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22 MARINE REVIEW. [June 19 NOTABLE ADVANCE IN LIQUID FUEL EXPERIMENTS. The New York Tribune, under date of June 14, publishes the following article regarding the experiments of the navy department with fuel oil: Admiral Melville announces a notable advance in oil fuel combustion, which indicates that the navy may soon dispense with coal. A board of engineers under his direction has succeeded in producing one-third more steam from a standardized boiler with oil than was possible with the best coal, and it is thought that the use of liquid fuel is on the point of tre- mendous development for marine purposes. In careful tests, extending over a whole year, the value of coal as a fuel has been accurately deter- mined, and in the last week the same boiler has been fired with oil in the preliminary series of exhausive tests, which will last several months. The results from the first have astonished the skilled experimenters, and while the wild claims of oil boomers are in no likelihood of verification, it seems almost certain that oil fuel will supersede coal as a controlling element of naval warfare. Afloat the supply problem is altogether different from those encountered ashore. In the crowded complication of a warship, where cubic space and weight are the all powerful considerations, the aim is to evaporate the greatest quantity of water in the smallest boiler with the least weight of fuel, and usually without regard to expense. The water- tube boiler, adopted three years ago, cut down the weight and volume of the steam-producing apparatus, and its higher pressures enabled some saving in the relative weight and size of propelling engines; but the size of bunkers and the weight of coal were increased until coal was not success- fully burning under forced draft, and the use of it aboard ship would have compelled the adoption of larger and heavier boilers, greater bunker capacity and other prohibitive conditions. _ Now Admiral Melville announces the disappearance of most of these objections to oil, and the tests just beginning in Washington become of the greatest interest to naval officers, marine engineers and all steam users afloat in the world. With the remarkable results achieved by Admiral Melville's assistants with oil under forced draft, several new objection- able features developed. One of these, an intensity of heat which existing fireboxes will not stand, will doubtless be remedied by American inventors in short order. Another is the deafening noise of combustion, which will probably prove to some extent irremediable, but as oil would be burned under natural draft with great regard to economy under cruising con- ditions, the noise could be avoided except in emergencies, and in battle this would not operate against its use in warships. Ever since the close of the civil war the navy department has made earnest but desultory at- tempts to determine the value of liquid fuel for naval purposes. A portion of the boiler plants at several of the navy yards, as well as the boilers of gun boats and torpedo boats, have not only had liquid fuel burned in their furnaces, but these steam generators have been temporarily turned over to the use of private persons who have invented special forms of burners. In general it may be said that there has been no difficulty experienced in burning some liquid fuel. When complete and careful data have been collected, it has been invariably found in the past that the results in burn- ing liquid fuel have been unsatisfactory in this respect--there has not been sufficient oil burned in the ordinary steam generator to secure the power at the engine that could be utilized from the burning of coal. If the weight of the combustible only was taken into consideration, the ad- vantage has always been with oil. In most manufacturing establishments, as well as on board the warships, it is necessary to limit the boiler installa- tion, and thus there are times when it is necessary to force the furnaces to their utmost. Herein has been the difficulty heretofore of burning oil. Either by reason of the construction and design of the steam generator, or on account of the design of the oil burner, it has not been possible to burn a large amount of oil in a boiler which has a small furnace and a small combustion chamber. The engineer in chief of the navy has never despaired of satisfactorily solving the oil fuel problem for naval purposes before he retires from office. It has been his desire to have an American battleship cross the Atlantic ocean burning only liquid fuel in her furnaces. He has always realized that by reason of the United States possessing an almost inex- haustible supply of crude petroleum, the navy ought to possess a great military and strategic advantage if oil fuel could be adapted for naval pur- poses. It is an advantage of considerable importance to have the oil fuel used under natural drait. As the warship, however, is primarily built for a few hours of battle, it is under forced draft conditions that the use of oil would be most advantageous. In fact, it may be said that oil fuel is valueless for naval purposes unless it can be used under heavy forced draft conditions. About a year ago, through the enterprise of the Oil City Boiler Works Co., a water-tube boiler of the Hohenstein design was turned over, complete in all respects, to the bureau of steam engineering for experi- mental purposes. 'lhe limitations of this boiler as to weight, floor space and height were identical with the requirements of the Denver class of cruisers--requirements that are probably more severe in their limitations than any others demanded in any warship of the navy. For one year a board ot naval officers, consisting of Lieut. Comd'r John R. Edwards, W. M. Parks and F. H. Bailey, has been experimenting with this boiler. Draughtsmen of the bureau of steam engineering were employed to col- lect data in the various tests. These tests have been under all sorts of practical conditions--natural draft and forced draft of 1 in., 2 in. and 3 in. of air pressure. The best, as well as the average, quality of coal has been used. The coal consumption has varied from 18 to 70 lbs. a square foot of grate. The detailed results of these-tests will eventually be published by the bureau of steam engineering. The experimental boiler furnished by the Oil City Boiler Works has been of such design that has been pos- sible to make the furnace volume as large as possible, and this gave the opportunity for Admiral Melville to determine whether the character of the steam generator had anything to do with the burning of liquid fuel. In order to settle this question every test that has been made under the experimental boiler with coal will be duplicated with oil fuel. There is widespread interest in Admiral Melville's purpose to conduct an extended series of tests in burning liquid fuel. Not only from Texas, but from California, offers have been received to furnish the oil free of