New-York tribune., 1895-12-08


The subject of liquid fuel experiments with which
are to be made by a special Board of the Engineer
Corps of the American Navy upon one of the tor
pedo-boats. is receiving much attention by foreign
naval engineers at present Many well-known naval
engineers look upon liquid fuel as the fuel OF the
future for steamng purposes both for the merchant
marine and vessels and there are many other
celebrated engineers who declare that ii will he a
distant future before petroleum will take the place
OF coal on board a snip long coal can b.
obtained in as great quantity and as cheaply at
present. Oh has beer used TO some extent on board
OF Italian fighting ships. and II has also been used
in conjunction with coal on of the locomotives
Of Of the Great Western Railway Of London; but 1t
TO cause special report to be made upon IT, nor
have any ships been built In England specially for
the use of Oil.
A recent English paper contains an account Of the
bursting of gun board of the German ironcad
Baden at Kel. II was found that the shell which
had caused the fatal explosion had lodged fast in
the bore after the bursting and 1t was not
known whether not the shell had exploded all OF
Its charge the task OF removing it was not only
difficult, but it hazardous. But it neces-
sary that the shell should be got rid OF. The rents
in the bore made by the explosion were covered
with thick steel plates firmly secured, a heavy
charge OF powder was loaded and connected by
electric fuse with the engne-room then the gun
was fenced in with rampant of stones sandbags
and heavy oak beams This done the ship steamed
ordered below and the gun was fired. The result
was that the thick steel plates were hurled against
inches, but no damage was done to the gun.
second attempt met with similar effect Then
used and the shell went whizzing away seaward.
exploding as II struck the water.
The Government Of San Domingo is having con-
structed at Glasgow gunboat whichIs to be named
the Restauraction. The vessel will he of steel
will be of 900 tons displacement. will be propelled
with twin screws, and have speed of about four
teen knots. She will carry battery of nine six
FOUNDER quick firing guns. Hayti. which shares with
TOO small Tor such an ilI-assored couple dor while
Is populated by the French and negro the other
populated by the Spanish and half-caste) has also
ordered similar wdrship from the same builders
Nicknames find themselves attached among Navy
officers abroad well as in the United States.
Admiral Sir Lewis Tobias Jones. who died recently
in London in his ninety-eighth year. was known
from early officerhood Vinegar Jones" 1t is
admitted that the nickname was not earned because
OF a disposition that was in any way ecidulat TED.
He gained the appeaton while second captain OF
the Queen Charlotte In the Mediterranean at the
from ordering the free Of vinegar to clean verdi
gris from the copper p,atng A young reiatiye Of
and he not only bears the name Of Lewis Tobias
or Tom but e he is said to BE- s the smallest MALE young
ster al present serving Her Majesty the Queen"
Inc British Admiralty has another vexed question
TO deal with. 1t is reported that the Board has
found that the British warships educate a great
many seamen and petty officers who eventually
find their way into foreign navies especially those
OF the United States. Japan and China. I'VE must
md a way to stop this evil" the Admiralty.
and II Is proposed TO ask Parliament TO devise some
means to encourage such a valuable and costly
body OF people" TO re-enlist after their first enlist
ment has expired
The French are about TO begin the construction
OF small battleshp. well armored. OF about 5000
tons displacement and speed OF about eighteen
knots. Such ship would correspond closely TO the
British warship Centurion. type which the British
Admiralty refuses To rsnrodpcs-