The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-14

Democrat tells why the American navy
department has been obliged to consid-
err in the present war a factor which
was entirely omitted in the famous
struggle of 1912, and which did not ex-
list before the present century. This
] is, briefly. the question of supplying
coal to warships. Those who are not
versed in modern naval tactics and who
are not posted in nautical affairs can
not realize the vital necessity of hav-
ing an ample supply of fuel on ship
board, or the quantity consumed even
! by a gunbOat running at high speed.
With the exception of its ASiatic fleet,
/ the United States is in no danger from
/ this cause, unless it sends a force to
attack the Spanish coast, when some
/ nice calculating would have to be done
/ to prevent our vessels from becoming
useless for lack of coal. Useless is the
word, for fuel is just as necessary as
shot, shell and powder. Today we have
not an inch of sail area on any of our
battleships or cruisers. Only such
craft as the Bancroft, Helena and 9TH
ers of the gunboat type carry canvas,
and the amount is so small as to give
them but a nominal speed.
The quantity of coal which the fur
naces of a modern steamship "eat up"
is almost incredible. The great liners
running between New York and Eu-
rope at a speed of 20 knots and over
per hour are obliged to carry enough
fuel at each trip t. ill coal yard.
The supply ranges from $500 to $500
tons, and the expense of coaling, not
including the price of the fuel, alone
runs up from 81. 900 to 81, 500 each trip.
I Unless proceeding under hurry or
6PTS hafflaShiO aYsr1iGar ca1dOrY1
averages over IL knots per hour, for to
increase the speed beyond these figures
means forced draught' fur the fur
naces. In other words, the intensity
of the heat is increased by more air
being forced into the fires, with the
result that the coal consumption in
creases at a very rapid ratio. As is
well known the Minneapolis, the Co
lumbia and others of our cruisers can
travel at the rate of over IS knots per
hour when required, but to do this re-
quireS the use of three times as much
fuel as at the 12-knot rate, although
the increase in speed is but 80 per cent.
The North German Lloyd company
made a series of experiments with one
of their express ships a few years ago.
1t was found that the furnaces of this
steamer burned 80 tons of coal per day,
when going at the rate of II knots per
hour, $50 tons at IS knots an hour and
300 tons at 20 knots an hour.
ENORMOUS COAL EATERS.
If the coal-carrying capacity CT war
ships was as large in proportion to
their size as merchant vessels the
fuel question would not be as impor-
tant. But even our largest battleships,
such as the Massachusetts and Oregon
cannot take on more than 1900 to ], $50
tons at one time. From this figure the
no raraft
tons for the gunboatS. European pow
ers have followed practically the same
estimates in allowing for fuel, and con-
Sequently the Spanish ships are also
limited. The principal vessels in her
service on the Atlantic at present have
a tonnage ranging from 5000 to 10000
Including those reported to be in dry
dock, Spain has nine of these ships.
While, In addition to several of the tor
pedo boats, which burn petroleum, are
eight Or ten gunboats and small cr1is-
ers, varying from 700 to 1000 tons. The
Pelayo, the largest vessel, would re-
Quire from $50 to 500 tons steaming at
the rate of ten knots an hour across
the Atlantic to Porto Rico, estimating
the distance from Cadiz-which is one
OF the Spanish coaling stations, to
Porto Rico at 5000 miles, The Albion
SO XIII, her 5,0O0-ton cruiser would !
require over 500 tons covering the !
same distance at the same rate of |
speed. This is suppOsing that the yes
sells have only fair weather and are |
not obliged by storms or other condi- |
lions to increase their speed. If the |
Alphonso were required to average Is |
knots per hour, she would burn 1000 |
tons and run out of coal long before |
she reached this side of the water. /
Marine experts calculate that the Span
ish fleet now in the Atlantic would re-
quire fully 1000 tons of coal to reach
Porto Rico, even at the slow speed |
to.
If their bunkers are empty when they |
reach this side and they are kept from |
coaling by our warships, the shortage /
OF fuel would mean sweeping victory |
for the United States vessels, as they /
would have the enemy practically at |
their mercy, and it could enforce them /
to surrender without possibly firing a
gun. This may seem at first an ex-
travagant suppoSition, but it is really
what the navy department has taken
into serious consideration. Besides
having Golfers with the fleet, each con-
several thousand tons of fuel.
United States ships can obtain coal at
a half dozen points on the South At
lantic and gulf coasts within 800 miles
of Havana and within 1900 miles from
Porto Rico, supposing that these points
were not captured by our forces.
COAL IN WEST INDIES.
Not only has Spain the danger of a
al So. 11w1.-