The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-12-05
FUEL USED
IN THE NAVY

From the report of the secretary Of
the navy:
During the year49S.576 tons Of coal
were used on board ships of the navy.
OF this quantity 206,34S tons were
sent to naval coal depots, the greater
portion being shipped to the Asiatic
station. There were transported in
chartered vessels 131.14O tons, while
75,20S tons were shipped in naval
golfers. Arrangements for the sup
ply of ships of the navy with coal
through American agents in &c for
eign countries have been effected.
The providing of facilities for
handling and storing coal in the
island of Guam and Tutuila, Samoa,
is recommended. The bureau Of
equipment has caused a survey to be
made for the construction Of an ex-
tensive coal plant at Olongapo, p. L.,
and the necessary funds for the pur-
pose being available, the work will
be carried forward without delay. No
coal depots for naval use have been
established in foreign waters during
the year.
Liquid Fuel.
AS the United States produces As
per cent of the worlds output of pc
troleum, and as the Texas, California
and OTHER fields are near to maritime
ports and possible scenes of naval
operations. the question Of utilizing
liquid fuel on ships of war. which
has for some years been engaging
the attention of naval experts abroad,
is one of peculiar interest to this
country.
Oil Is used instead of coal in manu-
factories and power plants on the
Pacific coast. Locomotives on Cali
fornia railways are using oil as a
results, particularly from the stand
point of economy, n saving of over
SO per cent in fuel cost alone in
some cases having been attained.
Ocean steamers are plying regularly
between Honolulu and San Francisco
appear to be safe, satisfactory and
economical. Two ocean freighters
have made voyages from New York
to San Francisco using coal, and re-
turning from San Francisco to New
York using oil as fuel. With oil bet
ter time was made: the cost was less;
the trip was made with six men only
instead of Is In the firerooms: several
hundred tons more space was avail
able for cargo, and there was no in
crease In insurance rates. The total
saving to the owners from the use of
oil was not less than $500 per day
All this does not prove that pc
troleum can be advantageously sub
stituted for coal as fuel supply for
naval vessels. but 1t is sufficient to
warrant giving II a trial in some Of
them
Among the advantages offered by
liquid fuel are the reduction OF the
complement OF men in the fireroom,
extension of the steaming radius of
vessels. attainment of maximum
speed at short notice. the facility
with which the boilers may be forced
to extreme duty in cases of emer-
gency, rapidity In meeting varying
load on the boilers. absence of
smoke under light normal working
conditions, economy of space reserved
for carrying fuel, and finally the fact
that oil tanks may be readily and
quickly replenished. 1t appears to
have been demonstrated by COM
mercial experience that steam can be
raised by oil fuel in one-third the
time required by coal furnace, and
that the time requisite to fill oil
tanks may be reduced to n fraction
Of that needed for filling bunkers
with coal
On the other hand, the difficulties
Of using liuuid-fuel plant upon YES
sells of war. particularly battleships
and cruisers. are many and obvious.
In pursuance of an act of congress
making appropriation for the pur-
pose, n board OF officers has been en-
gagged for more than two years in in
vestigating the feasibility of the use
of liquid fuel on naval vessels, and
during ~ months of this period the
torpedo boat Rodgers, with it's per-
sonnet, was placed ut the disposal of
the board. The valuable data obtain