Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-11-15
HAMPTON. PHOEBUS AND OLD POINT Continued.
IOIL BURNING
OCEAN STEAMERS

While IL is frequently said that clcc-
uicitv should some day furnish me
motor power for ocean steamers. ANA
While gas engines are declared q fur
nish a superb rapidity. yet up 20 dale
no ship of any size has ever been ~.
led with such means of propulsion.
In fact. even the more comm lnpiace
petroleum or cOal OH may be said 20
almost remain in an experimental
stage for marine engines uses.
However. petroleum engines have
now been fitted to Two brand new
steamers. the Prince tIohenloha and
he Baron Gautsch. which have been
built for the Austrian service OF the
North German Lloyd Line These two
ships are already in service and have
given such satisfaction that two OF
the big liners that ply between Mar
settles. France. and AieNanarias IN
Egypt. are now being fitted out with
De rOleum burning appliances.
II should be realized that these yes
GELS while. OF course, not first class
ocean liners like the famous steamers
crossing the Atlantic. are. neverthe-
less. vessels of soyer 10000 tons bur
den and devoted 20 passenger serV'
ice. 50 II is evident that when so
great corporation as the German
ioyds take to coal oil engines TO such
an extent there must be tremendous
advantages actually proved for this
class of machinery
OF course. the coal oil is OF tho
crudest sort. absolutely unreilned,
and It presented big scientific Difficult
ties before Il became possible To use
il As engine fuel The marine engi-
neers have now solved this problem
and It is claimed that ships using coal
oil send out no more disagreeable
cdors or smoke than vessels employ
ing coal.
As matter Of fact, one Of the ad-
vantages claimed for the oil fuel is
thIt one can more easily keep clean
the boilers and the furnaces of the
steamers. The Other advantages
claimed for the new kind of ocean
steamers are:
One fourth the expense for men 10
feed the fires, due mostly TO auto
matte feeding of the coal oil to the
furnaces.
Much easier work in the engine
rooms and fewer hands needed in this
extensive department Of maritime
labor.
Economy on board ship as regards
the space required for the boiler ana
furnace rooms.
Greater rapidity in taking on board
fuel and far less expense. making an
impOrtant saving on each round ulp
Of these steamers.
Also abe engineers claim that the
cost Of propesing big steamer per
marine mile is smaller with coal .ola
than with first class coal, but TINS
difference is admitted not to be very
great.
The big saving from coal oil as snip
fral then seems to lie IN the 0tnei
advantages named rather than in any
big difference between the first COSTS
of coal and of petroleum.
The North German Lloyd has no"
given orders to have a number Of spe-
cial tanks built at various important
seanorts from which their oilburnins
steamers can load up with the ne"
sort of fuel. As regards speed, the
engineers claim that owing 10 ire
smaller space required by oiLburninS
machinery vessels can be fitted WIN
proportionately more powerful engines
when they use coal oil in place Oh
coal As a result. therefore, SHIPS
using the former fuel can be gwen
bigger engines and can attain a high
o. rate of speed.