168 REFUELING WARSHIPS AT SEA. 



States Navy leads in colliers and collier equipment for broadside coaling in smooth 

 seas, as well as in cableway equipment for coaling from collier to warship in tow 

 in a seaway. 



Both have to do with increased coaling efficiency. 



COALING THE U. S. S. WYOMING IN I9I4. 



The U. S. S. Wyoming coaled at Guantanamo Bay in the spring of 1914 from 

 the U. S. collier Jason on one side and the U. S. collier Nereus on the other. Both 

 colliers are equipped with the two most recent types of coal-discharging apparatus. 

 Both discharge with clamshell buckets. 



The Jason is equipped with twelve marine transfers, each operated by one 

 winchman (see Figs. 5 and 6, Plate 61). 



The Nereus is equipped with twelve special cableways, each operated by two 

 winchmen. 



Both colliers rigged out eight booms over the deck of the Wyoming. 



The Jason used her eight booms continuously, dropping coal at eight different 

 points along the deck and through the chutes of the Wyoming. 



The Nereus used six to eight booms, intermittently, on account of breakages. 



All was made ready for test the night before — time to get ready not given 

 (usually 20 to 30 minutes' work on the Jason). Coaling began at 5.30 in the morn- 

 ing and stopped at 8 o'clock for breakfast, resuming at 8.30. The Jason cast off at 

 9 o'clock. The Nereus cast off at 9.30 o'clock. The Jason delivered to the Wyoming 

 a maximum of 465 tons per hour. The Nereus delivered to the Wyoming a maxi- 

 mum of 433 tons per hour. The Jason delivered a total of 1,040 tons in 3 working 

 hours, an average of 346 tons per hour. The Nereus delivered a total of 1,020 tons 

 in 31^ working hours, an average of 292 tons per hour. 



From 550 to 600 tons of coal were heaped on board when the colliers left, and 

 it required from 9 o'clock in the morning to 4.30 in the afternoon to clear up and 

 stow the coal left on board. 



The whole operation of taking on and stowing 2,060 tons of coal was accom- 

 plished in 954 hours, an average of 217 tons per hour. 



Both the Jason and the Nereus coaling gears are able easily to discharge 100 

 tons of coal per hatch per hour. 



In the official trial of the collier Jason 137J4 tons of coal were actually dis- 

 charged in one hour with one operator. 



At the conclusion of the trial Admiral Badger expressed the opinion that the 

 Wyoming could at any time take on 2,100 tons of coal in five hours from two col- 

 liers in smooth waters, stowing the surplus left on deck at leisure. 



From the above it appears that from one collier the taking on and stowing of 

 2,100 tons of coal would require approximately ten hours, being an average of 210 

 tons per hour. The coaling rate in 1914 is therefore seven times faster than in 1893. 



So far as colliers and coal-discharging gear are concerned, their development 



