Evening star., 1908-01-12

this system: by your plan of having
the warship carry the machinery 10
operate the conveyor system coal could
be taken from any captured vessel or
from any other floating source of supply"
The question is not altogether new
one. for the need of some safe and simple
means for delivering coal to a cruiser at
sea was the subject of earnest considera-
ton with our navy during the civil war.
where large blockading fleets were on
duty, and often kept at sea for months
at time.
None Of the Confederate raiders ever
coaled at sea, the Sumpter even having
to be sold at Gibraltar because it was a
neutral port and she could not get coal
The question is one of the most import
amt in the modern progress OF naval
equipment and there is now a general
opinion among naval officers that coun-
try is ill prepared for, prOtracted war,
even with many colliers on hand. with
out some practical device for it's battle
ships TO coal themselves on the high seas
During the first twelve months OF the
RusSian-Japanese war Japan captured
thirty-five ships and Russia eleven, most
ly coliers.
1t seems to be impracticabie for gov
ernment to own sufficient number OF
colliers to serve its navy in time of war.
To charter ships of all shapes and sizes
from the. merchant navy is not altogether
practicable. therefore it is generally rec
ognized that the solution of a vexed prob
ing in sea way is found.
Few will deny that the mobility OF q
squadron. its usefulness, its staying
powers would be vastly increased if
ing at sea.
1t is stated that during the blockade
of Charleston by the Federal fleet nearly
one-quarter of that force was always
absent from before the fort, employed In
filling their coal bunkers.
During the same war Federal cruisers.
while searching for the Alabama, were
constantly obliged to quit that portion
of the ocean allotted to them in order
to fill their bunkers after orfe or two
useless chases of suspicious looking
vessels.
The winches now in use on board the
warships are compact machines, and It
may be somewhat difficult to extend their
spheres without making them take up
more deck space or increasing their
weight. 1t is 10 Be hoped however, that
the inventor of the marine galloway may
be successful in his effort to construct a
| winch that will accomplish the purpose
intended.
There will be occasions when the at
tempt will have to be made 10 coal on
the high seas even in rough weather. In
such emergencies the necessity for coal
in the batteship naturally iustifies any
expenditure. 1t is because the coal supply
governs the movement of the superior
meet that everything pertaining to coal
d
consideration of naval students and tao
tcans. That nation which makes a dis-
tinct advance in coaling warships will
make distinct advance in naval
strength
1t is generally thought there is no nation
that surpasses the United States in it's
ability to get coal af1oat into Golfers and
barges If there Is one particular ad- h
vantage possessed over commercial rivals
II Is in the economy and rapidity with
which mechanics here are able to handle
material In cranes and conveyors Uncle
Sam $ in the 'front.' rama In methods OF
transporta tion such strides have been
made that he has changed the condition
affecting the ore and coal carrying trade /
and as a result there have peen made pos
sible the lowest freight rates in the world !
With unlimited and superior coal re-
sources, and with excellent industrial rail- ,
ways and coal handling machinery the
question of getting the coal afioat into the
collier or barge. in the highest possible
effective manner. has been solved
This is but solving however. the first
part of the greater problem of coaling the
war vessel at sea. The present difficulty
Is in getting the coal from the collier or
barge TO the deck of the warship Able
men, beth within and without the navy
arc giving careful consideration TO this
matter. so that there Is every prospect
that the problem will be solved by Ameri.
can inventiveness.