OIL FOR THE NAVY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 6 May 1914, Page 4

OIL FOR THE NAVY.

A WRITER in the "National Review" for March makes some very serious assertions about the state of things which has, he says,-resulted from the building of oil-driven ships for tho Navy. His story is as follows : —Experiments had been conducted for some years before Lord Fisher became First Sea Lord in 1904. Then eight ocean-going destroyers and 12 torpedo-boats were fitted to burn oil only. In 1906 and 1907 two large destroyers and 2 4torpedo-boats were so fitted, but for two years thereafter no such boats were built. On Lord Fisher's

retirement in 1909 the building of oil- , driven boats began again on an exteu- ' sive scale, and has continued since. In , 1912 five battleships and eight light cruisers, and in the following year eight ' more light cruisers were designed to burn oil fuel only. In July. 1912, Lord Fisher was appointed president of the j Royal Commission on Oil Fuei. By then five capital ships and eight light cruisers had been ordered to burn oil only, yet the purpose of the commission was to discover whether there was sufficient oil available for the purpose. The interim reports of the commission have been kept secret, but the ships are built. Last year, when introducing the Estimates, Mr Churchill referred to the high price of oil, and to the difficulties of obtaining it. He subsequently stated that the Admiralty proposed to acquire and work oil-fields. Soon afterwards 40 torpedo-boats on the east coast were virtually taken out of active commission, apparently because the Admiralty could not obtain the supply of oil required for peace purposes, and at the same time accumulate a war reserve. It is even doubtful whether it can obtain a sufficient reserve in any case, although it has reduced the flash-point from 200 deg. F., hitherto" the recognised safety limit, to 150deg. F. A flotilla, of 20

destroyers on manoeuvres or exercises burns 1000 tons of oil a day. In the five new battleships of the Queen Elizabeth type, designed to burn oil only, each ship would burn, upon a normal routine of cruising and manoeuvres, about 20,000 tons a year. The present price of oil is 90s a ton, and the freight is not less than 40s, which brings the total cost up to £6 10s a ton. The cost of coal per ton is 14s or 15s, and the calorific value of oil, as compared with coal, is as 25 to 16. The coal is available in any quantity in the United Kingdom. The oil is not available. There arc five battleships, 16 light cruisers, and about 120 destroyers and torpedo-boats fitted, or being fitted, for oil only. That, according to the "National Review" contributor, is the situation, and he claims that it demands searching investigation by Parliament.