cost. Manufacturing firms have offered to send their own experts to attach their patented oil burning appliances to the experimental boiler. The naval appropriation bill contains an item of $20,000 for this special purpose. There is also a small unexpended balance of a previous appro- priation for liquid fuel purposes which is available. Preparations for the oil fuel tests have been under way for several months. Two official trials. have been conducted this week under the supervision of the same board of naval officers who carried on the coal tests. The first test was under forced draft conditions, where an air pressure of 1-in. was used. All the data collected in this test were checked and counterchecked, so that indisputable results were secured. The second test was also under forced draft conditions with an air pressure of 2 in., and the same care was taken in the collection of the data. In both cases it was found that the volume of steam generated by the oil was greater than that secured by the coal test of like character. It will be understood that in these tests no attempt was made to determine the efficiency of the combustible. The primary purpose was to evaporate a large quantity of water, or, in other words, to secure a large volume of steam independent of the cost. Under forced draft conditions, whether coal or oil is used, economical results cannot be expected. The two off- cial tests that have already taken place show that the board of naval officers has secured a greater output of steam with oil than was obtained with one of the best qualities of Pocahontas coal. Compared with like conditions when coal was used, the efficiency of oil is 40 per cent. greater than that of coal. The experiments, however, will be conducted for a considerable period, for not only will various qualities of oil be used, but many forms of burners will be tried. ; In view of the fact that there are hundreds of forms of burners, it will only be possible for the experimental board to try the representa- tive types. Individual inventors will be expected to attach their burners at their own expense and according to their own designs to the test boiler. The manner and character of the data to be collected will be solely determined by the experimental board. (Comparative and valua- ble results can only be obtained by the board having exclusive control of the collection of all data and temperatures. When a sufficient number of representative types of burners have been tested the board will begin a series of tests on its own account. In the extended series of trials it is probable that information will be secured which will show that a com- bination of features presented by individual inventors may give the ideal design of a burner and furnace adequate for naval needs. Should such substantial results be secured as are already indicated, it is the desire of Admiral Melville to have one large cruiser or battleship equipped at an early day with liquid fuel appliances. It is not improbable that in the maneuvers which have been planned to take place off Culebra island next December one of the warships or auxiliaries may burn liquid fuel in her steam generators. It is also the wish of the engineer in chief that the fuel oil experiments carried on under the experimental boiler at Washington may be supplemented by liquid fuel tests under the boilers at the naval academy. At the Annapolis institution there is available in the first class of cadets a body of intelligent and enthusiastic young men, who would make excellent observers in the collection of data, and the officers on instruction daily at that institution would be ordered to co-operate with the main experimental board in Washington. In noting the advantages of liquid fuel for naval purposes, it is to be particularly observed that the United States has more to gain from the adoption of this combustible for warship purposes than any other naval power. The Beaumont field is within 40 miles of the Gulf of Mexico. There is pipe line extending from the oil fields of Ohio and Pennsylvania to several of the Atlantic seaports. The 'California oil pro- duct can also be piped to the sea at slight cost. Russia is the only European country that has a comparatively inexhaustible supply, but the Russian product is a considerable distance from the sea, and the means of securing it are not as well developed as they are here. In the Burmah field England has a possible supply, but this special product could only be utilized for work on the Asiatic coast. The liquid fuel experiments under forced draft conditions that have been conducted by naval officers in the last week promise. much in insuring warships that will be the superiors of any afloat. It is true that other nations may attempt to store large quantities of liquid fuel, but this is by no means an easy thing to do. It is regarded as a problem in itself. The place to store the oil is within the well until it is required. With a pipe line to the sea a military advantage is possessed that can never be overcome by a nation which would attempt to store oil. There is confidence that Admiral Melville's belief that he will give to the navy liquid fuel for naval purposes before he turns his office over to his successor will be realized. In view of the results announced above, there is much more than a probability that it will not be long before an American warship will make the Atlantic voyage using liquid fuel under forced draft conditions. ONLY ONE SPECIAL SEASHORE EXCURSION. Only one special excursion to the seashore will be run via Pennsyl- vania lines this summer. The date fixed for it is Thursday, July 31. On that date special rate round-trip tickets to ten of the most attractive sea- side resorts along the Atlantic coast will be sold and special through car service will be arranged for the convenience of persons wishing to visit Atlantic City, Cape May, Avalon, Anglesea, Holly Beach, Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Wildwood, New Jersey, Ocean City, Maryland, or Reho- both, Delaware. The return limits on tickets to either resort will cover the customary ten days vacation. For special information regarding fares,' ees eos nearest ticket agent, or address C. L. Kimball, A. G. P. A., eveland. : Mr. J. C. McDowell of the J. M. Guffey Petroleum Co. says that his company will need one new ship a month for some time to come. He. says that the production of the Texas field is already as great as that of. Pennsylvania and that the company's plans have grown far beyond its original intentions, ee The Ameriran Turbine Engine Co. of New York has been incorpor- ated with a capital stock of $500,000 to manufacture turbine engines and appliances pertaining thereto. The directors are Hamilton E. Brown, Maurice L. Muhleman and Eugene M. Hoffman, all of New York. _ The auxiliary cruiser Dixie, which has been in service as a training ship, is to be converted into a hospital ship, She will take the place of the Solace, used in the Santiago campaign as a hospital ship.