NEW DESTROYERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 306, 19 September 1908, Page 5

NEW DESTROYERS.

THE UNEMPLOYED (BT TBLEGBATH—PEES3 ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT.J London, September 17. The British Government, it is explained, ordered the fourteen new destroyers earlier than was intended with a view to mitigating tho distress prevalent at Newcastle. COAL AND OIL USE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS. The most remarkable thing about tho new destroyers' is that they are larger than their ' predecessors, ■ and, according to the cablegram, are to use coal. Judging by xecent statements in English papers', this means that they are to be fitted to use coal as well as to use oil, instead of being fitted to use oil alone, as has been the rule for two or three years past. For instance, all of the new type of ocean-going destroyers, built last year, including the recordbreaker Tartar (35.952 knots an hour), burn oil in their furnaces and carry no coal. WAR RISES OF SEA-CARRIAGE. . The main disadvantage of oil as a fuel in tho British Navy, or at any rate as a sole fuel, is\tbat there are no large oil-fields in the British Isles: therefore, in time of war, entire reliance would have to be placed on an imported prodnct. ' Though the Admiralty is- encouraging. oil-boring in Nigeria, 'and is establishing storage < depots at various points of the British coast, the fnofc that the fuel must . primarily be carried oversea is a factor against the destroyer, and especially tho occan-going destroyer, in time of war. Tho new destroyers mil, apparently, bo treated like the modern battleships and cruisers, which are all constructed so as to consume either, coal or oil. The oil is used when spurting and forcing tho pace, and its use has riven excellent results in manoeuvres. There will bo no chango in this supplementary use-of oil. It was first introduced in the destroyer Surly eloven years ago, and as early as 1895-98 four battleships of the Majestic class 1 were equipped to burn oil as well as coal. . ADVANTAGES OF OIL.. > Tho first and greatest advantage of oil fuel is the elimination of tho wasto weight in coal. Coal when it is burnt leaves a certain amount of ash and clihkcr, which represents useless weight, and which, has from time to time to be removed from tho stokehold. With oil there is no such waste material that has to be removed. • A second point is tho reduction o£ labour with oil fuel. Fewer stokers bto needed, for all that is required is to turn on tho valve which sprays tho oil on tho furnaces. Thirdly, oil can be pumped from ship to ship, and can thus bo easily transferred at sea in any but rough weather, whereas coaling at sea is extremely difficult and dangerous in anythinz but a perfcct calm. NO RESISTANCE TO PROJECTILES. One disadvantage of oil as a fuel is that it does not offer any resistance to a projootile. Coal, when the bunkers are full, will protect tho ship's vitals, and this oil fuel never can do. Tho oil is usually conveyed in the double bottoms of the ships, though there is some risk from fire should a ship run aground and have her double bottoms pierced, as in that case tho oil might be carried up to tho furnaces in the boiler-rooms, which happened in the German battleship TTriedrich 111. The Dreadnought carries soveral hundred tons of oil'fuel, and all tho King Edward class of battleships -400 tons apiece, whilo the large now armoured cruisers have from 400 to 700 tons each, t If it is desired suddenly to increase speed in one of these battleships or cruisers, the oil fuel is brought into plav, and sprayed on the furnaces through special burners. In the manoeuvres of 1900, the King Edward class of battleships at once drew away from their pursuers when they turned on their oil fuel. In the same manoeuvres the big cruiser Duko of Edinburgh turned on her oil jets and mado 'a speed of 23 knots against a head sea. Tho smoke which she made was dense, but thore was no mistaking the almost miraouloua cffect of the oil. ____________