Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-20
COALiNG AT SEA.
A New Arrangement by Which Ships Oar
Take on Fuel
It VIII Have an Important Bearing
ON the Policy of the Establish-
meAt of CoalinE Stations.

An apparatus was tested in the open sea
of Sandy Hook, N. j., on Wednesday that
will undoubtedly have an important bear
ing on the future policy Of the United States
regarding the establishment Of coaling sta
lions In foreign parts. and may possibly do
away with the necessity OF such stations
entirely. The apparatus Is an American in
vention for coaiing ships at sea- 1t was
tested by the flagship San Francisco and
the corvette Kearsarge. and they practically
demonstrated the fact that fuel could be
transferred from one vessel to another at
the rate of ten or fifteen tons an hour,
while both were under way, no matter what
might be the condition of wind or Sea. The
experiment was a success from every stand
point, and when the first bag slid from the
kearsarge gracefully down its inclined path
and was deposited without a mishap on the
deck of the flagship, mighty shout from
both crews echoed across the ocean.
The device Is similar in principle to the
life line for transferring passengers from a
wrecked vessel by means Of the breeches
buoy. though there are many additional
contrivances that are entirely novel. such
as the counterpoise and the receiving ar
rangement. On board the collier two up
right spars are placed forward Of the fore
about four feet apart and extend a few feet
above the topsail yard. being strengthened
by two cross-pisces one dashed near the
head Of the spars and the other about two
thirds the distance from the deck. To the
latter long wire pendant is attached.
This takes all the strain from the foreyard.
to which the spars are dashed simply to pre-
vent rolling in q seaway.
Between the two uprights a box filled with
heavy weights Is fitted. This is the coun-
terpOise, and 1t moves up and down like an
elevator In its shaft. This counterpoise not
only keeps the transmitting line taut, but it
relieves the strain should there be q sudden
jerk. Attached to the first cross piece is an
iron block. through which the transmitting
line Is passed and then attached to the
counterpOise. Two-thirds the distance up
the vertical spars platform II erected.
upon which two men stand to receive the
bags from below and attach them to the
sliding block.
The receiving apparatus consists of two
shear legs that are dashed together on the
port side OF the poop OF the vessel to be
coaled. Across these is dashed another spar,
from which hangs q mat that serves an q
buner. When the bag strikes the mat it In
automatically detached and thrown to the
deck. The distance between the vessels
may be anything from go to 500 feet
OF National Importance.
The success Of the new coaIinR device
may be said to be Of national Importance.
The United States does not possess today a
single coaling station Of its own In foreign
waters over which 1t has indisputable
rights. Coal can be obtained at Honolulu
and Samoa, but 1t L. q question II these two
stations could be depended upon In time OF
war. They are not defended. Great Britain
Possesses coaling stations the world over
but British ships up to the present have
been compelled. with few exceptions, to pro-
coed to these stations when In need OF coal
British fleet blockading New York would
be compelled to send several Of its ships
from time to time to Halifax or to Bermuda
for coal.
At the time Of the recent threatened war
In Chile United States cruisers had no coal
ing station In South American waters. Had
1t been necessary to blockade Valparaiso
the question Of coal would have been a most
important one. As during the time Of the
blockades of the southern ports during the
civil war, the war ships would have been
obliged to leave their stations in order to
repair to smooth water to take coal from a
supply ship. The working OF the new
coaling device demonstrated that blockading
ships might remain at their posts and re-
ceive the necessary fuel in almost any kind
OF weather. The many schoone-s possessed
by the Ohited States make it possible in
time Of war for this government to dispatch
coal ships to appointed places Of rendezvous
all over the world.
are often compelled to coal ship under great
disadvantage. on Montevideo for instance
coaling Is carried on almost entirely by
means Of small boats, lighters not daring to
close In on account Of the rough sea- The
cruiser San Francisco still carries an ugly
scar near her water line which she received
when last at Montevideo from one Of these
lighters