The Washington times., 1902-08-10
Success Attained on Mer-
chantmen Encourages
Navy Officers.
GASES NOT YET OVERCOME
This Is Necessary Before Coal Can Be
Supplanted Oh Warships-Efort
Made to Convey Danger to Open Air
Through Small Tubes.

The tests to determine the feasibility
Of using oil for engine fuel on warships,
conducted under the direction of the
Navy Department. are nearing compile
ticu and have, to certain extent. been
satisfactory. although the element Of
danger arising from the percolation
throughout the ship of combustible oil
gases has yet to be overcome.
The Importance of these tests lies in
the fact that il 1t is shown that
petroleum can be used with safety, and
that the Objectionable feature OF heat
too intense for firemen 10 bear can be
overcome. the United States Navy will
lead every other naval establishment in
the world in its ability to provide
cheaper. more powerful and more easily
obtained means Of firing the furnaces
of men -of-war.
Next to the United States. Russia is
better provided with means Of procur-
ing oil fuel than any other of the great
maritime powers, but to carry to the
sea. by train or pipe line. the output
Of the Russian petroleum fields would
make oil fuel more expensive than coal
The discovery Of the Texas oil fields
has produced new element in favor of
the United States. as these fields are
only about thirt miles from the Gulf
and the oil could be sent there by pipe
lines at very little cost. The superior
ity Of oil over coal for heating purposes
makes the advantage TO the United
States doubly great.
Used on Merchantmen.
Merchant steamers are using oil fuel
with success. They have overcome the
danger Of explosion from oil gases by
providing big tunnels running from the
engine rooms TO the upper deck. through
which the gases are carried to the open
air. Owing to the several gun decks in
warshi~s and a utilization Of every
available bit of space for the armament.
1t has been found practically impossible
to provide tunnels such as are used on
the merchantmen. Experiments are
gases can be carried of through
smaller tubes passing to different parts
OF the warsh!p.
No such tests from the standpoint of
severity and thoroughness have ever
been made before. The knowledge that
they are OF this complete character, and
conducted by officers of the navy. who
have nothing except the good OF their
service at heart. has served to attract
the attention Of all the big oil concerps,
which are represented at the test BY
experts who are keeping careful account
of what is being done. FL
Greatest Test Coming.
The real test is yet to come. As every
warvessel is built with the idea that
its main purpose is to engage in a short
experience of actual battle. the expert
ments now being conducted are design
ed principally to determine whether oil
can be used feasibly under forced draft
for n period Of four hours. This will be
fearful test of the engine room work
ing-force. and of the engines and boil
ers.
Crews from the torpedo boats Rodgers
and Gwin are doing the firing. They
have shown such pluck. Intelligence. en-
Guranee. and enthusiasm that some nav
al officers assert that no other country
can produce such man fer the purpose.
The tes.- --~"1 IN a local
machine shop. In this = replica of II
engines "a -, ,.-.->. ->ei..,r mas peen
SO rearranged as to simulate the engine
rooms of that vessel.