Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-27


The use OfPetreieun for rstsamships.--Kx.
peTiments ProgressinE--InterestI
ments concerning cur large Steamships
Great Revolution probable.
Some months ago we printed the report
Of 6 commission Of naval officers appoint
ed to examine q plan devised for using
petroleum or coal oil, instead of coal, in
generating steam on board of steamships.
Their experiments have attracted atten-
ton in England, where it is proposed to
give this new fuel 8 thorough trial. Our
Navy Department has the matter still un-
der examination, We believe; and further
investigations will determine the import
ant question whether petroleum can be
safely and economically used SIS coneen-
trsted fuel for steamships. That it will
generate steam more rapidly than an equal
weight Of the best anthracite coal, has
been proved by a series of trials extend
ing over five months, which have been Of
/ hcislly reported on by Chief Engineers
Wood, Whipple and Sinners. They report
that crude petroleum has sn evaporatiVe
power Of 10 SO pounds of water per pound
Of oil, or in the proportion Of 23,206.4
pounds per ton, while the best anthracite
has power Of evsporsting but 81 pounds
OF water for each pound Of coal or II. .424
pounds per ton. Thus the important fact
is established that, weight for weight, pe-
treleum is 109 1 per cent. more -p0v,rrf,l
than the best anthracite coal. Other ex-
periments were held to give to petroleum
8 superiority of ia per cent. in rapidity
Of generating steam.
Ii remains now to be seen what would |
be the cost Of petroleum used as fuel in |
place Of coal. If it can be economically |
employed, and If some method is devised /
by which it can be safely stored and han
died by the 6remen or stokers, 80 that no
additional risks shall be incurred bv res-
son OF its use, then truly most important
results may be expected to flow from the
use Of this new agent The great obstacle
to extending ocean steam navigation is tbe
enormous space required by fuel; steam
ships must be built with this necessity in
view; the Great Eastern took her shane
and size entirely from the capacity requi-
req Tor her coal bunkers; Of her TWENTY
Two thousand tons, ten thousand, or nearly
hsif, we're devoted to coal bunkers and il
was only by building so vast a shin that
room could be gained for sufficient coal
Tor the voyage to India and back. The
Persls, OF thirty-fve hundred tons devotes
fourteen hundred to fuel; her short mas
ssges leave her more space. But it ia no.
torious that the British and French War
riors and Gloires cannot carry coal with
them for more than ten or twelve davsI
steam, and would be helpless after a vow.
sge across the Atlantic, unless they could
nave coal depois within easy reach on this r
side Of the ocean.
II now it is proved that q substance so
as petroleum has lately become. !
'sn be used as concentrated fuel, taking
ip less than half-perhaps not more than
quarter-of the space now necessarily
ieVoted to coal bunkers, an immense and
important change will be effected in ocean
team navigation. A ship like the Persia
vi be able to carry at least seven hun
red tons more cargo; the Great Eastern
Fould have i've thousand tons added to
er capacity for freight; the Warrior.
ron. clad, which now slows one thousand
ons Of coal, and has but ten or twelve
sys' supply at that, might carry fuel
nough for six weeks cruise-for a vow
ge across the Atlantic and back under
rdin0ry circumstance. n
But this is not all; it has been for some
ears question how to apply steam eco
omiUaily 10 tho Oeaating trade; We have a.
ad number Of propeller lines, doing q q
roftsble business, but the amount of
pace required for coal in these vessels has
lwsys been an obstacle, because they h
lust be Of light drsught and moderate 81
ize, as well as very economically worked. II
low, not only would the use of concen- :,
rated fuel like petroleum-if that proves n
, be fit-set at liberty large part Of the "
essel for freighting purposes, but it is
essonsble to suppose that fever hands d
Tould be required to feed it to the furnaces ;,
han are now required TO pass the cum
rous coal. With these changes, steam
light become Of almost UNIVERSAL sppli-
alton; our oossting trade would present p
7 be carried on almost entirely in steam
rs; and steamship lines would take the
lace Of many Of the sailing packet lines IL
-hich now connect US with different parts 4
the world. al