COAL FOR THE NAVY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 11250, 15 April 1908, Page 5

COAL FOR THE NAVY.

BETTEtt LOADING FACILITIES. REQUIRED. (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. The Marine Department has forwarded a copy of a letter received from the Vice-Admiral in regard to establishing a depot for the storage of coal for tlie Navy .-it Auckland. The letter .states :"I consider it to be certainly desirable that- a depot with modern appliances for rapid coaling should be established at Auckland, in which coal could be stored at any time for prospective needs in peace times. The needs of the Navy at Auckland are not large, and the* reserve of 50 tons now kept by the Westport Coal Co. is sufficient to meet the current demands of single ships, while a collier can always be ordered to meet the Squadron on its visits to New Zealand. Tho danger is that if any large amount of coal was stored, there would not be a sufficient turnover to ensure its being as good as under present conditions. At present the price of coal for His Majesty's ships at Auckland is higher than at Wellington or Lyttelton, ,. and therefore ships only coal there when necessary. The coaling appliancs generally in Australasia are much behind the times, jind I. am of- opinion that modern appliances would be of great assistance to the rapid Jcoalingl of mercantile steamers, and so make for economy in their working." The letter , was referred to tlie Board in committee. Mr W. G., Napier said that if modern appliances were adopted the cost of handling coal could be lessened by; 5s per ton. It was the Board 's duty -to supply the , requisite modern machinery.