The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-09-14
LIQUID fuel IS
BEST FOR navy,
insists EVANS
Oil Cheaper and More Efficient
Than Coal, Says Seasoned
War Expert
Fighting Bob" Thinks Nations
of World Will Soon Dis
card Old Plan

Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, from
time, has come out as an enthusiastic
advocate of the use of fuel oil for the
nations war vessels
I think every coal furnace should
be converted Immediately into an oil
burner" he said last night at the Pal
ace hotel There are two reasons
First the oil is more efficient; second,
II is cheaper"
The admiral spoke Of his experience
with both coal and oil and declared
emphatically that the liquid was far
preferable for all practical purposes.
II expect" he said. ito see the navy
using oil before the end OF another
decade"
The admiral is not theorist on the
subject Of fuels. He has made this
one Of his deepest studies during his
life in the federal service. He has in
Nestgated the value OF oil from the
deposit in the earth to the fame at
the furnace. He has recently com
pleted some magazine articles on the
subject. which are soon to be pub
lished.
SUPERIOR IN SAFETY
Il consider oil not only superior TO
coal for naval purposes by reason of its
-iLS-Al NSilcSS ana Gu6d pneSSs he said
last night. but also by reason of its
greater safety. I have seen as many
as 10 different coal fires on ship. The
point has been reached where coal is
stored under the water for purposes
az safety and hoisted wet on 20 the
snip. With oil there is far less danger
Of fire
With a more general use of oil in
the navy, the eastern coasts would be
supplied from the Texas fields The
Pacific, Hawaii, the Philippines and
Guam would be supplied from the Cali
fornia fields. The best oil for naval
purposes is Il gravity. and of this Cali
fornia has more than any other place
in the world.
The American government has made
2 good beginning. The latest destroy
ers are made for oil. The new battle
ships are so equipped as 10 admit OF
the use Of either oil or coal. Other ma
tions have seen the advantage of the
OIL fuel. France and Russia have made
great progress along these lines. Eng
land is preparing. At every British
station i have recently visited $4,000
barrel tanks are being erected for oil
Il is no more difficult to provide for oil
stations than for coaling stations.
an hopeful that the day is not far dis
tant when oil win comprise the fuel of
our navy
During his presence here Admiral
Evans has declared for San francisco
as the site for the Panama Pacific ex-
position. He has suggested that the
fair should be largely maritime, and
in that connection il has appeared to
him that California could benefit the
world by eNemplifying before the as
sembled fleets Of the nations OF the
earth the real worth of oil as steam
ship fuel
While in San Francisco the admiral
has associated himself in a large petro-
leum enterprise He has accepted the
presidency Of a $10,00O,000 corporation
organized yesterday under the name of
the Consolidated California oil com
pany. The admiral has invested large
sum in the enterprise. He will person
ally direct its operations and announced
last night that he expected TO spend
half his time in California.
The new company has contracted for
some we'll known properties in the
state. including the Premier, the Mas
cot and the Yellowstone Other prop
critics viii be acquired from time TO
time.
Associated in the directorate of the
new company are: Robert McCreery,
the New York dry goods magnate. who
viii serve as vice president: Theodore
p. Gilman. for five years controller in
New York state, treasurer; Robert L.
Dunn a director of the Lincoln memo
rial university. secretary; J. A Cruik
shank. assistant secretary; NJ p. Sny-
der former mayor Of Los Angeles;
John W Mitchell, Frank \. Fish and
z. P. Bonham.
The decision TO invest was made by
Evans after d personal inspection of
the properties. He came to the coast
in company with T. P. Gilman. Robert
l. Dunn. J. A. Cruikshank and \. T.
Wilson. president Of the Lincoln mort
gage and loan company.
BUYS PRODUCING PROPERTIES
The Mascot property. which will form
one Of the assets of the new concern, is
located on what is known as "25 hill''
in the Midway district. 1t consists of
$50 acres with % wells. now producing
approximately 10000 barrels a month
The Premier, also one of the properties
taken over comprises go acres in the
Coalinga district. There are IA pro-
ducing wells and the production ap-
proximstes 10000 barrels a month The
Yellowstone includes 20 acres in the
Perm river field with a production of
u. 600 barrels monthly
Admiral Evans has unbounded faith
in the future of the oil industry in
California He expects to see the uses
of petroleum multiplied within the next
few years. Since his retirement he has
received innumerable business offers,
but above them all he preferred oil OPP
Grating in California.