162 REFUELING WARSHIPS AT SEA. 



ing 50 tons per day each, each should be recoaled about once in 10 days, and 10 ships 

 would be coaling every day. It is true that on the infrequent days of violent storms, 

 when the sea becomes exceedingly rough, these cruisers could not receive coal by any 

 method, and the colliers would be temporarily idle. Under normal sea conditions 

 every collier could deliver coal every day and thus be working to its highest capacity 

 and efficiency. 



BIG COLLIERS INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF COALING. 



The bigger the collier and the better the broadside coaling gear the oftener it 

 can be used for broadside coaling under headway in smooth seas. Furthermore, the 

 bigger the collier the steadier it is for handling coal along the decks when delivering 

 coal in a heavy seaway. It must be understood, however, that any collier can be 

 equipped with a marine cableway for coaling in a seaway. 



The British Admiralty experimented for years to find or develop a suitable sea- 

 coaling apparatus to be wholly carried by battleships and cruisers. None appre- 

 ciate the value of refueling warships in a seaway more than the British Admiralty. 

 They have mastered the art of oil bunkering at sea, but the apparatus is carried on 

 their own oil tank ships. The British Admiralty has never built a fleet of naval 

 colliers. Colliers carrying coal to British warships are privately owned and are 

 chartered, as needed, by the Admiralty. The author has never heard of any 

 privately owned collier being equipped with coaling-at-sea apparatus, except ex- 

 perimentally. 



It is for these reasons that the author believes that the cruisers in the North 

 Sea are coaling chiefly at shore bases or at sea when sea conditions permit colliers to 

 come alongside. The efficiency of the patrolling fleet must be low in rough weather. 



COALING BRITISH COMMERCE PROTECTING CRUISERS. 



An extraordinary demonstration of sea power is exhibited by Great Britain 

 placing fast cruisers to protect English shipping on the Atlantic Ocean. Several 

 British cruisers are protecting the lanes of travel between Great Britain and the 

 United States. These cruisers could coal on the British coast, at Halifax and at 

 Bermuda. Halifax is about 200 miles distant from the popular transatlantic routes 

 and Bermuda nearly 600 miles. 



It is always important that bunkers be kept as full of coal as possible. Many 

 of these ships coaled at Halifax. When one of these cruisers leaves the lane of 

 travel it becomes temporarily useless for the purpose assigned. To steam 200 miles, 

 coal and return, would consume the better part of three days and is time lost. The 

 trip halfway across the Atlantic and back at economical speed would be about nine 

 days. Assuming that three days out of twelve be lost in coaling, the efficiency of 

 such a ship would be about 75 per cent. 



Generally speaking, therefore, it appears that the efficiency of such a fle«t of 



