Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-08-08
1t Has Many Advantages Over Coal
Upon Both the Land and Sea.
MAY BE ADOPTED FOR THE NAVY.
The Liquid Article Is Especially Adapted
for Smaller Men-Of-War.
USEFUL TO STEAM PLEASURE YACHTS

their boilers, and no less than 80 large man.
ufacturing establishments near Chicago
have recently adopted fuel oil, aided by the
enterprise of oil producers of Ohio who
have piped the oil from the wells to South
Chicago, where it is stored in enormous
tanks, sufficient to supply all demands in
definitely in case of accident to the pipe
line.
1t is not probable that oil will replace
coal everywhere, but only in places where
there are such special fsoilities for its de-
livery that the price is reduced to min
imum. Nor is the world supply of natural
oil sufficient for all industrial and COM
meroial demands. The total output of the
oil wells of the world is about 100000
tons, and very large part of this is trans
ferred into lubricating oils, benzol, paraffin,
etc., and is needed for other purposes than
for fuel. Unless the oil supply is very
largely increased by the discovery of new
oil fields there will not be enough to meet
the demand for oil fuel in steam naviga-
tion, which would alone be at least 6,000,-
600 tons of oil-the equivalent of 100000
tons of coal now used on the sea.
IT MAY BE USED FOR TORPEDO BOATS.
Although oil may not be used for fuel ex-
cept in certain localities on land and sea, IN
the industrial and commercial pursuits,
where its cost is the question of Importance,
there are certain tactical advantages in its
use for war purposes that may compel its
adoption for torpedo boats and small cruis-
ers. Cost is not always considered in war.
All danger from the storage and use Of
IaI
proper precautions-such precautions, for
instance, as are observed in the storage of
gunpowder, high explosives and ammuni-
tion of all kinds. Accidents have happened
on board the Caspian sea steamers, but they
were all due to carelessness and could have
been easily avoided. The tanks to contain
the oil must be carefully constructed, so as
not to leak, and open lamps must not be
used in spaces where the explosive vapor of
oils may be expected. Means must be pro-
vided for properly ventilating tanks that are
empty and allowance must be made for the
expansion of oil with rise of temperature.
From the tanks the oil is fed to the furnaces
by pumps through pipes, and the supply
may be increased, diminished or shut off
altogether by valves Inside the furnace
the oil passes from the pipes through a
number Of "sprinklers'-i. e., nozzles con-
tanning many small holes, through which
the oil is forced in fine jets. Through all
other series of holes surrounding the oil
jets air is forced at a suitable pressure, the
effect of which is to give an ample supply
of oxygen, and thus the oil in this finely
divided condition is burned completely. So
complete is the combustion that there may
be no smoke or residual whatever.
Experiments having been made abroad to
demonstrate the feasibility of using petro-
leum for fuel in torpedo boats, the Naval
Intelligence Office at Washington has taken
up the subject and discussed the advantages
and disadvantages of fuel oil as compared
with coal for torpedo boats and men-of-war.
THE LOADING WILL BE VERY RAPID.
The advantages are:
First-The rapidity with which oil may
be taken on board. The Caspian steamers
can take on board 800 to 1000 tons of fuel
soil in from three to four hours. A torpedo
boat, therefore, would take its 20 tons of
liquid fuel in a few minutes, and a whole
fotilla would require no more time than it
takes to coal single torpedo boat.
Second-Oil may be stored in parts of the
sship that are unfit for other stores or ma
terfal, such as the double bottoms and keel
.spaces of men-of-war. And as the oil fuel
will occupy less space, it may be possible to
make engine rooms more spacious and con-
venient, especially in small ships.
Third-The diminution of the staff of
stokers and of the physical fatigue of
stokers As the oil is sent from the bunkers
ito the furnaces by means of pumps, coal \
trimmers are not required. Only one stoker
is wanted for each furnace to regulate the
"sprinkler" and to keep the water at the
right level in the boiler The Caspian.l
steamers only have one stoker and two boys
in each watch. The largest steamers would |
only require one stoker and four boys in |
each watch, or three stokers and IL boys |
altogether, whereas at present they require
a staff of go men, or more, whose wages j
amount to large sum of money.
Fourth-The greater evaporative power
of liquid fuel. One pound Of oil is equal to :.
~ pounds of coal. This would enable |
steamer to take much smaller weight of |
to steam nearly twice as far with the same |
weight
Fifth-The more perfect combustion of |
oil prevents the formation of residuals and |
smoke Consequently ashes and cinders do |
not occur, and the furnaces need not be |
cleaned nor the hues swept The first cir
cumstance is of the greatest Importance |
with regard to torpedo boats, which gen.
orally have only one furnace, the CRATES,
of which, after a six hours coal fire, are |
covered with clinker. 1t then becomes i'm
speed is to be kept up.
SMOKE WILLIE ABOLISHED.
The abolition of smoke is also of great
tactical importance. The torpedo boat that
does not betray itself by column of smoke
is very difficult to discover on the horizon,
and will have great advantage in that it
can easily distinguish larger vessels by their
smoke columns. In the case of liquid fuel
forcing the fires will diminish the smoke.
On the other hand, dense volumes of smoke |
will proceed from liquid fuel when the
draft is shut of. 1t is necessary, therefore,
to shut off the supply of oil and keep the
forced-air draft going at full pressure when
ever the speed is reduced. In this way a
little oil only is burned, and the combustion
of this little is complete. 1t is possible,
therefore, to get rid Of smoke under all cir
cumstances with oil fuel by proper OBJ
servance of this principle.
Sixth-The improved ventilation of fire.
rooms, caused by the forced draft and the
admixture of the air with the oil in the
"sprinklers. " The temperature of the fire.
rooms is much lower than with coal, and the
stokers are not compelled to exert them
selves
Seyenth-The greater maneuvering capac-
ity of the engines which is attained by the
possibility OF suddenly increasing, reducing
or stopping the fires. In the case Of coal
fires, If it be desired suddenly to shut off the
steam, the safety-valve must be opened and
the steam wasted or the furnace doors must
be opened, admitting cold air to the boilers,
much to their injury. But with liquid fuel
the fire can be instantly extinguished and
instantly started by shutting or opening
fba uolvac in the oil Mines