The Washington herald., 1907-10-11

and It IS certain that oil viii be used to
a considerable extent in the future by
warshlps stationed in the Pacific.
Both Coal and OIL.
I'VE must use both coal and oil In the
navy" said Admiral Rae, engineer in
chief OF the navy. 1T is merely a ques-
ton Of detail how to use coal and oil
both"
At the present time the monitor Wyo-
ming is being fitted at the Mare Island
Navy Yard 10 burn oil. She has been
undergoing these changes for a year now,
and II Is thought that If no more Sc
rious delays are encountered, she may
be ready for trials in three or four
months
One Of the problems which may be
solved in the Wyoming is whether oil
can be carried under pressure; that is,
whether II will be safe to place the oil
In bunkers above the fires or whether ii
Is necessary on the score Of safety to
carry the oil between the double bot
toms. There are other problems also
which the experiments 10 be conducted
on the Wyoming may solve wholly or in
part. Some of the known Disadvantages
TO be met with in the use Of liquid fuel
are: First, the extra weight involved
second, the additional complexity due TO
the necessary pipes. and third. the pos
sible danger due 10 the presence Of the
infammable fuel.
Control of OIL supply.
1t is not likely that naval vessels viii
ever be fitted 10 burn oil alone, because
there are places where oil cannot be OBJ
tained. The supply Of oil is more limited
than that OF coal. and the supply Is mere
likely 20 become exhausted. in the opinion
Of geologists, yet as the United States
produces about IS per cent Of the world
supply Of oil it will become a factor in
the naval fuel question
In our navy the boilers can always
develop more horsepower than is re-
qulred. but In the English navy there
Is not a similar allowance and for that
reason il is considered imperative TO use
oil fuel 10 get the extra power Of which
the boilers are capable BY the Ameri-
can system. engines of $500 horsepower
can be made TO develop $1,000 horsepower
with the consumption OF more coal in the
furnaces.
more hOOEn Is NGENEhs
II was found in the course Of the ex-
periments undertaken by the department.
that while under normal conditions II
was more satisfactory 20 spray the oil
under the boilers with steam, the use
Of air TO atomize it would be preferable
under forced conditions. and as the bat
tie ships are constructed with a view
10 their performances in the hour Of bat
tie, the latter was considered prefer
able. Besides. the use Of steam would
cause an additional consumption Of from
to 10 per cent Of the total generating
capacity Of the boilers for the OIL burn
ers alone. This would necessitate the
installation Of additional boilers, and the
space could not well be spared, as there
is complaint now that the boiler and fire.
room is too small
Naval constructors feel that with car
goes Of high explosives 20 care for. they
already have serious problem TO con
slider. and the storage of oil for fuel
gives them considerable concern.
Progress Has Been Observed.
To carry oil safely extensive ventila-
ton must be practiced, 10 get lid OF
gases. The engineers department has
been closely watching the progress Of the
oil-burning development. They noted a
short time ago that on account C a
leak In the oil pipes on a British tor
pedo destroyer. an explosion occurred,
and two or three men were killed They
say that accidents occur from similar
causes from time 20 time
The Gwyun, torpedo boat made some
experiments with oil for fuel at Norfolk
some time since, but the experiments
were abandoned.