OIL FUEL IN WARSHIPS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3229, 27 May 1911, Page 10

OIL FUEL IN WARSHIPS.

REVOLUTION DESCRIBED IN NAVAL ENGINEERING. Opening a discussion on “Diesel Engines for Seagoing Vessels” at the meeting of the Institution of Naval Architects in London, Mr. J. T. Milton, vice-president, said that apart from the question of the relative cost and facilities for obtaining supplies -of oil fuel and coal, an internal combustion engine using oil possessed many advantages for marine work over one using gas made from coal. There was no trouble with dust in the cylinders, and there should be none with tar on valve faces, etc. Even as fuel for marine steam boilers, th 9 advantages of oil over coal were very great. Weight for weight, it had at least 50 per cent, higher evaporative efficiency. It occupied less space per ton than coal. Dr. Diesel, the inventor of the system, said that, though the output of marine engines in comparison with that of land engines had been relatively small, he knew of 250 ships fitted or to be fitted with Diesel plants. The most important field had been supplied by the submarine boats, in which France took the lead seven or eight years, ago. Now the Diesel engine was nearly universally adopted for this kind of ship by the Admiralties of all nations except this country and the United States, which were just beginning. (Laughter.) The number of Diesel submarine boats was about 150, of from 300 to 5000 horse-power. In the last two years the radius of action and the power of these boats had been so much increased that they were no longer merely defensive boats, hut had become extremely dangerous offensive weapons on the high seas. There had also been made a certain number of gunboats and very small cruisers, especially for Russia; while other types of vessel constructed had included tank boats for the transport of oil, yachts, for fighting boats, and a special ship for a North Polar expedition.

. This year began the era of the large cargo boats, including the 9000-ton boat at Hamburg. If these succeeded there would evidently be a certain revolution in shipbuilding, and the warships would follow very quickly. There was already one battleship with Diesel engines in execution, about which he was forbidden to" say anything. Among the advantages iVhich could be gained for warships, by the adoption of internal combustion engines were—

(1) The radius of action of a man-of-war fitted with Diesel engines was such that the ship could sail all over the world, fight any battle, and come home without having to take one pound of fuel on the way. Therefore such a fleet would he entirely independent of coaling stations.

2. The engines could be entirely hidden below the armed deck and almost under the water line, such a ship being invulnerable in its engines. (3) As the engine had no smokestacks the guns could shoot all round the horizon, which involved an entire change in war tactics ] and • (4) The number and size of the guns could be very much increased, on account of the smaller weight of the engines and the fuel.

These facts indicated that if the trials with the first Diesel man-of-war gave satisfactory results the Admralties of all countries would have to decide on important transformations. Mr. Westgarth, Mr. Foster-King, and Mr. Seaton took part in the discussion, and the chairman, Sir W. White, referred to the remarkable advance that has been made in recent years. t :i .. '