DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND FORESTS FOR 1936 109 



It was subsequently discovered that, due to the long period of storage, 

 the grade markings on many of the barrels had been obliterated. Samples 

 were taken and submitted to Imperial Oil for analysis, and in many cases, the 

 oil was found to contain water and scale from the inside of the barrels. An oil 

 filter was purchased and installed at Sioux Lookout, by means of which such 

 oil can now be purified. The filter is further suitable to the reclamation of 

 crankcase oil, and all such oil is now being saved with a view to reclamation. 



Several hundred gallons of the lighter grades, which are only used in air- 

 craft during the winter months and which were considered to be in excess 

 of our requirements, have been transferred to the ground services for use in 

 fire pumps and motor vehicles. Over one thousand gallons have already been 

 put through the filter with complete satisfaction, and when it is considered 

 that the Service has approximately five thousand gallons in the Western 

 Division, it is not felt that it will be necessary to purchase more than occasional 

 quantities to meet our requirements for the next two or three years. The 

 only shrinkage in this volume will be occasioned through the actual amounts 

 burned in the engines and the small loss in reclamation. It is now felt that 

 the filter is one of the most useful pieces of equipment in the Service and that 

 its purchase has been well justified. 



Plans for the future involve the caching of much smaller quantities of 

 fuel and the use of these fuels in such a way that the caches can be depleted 

 and renewed within a period of two years. By following this policy it is felt 

 that much can be saved in losses caused by evaporation and condensation, 

 both of which tend to affect adversely the volatility and octane rating of our 

 fuels. 



New and better arrangements, resulting in greater economy and efficiency, 

 have been consummated for the purchase and storage of fuels in connection 

 with Air Service requirements. 



Periodic inspections and careful inventories are now being made of all 

 supplies at the various bases and caches. By this method, discrepancies 

 hitherto occurring, it is hoped, will be reduced to a minimum and better 

 opportunities afforded of definitely determining the sources of interference. 



Photography 



The Service has not done a great deal in the way of Aerial Photography 

 due to the fact that most of the requests for such work came during the summer 

 months, at which time our craft were engaged in fire fighting operations. 



One operation was, however, carried out by the Vedette in the vicinity 

 of Schreiber during the month of September, and a second operation has now 

 been concluded by the Hamilton and the Fairchild in the area between Kenora, 

 Quibell and Red Lake. It would appear that the winter is the most appro- 

 priate time for this Service to carry out such work. 



