THE DAY OF OIL FUEL.

Mataura Ensign, 18 July 1913, Page 5

THE DAY OF OIL FUEL.

USE BY THE ADMIRALTY. B? EIECTRIC TELEGRAPH COPYRIGHT. PER UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION. Received July 18, 1.55 p.m. LONDON, July 17. Hon. Winston Churchill (First Lord l of the Admiralty) in the House of Commons stated that Great Britain was now building 100 oil-fuel destroyers. Five battleships would this year use oil as an auxiliary to ooal. which would continue as the main basis in the battle line. Oil increased a ship's active radius 40 per cent, and permitted the designing of vessels of equal lighting power, lesser dimensions' and at a smaller cost.

The Admiralty intended becoming tW independent owner or controller of its supply. He was making a contract with the Mexican Eagle Company, wherewith his naval colleagues were not interested in shares nor -were the funds of the Liberal Party invested tlhjerein. He knew of nothing to make it necessary to add to the construction programme. He did not think anything was likely to occur in the autumn in the Mediterranean to necessitate the advance of construction. i