods there are losses that annually amount to millions of dollars, and investigations of methods or processes whereby mineral deposits now unworked can be made sources of national wealth.

In addition, it is proposed to purchase and equip under the terms of the act three mine-rescue cars, each to have headquarters in a region where facilities are now lacking for rendering prompt and effective aid at times of mine disasters or for beginning and continuing first-aid and rescue training such as has reduced loss of property, lessened the sufferings and period of disability of victims of accidents, and saved men entombed by mine disasters.

The mine-rescue cars now in use are old Pullman cars that have been converted to the use of the bureau. These cars need extensive repairs to enable them to comply with the safety requirements of railroads. The greatest practicable speed is demanded when rescue crews are being carried to the aid of entombed miners, and each rescue car must be strong enough to withstand the unusual strain. Hence there is need of substituting modern steel-constructed cars for the old wooden cars as rapidly as appropriations will permit.

NEED OF INVESTIGATIONS OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS.

Millions of cubic feet of natural gas and millions of gallons of oil have been wasted in a day in the careless and reckless exploitation of gas and oil fields. It is now recognized that the extent of the productive districts in the United States has been fairly defined, and that with the constantly increasing demand for these unrivaled fuels the production in the United States must be properly conserved. It is of the highest importance that the Nation's interests in the remaining supplies be protected and that waste in production and utilization be eliminated.

Many of the States have already recognized the need of preventing wastes and have enacted laws for the purpose. Much of this legislation has proved ineffective because it did not have the confidence of operators and because its enforcement was difficult. The Bureau of Mines, representing the public interest in natural resources, is in a position to bring together producers and marketers of petroleum and natural gas so that their cooperation may be assured and measures to lessen waste may be made effective. Recently various State committees in Oklahoma, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana that have been considering legislation relating to oil and gas have called on the bureau for assistance, and have gratefully acknowledged the aid received.

Under such allotments as could be made from the appropriations up to the beginning of last year, the bureau could do little more than undertake a few general inquiries and study a few special problems in some fields. Last year it was able to begin a comprehensive study of many features of the problem of waste prevention and was able to cooperate more effectually with other Government bureaus and with various State organizations, especially in Oklahoma.

To carry out the work already begun and to obtain results commensurate with the public interest in the proper development and utilization of these immensely valuable resources, the bureau should be enabled to carry on systematic investigations of the various ways in which gas and oil are lost or wasted, and should be enabled to cooperate more effectively with all organizations working for the same end.

A large proportion of the oil in the underground reservoirs is not recovered by operating methods in general use, the recoverable percentage having been estimated at 25 to 85 per cent, according to conditions. The possibility of considerably increasing the total recovery has been demonstrated, and the bureau is now endeavoring and should be enabled to show the operator that certain methods it approves will increase the amount of oil and gas recovered and marketed, and thus increase his total profits. Once this fact is generally recognized, waste will largely cease, regardless of legislation. This has been shown by the recent action of operators in a producing field in Oklahoma, who asked the Bureau of Mines inspector there to select an inspector to work under his direction, the producers to pay the new inspector's salary and expenses. It is this method of cooperation that the bureau hopes to be able to extend to other districts, particularly to those in Wyoming and California, where the Government has a direct interest as owner of oil lands.

Elsewhere in this report attention has been called to the development of the processes invented by Dr. Rittman by which the less desirable fractions of crude oil are converted into more valuable products. The development of these processes will not only directly benefit the consumer by reducing prices but will increase the life of all oil fields by making possible the utilization of these fractions of the crude oil, which at present, owing to limited demand, are often sold below cost or are utilized wastefully.

Recent investigations of vast deposits of so-called oil shales in Utah and Colorado are showing that these shales rival as sources of petroleum the oil shales of Scotland and New South Wales, which have been profitably exploited in spite of the continued competition of oil from other sources. In addition, oil shales yield valuable by-products, such as ammonium sulphate. The bureau proposes to investigate the commercial possibilities of these shales and to ascertain the most efficient method of recovering oil and various byproducts therefrom. The great importance of such an investigation lies in the fact that from such shales at no distant period the oil supplies of this country may come.

The bureau is already cooperating with various departments of the Government in establishing satisfactory specifications for purchasing petroleum products and uniform methods for inspecting and testing such products and is working in close cooperation with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Geological Survey, and the General Land Office in supervising operations on petroleum lands under the supervision of the Interior Department. It is highly important that the scope of this cooperative work should be increased and the cooperation of the bureau made more effective thereby.

Moreover, it is highly advisable that the bureau collect and publish statistical information concerning conditions that affect the petroleum

industry. Recently the bureau completed an investigation of the petroleum industry in California, in which it had the valuable cooperation of the largest marketing, producing, and consuming companies of the State. The total production, consumption, and stocks, amount of crude oil used as fuel, amount refined, losses in transportation, and the disposition of petroleum products by States and foreign countries were investigated.

It is proposed to conduct similar investigations in all other productive fields to the end that the petroleum industry and the consuming public may have the benefit of authoritative and impartial information prepared under Government supervision. In collecting this information and in conducting its work for greater efficiency in the prevention of waste in the oil and gas fields the bureau employs competent engineers who will keep in touch with the progress and improvements in the various branches of the industry, and in turn will keep the industry constantly informed.

The total value of the oil and natural gas produced in the United States during the calendar year 1914 was more than $300,000,000. The total waste in all branches of the industry probably amounted to $50,000,000. These figures show how great a saving of national wealth may be effected by enlarging and continuing the work for greater efficiency that the bureau has now begun.

NEED OF INCREASED FACILITIES AT PITTSBURGH STATION.

The equipment now in the old buildings on the arsenal grounds in Pittsburgh should be moved to the new experiment station in that city and new equipment should be contracted for as work progresses on the buildings and the equipment can be installed most economically. The sum required for the purpose is less than was appropriated for moving equipment during the last fiscal year.

At the new buildings in Pittsburgh provision should be made for such additional service by skilled artisans, charwomen, and others as will assure proper care of the buildings and to provide for its equipment and furnishings being kept in proper condition and not allowed to deteriorate.

NEED OF LARGER PRINTING FUNDS.

The publications of the bureau represent the results of work conducted under appropriations made by Congress. Through them chiefly both Congress and the public are informed of methods devised and recommendations made for safeguarding life and bringing about more healthful conditions in the mining and metallurgical industries and for insuring more efficient and economical development of the Nation's mineral resources.

As stated elsewhere in this report, Congress has greatly extended the scope of the inquiries and investigations conducted by the Bureau of Mines, and the demands made on the bureau by the Government and by the public have continually increased in number and urgency. In consequence of the enlargement of the bureau's duties and the increase in the scope and number of the investigations it has been directed to make, there has been a steady increase in the number of reports submitted for publication. Although these reports deal