New-York tribune., 1896-12-07
LIQUID FUEL ON SIEAMEhn'
WILL PETROLEUM EVER DISPLACE COAL
ON OCEAN LINERS?
IT DEVELOPS TWICE THE HEAT. But is THRICE
AS CosTLY-ADvANTAGEs AND DIshDvAN-

TAGEs-UsEs IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIES
great deal has been said. and more than
r,tla has been done within the last FIVE years
about using crude petroleum as fuel instead OF
coal under tho boilers OF naval vessels. both large
and small. Steam craft on tho Caspian sea are
also said TO have tried the same substance, or else
4 resiluum after refining the crude oil. for the
same purpose. with gratifying results. Enterpris-
ING railway managers IN the United States ana
England too. have had locomotives fitted up ex-
perimentally so a to consume liquid fueL Ana the
exclusive Of Lima oil In developing steam
power at the Worlds Fair in Chicago Is now an
old story These facts often suggest the question.
Why not extend the OF liquid fuel 10 the whole
merchant marine. or at least to the fast transa'-
lanric steamships?
II may be said In reply. to begin with. that not
all OF the preccdents here cited are fairly apprd-
bic to the case OF liners. especially at the
present time. II l. probable that the substitution
of ell for coal on railways has been contemplated
rather as "A temporary expediert-in case OF big
strike among the miners-thsn as permanent
policy. although there may have been time when
the latter would have been feasible. Then again.
when that great oil field In Northwestern Ohio was
nrst opened the product thought 10 be un-
available for Illuminating purposes. II contained
impurities that could not bc eliminated easily. For
a long time there was "A great prejudice against
Lima oil in consequence. and II looked as though
II could rot bc employed except as fuel. Naturally.
FOR tha, purpose. II possible under the clrcum-
stances then existing. But 1t is prac,icable
10 refine that particular kind OF oil. owing
Improvements In tho art 40 that II is free from
objections hitherto urged against IT, Moreover.
within me last year tho supply from Eastern
wells has fallen off sufficiently TO affect prices
materially Four years ago. during October you
could buy crude oil for about 80 cents
harrcls IN 1893 the Lima had risen 70 6s
and - cents. but II now costs 81 rs. That ~
say the price has increased about 6o per cent I'm
three years. and l2j per cent in four years. The
dimlnution I'm supply and the discovery Of i'm
proved method OF refining oil have combined 10
change the attitude OF the producers somewhat.
They are not so anxious TO dispose OF crude oil as
they the time OF the Chicago Fair. They
hasten to refine all they can.
THE CONSUMERS POINT OF VIEW
The situation has changed too for the consumer
given weight OF petroleum has about twice tho
heating power as tho weight OF good coal.
Hence so long oil cost only twice as much as
either anthracite or steamer coal or less than
twice as much there could be no objection on the
ground OF expense. There nearly $50 gal
Ions OF oil TO the long ton C22n pounds) and a,
whereas The two tons OF coal Of which 1t would hs
the eprivalent as fueD can be had FOR So or 81 80
been bought Tor 81 20 or S. A. ;Hat tine r. woulI
have been moro economical 10 Use oil to-day quil
fuel ls about % per cent NOR, expensive
Neyerheless. oil possesses certain advantages
The labor OF stocking is greatly reduced by the
~ petroleum There Is no opening and shutting Of
furnace doors and cooling Of the fire The oil
flows in through tuhc4. and the rate OF supply can
he nicely adjusted hy cock that this part 81 tn,
at tlmc Tc Grc buns much w more nv"miv or ord Sg
generation of steam H. much more Uniform II has
using liquid fuel might make nearly whoe knot
more speed per hour on this account There are no
liners burn from 800 to 5pp Of coal a day in it.
self nm Immense consideration the working force of
he on e. inc. .Tlft ls flx rpHt
again. IN" Job Of taking fresh supply Of fuel
would be a cleaner one than coang. and probably
more expeditions
a SAVING IN SPACE
Finally. there wouli be a great saving in the
space occupied Tor the fuel required for a given mile
age. war vessel might take advantage of this
to carry more fuel. IN the form OF OIL In the space
previously filed with coal. and thus provide for "A
longer cruls" under steam than would otherwise
loo practicable \ merchant vessel. running rcgu-
lary n specified route. however might prefer
to utiize the space for freight. because this
IL tn" part Of her business that cams dollars. and
her sh'k'l-earning powers would be enhanced by
23l inches TO IN" gallon and $50 gallons TO the ton
"a liberal cstimaie,. ono hnds that . ton OF crude
petroleum would require about i6'- cubic fcs-.
The specific gravity Of coal is slightly greater than
that Of oil; bur when broken up into Jumps there
IS less space wasted. It's volume is
continuous like thai OF the oil II is customary to
allow about for!y-two cubic feet 'herelore for
the biiumnous coal usually. employed on steam
the Atlantic. then. would require Only half the
space needed for coal, because one ton OF oil woId
do IN" work Of two tons of coal. Their" Is repre-
sented a gain OF a good many thousand cubic fee.
and the added frcight-carrying capacity of vcs-
sci might more than compensate FOR the increased
cost OF the fuel.
PETROLEUM ONLY on ONE SIDE.
But n more serious difficulty than that OF expense
Is the fact that Atlantic liners could get oil
only this side of the ocean. Coal can be had IN
all parts of the world Petroleum can he obtained
In abundance only In the United States and the vi
ciny Of tho Caspian Sea. The Russian supply can
be delivered chcapy at tide waters. and even II
could the price OF the commodity after the latter
had been transported afrcsh to the ports of Western
Europe. would be prohbi;ive Steamships sailing
from the United States and using oil for fuel there
fore. would be Obliged to take enough for "A round
tip instead Of a supply for only the single voyage;
space. and would be open TO distinct objections It
bound frclghts from America are more bulky than
the Imports Hence th,r" appears 10 be niue pros
fuel under marine boilers. in the merchant service.
Liquid fuel has such distinct advantages. how
Is essential that 1t is coming to be employed therein
m for SGns to TSs P pn snss oGm
ohcr articles Of commerce. the superiority OF
When hres are raked down and fresh coal Is added
the temperature falls scnsibly for few minutes
The frequent opening OF IA furnace door is another
mischief making element In some manufacturing
processes. an this is done away with when oil is
ing mill in Illinois the daily output was raised from
This IL only ono OF many ilustra ions that might
be cited or course the liquid fuel costs more; but
the fuel account is only one item OF exnensc In such
on establishment. and the others remain unchanged
so that on the whole there IL ONLY rining increase
In tho outlay. whereas the quality or the quantity
of tho product js apt to show substantial gain
II seems probable. therefore. that IN this general
direction liquid fuel Is likely 10 find an enlarged
usefulness.
A DRUGGIST FATALLY CRUSHED.
Hermann Ncudorrcr. forty-nnc years old. en-
ployed by the German Hospital Seventy-seventh-