The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-10-25
PERSONNEL ACT
A FLAT FAILURE
Annual Report of Admiral Mel
vile to Secretary Moody.
PETROLEUM ON SHIPBOARD
INFORMATION OBTAINED BY
THE ENGINEERING BOARD.

UrAsHINGTON, oct. 24.-The annual
w report to the secretary Of the
navy of Engineer in Chief
George Melville Is Of unusual interest
this year Mr.. Melville says with the
greatest f-ankness that the personnel
act has proved to be a failure as ii is
administered and he declares that one
half of the officers of the navy have yet
to be convinced OF the benefits Of
amalgamation. To use his own words
in referring to the personnel act:
1T was rather a revolution than
progression in naval developments
when congress enacted a law whereby
every naval officer of the line had. in
the future, to become a fighting engi-
neer." European experts declared that
either their own navies were not prop
erly organized, or that the United
States had made a mistake from which
IL would not recover for at least twenty
years. Still. Admiral Melville thinks
that IL the law were administered with
a desire TO make II a success il would
give the most efficient navy in the
world.
Engineering Laboratory.
To that end he wants an engineering
laboratory at Annapolis like that at
Charlottenburg, Germany, for expert
mentation and the education in engi-
neering for young line officers. He also
asks the establishment of a post gradu-
ate course in engineering at the
academy; the detail of a junior line
of a Av RI nufn Of
ficers on shore duty, such junior Of
| ficers TO be placed in charge Of the ma
chinery OF torpedo boats and auxiliary
craft: that promotion be denied line
officers who do not take their turn al
engineering work; that graduates OF
1 technical colleges be permitted a
chance TO compete for naval commits
| sions; that 100 additional warrant Off
GERS be appointed: that naval training
| be had at every naval station; that The
pay of the boilermen be increased and
! finally that the name of the bureau OF
steam engineering be changed to thai
of engineering. and that it be giver
/ charge of all machinery on shipboard
except that pertaining to the guns.
Use of Petroleum.
The proposed use of petroleum as g
| substitute for coal on shipbOard i!
ftreated at length and in such detail a.
| thoroughly TO meet the innumerablC
| demands that have come to the navy
| department for the special informa
ton obtained by the engineering board
composed of Lieutenant Commander:
Edwards, Parks and Bailey. Fo
months this board has been workinl
| with a big 1900 horsepower boiler OF
the water front in this city testing Z
/ - Ill
the greatest manufacturing concerns il
the United states and even abroad hav,
been seeking to learn the results o
the boards work. Following Is al
extract from the report on this subject
The more this question is inVesti
gated the more intricate seems tn
problem of successfully installing al
oil fuel appliance on board "a battle
SShip. II ought 10 De Success efiy Use
on the torpedo boats as well as uRol
auxiliary naval vessels that steam be
tween regular ports. For the arm,
transport service it might prove Yer
desirable, since a supply of oil could b
maintained at the several eallin
ports. In regard to the installation Of
the large powered battleships an
armored cruisers there are three dis
/ tinct features which must be consid
/
and structural.
Not Practicable.
Regarded from two of these view
points il seems as If il would be som
time before 'coaling ship ceases to b
an attendant upon the war Yesse
While both the naval and mercantil
vessels traverse the ocean there is
wide difference in their construction
well as in the nature of the duty per
formed, and this must be taken into &C
count in designing the motive plant.
The first line of inquiry by the boar
was the engineering or mechanics
feature. involving the possibility q
successfully burning oil for steam pur
/ poses and it is said that this probieI
is nearing solution. 1t has been foun
necessary to atomize the oil Dit canno
be completely gasified), instead OF usin
il without pressure. The air bias
should be heated by some simple de
vice. If this be done properly, the eG
periments have shown, It viii be pos
sible to force the combustion Of oil
the same extent as coal, something nc
done before, but very essential fo
naval uses.
Treating of the commercial aspect
of the question, the report makes III
following important statements
Cost Is Greater.
1T may be regarded az a certaint
that. except where unusual condition
prevail The cost of oil for marine pun
poses will generally be greater tina
that of coal. The cost may be less II
vessels departing from the gulf an
California seaports. but the rule wi
hold elsewhere. While the question {
cost should be of secondary important
in military matters, it must be take
into consideration. 1t is the expense
transportation that will always prevel
oil from being a cheap combustibl
While it may be put on the tan
~ g