The Washington herald., 1916-07-05
The Herald's Army and Navy Department
Latest and Most Complete News Service and Personnel Published
in Washington.
in Washington.

Of conducting an investigation into the
fuel oil supply situation
An extension Of the naval fuel testing
plant at Philadelphia, together with the
hiring OF experts and the installation Of
a special test boiler are planned. IL the
Appropriation goes through. according to
the recommendations Of the board. II
Is highly important officers state. TO de-
ternine the possibility OF developing a
satisfactory lower grade Of fuel OIL, the
adoption Of which would result in a
marked saving on this item.
An extended inquiry relative to the
most efficient means OF storing and later
burning the low grades of f6el oil has
already been started by the board. The
board has recommended that the depart
ment pay careful attention to the fact
that the trend Of affairs in the petroleum
industry may cause the navy eventually
to accept, at least in foreign ports, any
grade Of fuel oil, regardless Of its high
or low tests, that is recognized as a
commercial product
According TO the board, It Is not only
advisable, therefore, but practically i'm.
peratlve, to take immediate and decisive
steps to bring it about that conditions
practically certain TO avail within the
next few months he taken cognizanCe
Of. Cogent Industrial, military and
strategic reasons exist, the board states
for the necessity Of the Navy Depart
ment taking immediate steps TO either
advance or to develop ways and means
whereby any grade OF fuel oil, capable
OF being pumped into the fuel-oil COM
partments OF a battleship, could also be
burned in the place OF coal.
At the present time, the heavier grades
Of fuel oil cannot be safely burned-at
least not uniformly nor efficiently. As
surances OF cooperation in its effort!
have been received by the board from
numerous sources, and with a speCis
appropriation available. definite results
are expected to he forthcoming. The sum
Of $50 600, the board figures, will pay for
a complete probe OF the oil situation
which should result in the saving Of more
than that amount annually.
Members OF the board admit, however
that a speedy conclusion OF the problem
IS not likely.
The English service papers aboard are
holding a great discussion among them
selves as to what name shall be applied
to the naval engagement between British
and German ships in the North Sea on
May 81. The situation there seems TO be
identical with the situation I'm this coun-
try. The designation of the battle seems
to be matter left to the discretion OF
naval writers. although the "Jutland'
and the North Sea" fight are the names
most commonly used on this side of the
Atlantic.
One English service paper says:
What shall the battle at sea be called
The Germans have described the
scene a. lying between the Skagcrak and
Horn Reef. Apparently, the Germans in
tend that It shall be called The Battle of
the Skagerak.' In this country, it has
been variously described as the battle
Of Jutland and the battle Of Horn Reef.
Every one knows where Jutland is, but
fcw ALIASES indicate the position of Horn
Reef.
None but sailors in this country knew
before this battle that such a reef ex-
listed. Another suggestion is that the
engagement should he known as the
battle of May thrty-irst. The title is
hardly i happy one. We have an i'm
preston that the British feet will settle
the matter for itself and that whatever
title it selects Will become the on which
historians OF the future select"