THE COMING AGE OF OIL IN BRITAIN.

Western Star, 26 March 1920, Page 2

THE COMING AGE OF OIL IN BRITAIN.

Many recent circumstances, which are in the main connected with the abnormal conditons .resulting frottu a great war, have led to a considerable discussion of the whole question' of iuel—its high cost-, its comparative scarcity, the increased demands on all available supplies to meet the expanding; industries in, this matter is being directed toward the possibilities of oil as a substitute for coal. Leaders of iudustrial and economic life in 0 1 oat Britain, with the., active support of the Government, are today considering what proportion of oil supplies are likely to be forthcoming-; from the United Kingdom and’the British overseas dominions and possessions. 1

lb, is agreed that so far British territory has proved singularly unproductive in oil, the Empire’s output being only per cent, of the world’s total! In 1917, for instance, India furnished a little over 1,000,000 tons: Trinidad,, 200,000. tons; Egypt, 131,500; and Canada, 2o,000'; while outside of the Scottish shale oil industry, the United Kingdom is not in the list of oil-producing countries. However, much active development is reported in Burma, which is considered by Professor Brame to be one of the" most promising of British oilfields. Trinidad likewise is rapidly attaining six important position' as an oil-producing, country; Egypt is a similar "Land of Promise ”; but the results hitherto obtained in Canada and New Zealand arc not very - encburaging, while neither in Australia nor in South Africa is there much prospect of oil production.

As a natural corollary to the universally recognised need for oil fuel as a substitute for coal, ai great- deal of attention has recently been devoted to the adaptation, among other things, of the internal combustion envine to * railway locomotives. Coal, however, being a. domestic product, it ig generally believed that oil as ai substitute tor railway fuel would entail a tremendous expense in the establishment ot supply depots, and that its use would not balance the outlay which a general change from coal to oil would involve in British railway systems. In connection with this point, however, the London Daily News of iSovemKer 12 mentions the appearance of a railway locomotive driven by an internal combustion engine utilising heavy fuel oil. It is stated to he thl production of a large engineering firni and to have come successfully throu<rii exhaustive tests, proving its ability to haul a; fully laden freight-train at 30 miles an hour and a passenger train at over 60 miles an hour. The new engine is reported to he wonderfully economical- in regard to fuel-oil consumption, and should enable railways to minimise working expenses. No further information regarding it is available ait the moment

For the present, more powerful support is in the direction of emphasising the advantages tot shipping which would follow the replacement of .coal by oil fuel. Its advocates point out that oil fuel on ships will mean a larger amount of .space available lor cargo and a smaller crew for the engine room. Its use is also cleaner in work and saves appreciable time inbunkering. In addition, it is estimated to add one knot to the speed of the vessel, due to the regularity and efficiency of the -automatic feed. It has been widely published that in the reconditioning of the White Star liner Olympic at Belfast oil burning apparatus is being installed. Oil burning gear is also being introduced, it is reported, in the Mauretania, and the Aquitani-ai, as well as in the other Cunard and associated vessels under construction; similarly in the German liners which have been handed over to Britisth companies. In the case of the Aquitania, for instance, it is stated that instead of consuming; 1000, tons of coal per day, only 500 tons of oil will’ be required, which.’ could lie carried in tanks formerly used for water ballast. Oil supply depots are already in existence on the Thames, at Avonmouth, Southampton, - Manchester, Liverpool, Barrow, Hull, Sunderland, Grangemouth, and Belfast. All important clocks and harbours in Great Britain and Ireland are recognising, that if, they are to maintain their position and enhance their prosperity provision will have to lie made, where it does not already exist, for storing petroleum products. The advent of oil driven shipping will mean the establishment of chains of oil 'hunkering stations throughout the world to enable steamers to replenish supplies, and great developments are reported to bo taking place in the installation of oil fuel station to serve such purpose.