CREOSOTE OIL.

Waikato Times, Volume 112, Issue 18796, 18 November 1932, Page 10

CREOSOTE OIL.

AS PETROL SUBSTITUTE. USE NOT FAVOURED. (From a Correspondent). SYDNEY, Nov. 8. Referring to the recently reported discovery In Belfast of the use of creosote oil in substitution for petrol, the Minister in control of Development (Senator McLachlan) quotes the views of experts, who doubt the practicability of Its application in Australia. , . Senator McLachlan said that he consulted Mr L. J. Rogers, Fuel Research Officer, who recently arrived from England, and who has a valuable knowledge of the experiments which have been carried out at Belfast. Mr Rogers was not impressed with their value from the point of view of Australia or for purposes of large commercial exploitation. In a report toy Mr Rogers, it is pointed out that creosote moto'r fuel will only displace second-grade petro. sold at Is lOd per gallon, resulting in a possible saving of 60 per cent. In fuel costs. These costs have been variously estimated at 13 to 40 per cent, of the total running expenses, and may here be taken at the genera! figure- of 25 per cent. The actual saving, therefore, is of the order of iu per cent, of the total expenses. It would appear that the amount of creosote available for use as a motor fuel in Australia is strictly limited. In more prosperous times a greater quantity of coal would be carbonised per annum, but this increase would mainly occur in the coke industry, and little or no extra creosote would toe produced., For the time toeing, the quantity of creosote prepared per annum may be taken as six million gallons, and the amount available for motor fuel some smaller figure. The demand for creosote will be restricted to companies and undertakings operating fairly lage fleets of vehicles. To other's, the possible saving in fuel would not justify the extra expense and inconvenince to be Incurred. The economies to be effected by i/arge concerns favourably situated for purchasing and using creosote are considerable, however, and co-oper-ation with the gas companies on this question should be to their mutual advantage. Another competitor in the utility vehicle field Is making fairly rapid progress in England and on the Continent of Europe. Diesel engines arc becoming popular for heavy duty, and more, interest is being taken in these vehicles by ’bus companies and similar concerns than is toeing shown in creosote. Diesel engines possess all the advantages, and do not suffer from the limitations of the creosote engine. It may be that in the neai future, the value of creosote as a motor fuel must toe compared with that of Diesel oil instead of No. 2 motor spirit. In such a competition, the advantage would undoubtedly rest with the petroleum fuel, for creosote Itself cannot toe used in a Diesel engine, and can only be adapted to the less efficient vaporising oil engine.