NEW MOTOR FUEL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10768, 14 May 1913, Page 3

NEW MOTOR FUEL.

AN AMERICAN DISCOVERY

In the past crude petroleum has produced 20 per cent of petrol, 20 per cent of kerosene and GO per cent of fuel oil. By a new process invented by Dr W. M. Burton, of Indiana, United States, ;t is now possiblo to extract from, the crude oil 20 per cent of petrol, 30 pel' cent of a heavier motor spirit, 20 per cent of kerosene, with a residue of 30 per cent. Though the new spirit has a more pungent smell than petrol, according to an article in tho American " Motor Age," it gives an increased mileage of 2-i per cent. Motor spirit came upon tho American market early in February, at a time when numerous prophecies of an immediate shortage in the petrol supply had threatened a heavy rise in price. It is produced by the Standard Oil Company of Indiana, a company which came into existence after the breaking up of the Standard Oil Trust. Though the new fuel is slightly cheaper v than petrol, the value of the discovery lies in the fact tha.t tho supply of motor fuel from the saino amount of crude oil can be increased by 150 per cent.. Whcro 100 gallons or crude petroleum in tho past gave only 20 gallons of petrol, under Dr Burton's system it Avill yield 50 gallons of motor fuel, while the residue can be sold fo" almost tho same price as the 60 gallons of fuel oil remaining after the ordinary process of refining. The new spirit is slightly heavier than petrol. After standing a short time it becomes slightly yellow in colour. It evaporates slowly. There is a light-coloured smoko in th© exhaust of cars burning motor spirit, but it is not so pronounced as tho-bluish smoke, due to too much oil. Pleasure cars burning the fuel have been running in Chicago for some time without interference from the police, who are instructed to banish from tho streets any car with a smoky exhaust. Motor spirit will be largely used by motor waggons, traction and stationary engines, which have increased in number so rapidly that the American petrol market has been shorf>-supplied during the last few months. With the place of petrol in these fields being taken by motor spirit, the present supply of petrol for pleasure cars should prove adequate for years to come. Discussing the discovery, the " Motor Age'' says that probably there never was in tho history of motoring and its allied industries a more striking example of the law of supply and demand, and the influence of public opinion, than was offered by the development of motor spirit at what was apparently the psychological moment. Motor-driven vehicles could no longer depend upon the fuel they had used in the past owing to the ever-increasing demand, and the practically stationary supply. It waiS just when matters had reached a crisis that motor spirit appeared. There is no immediate prospect of the new fuel being exported l to Australasia. The Indiana company operates at a distance of 1000 miles, from the Atlantic and 2000 miles from the Pacific seaboard, and consequently the high inland freights will prevent the shipment of the fuel. Its effect may, however, be indirectly felt, as the fact that a much larger quantity of motor fuel can now be extracted from the crude oil may have a steadying effect on prices.