REFUELING WARSHIPS AT SEA. 179 



placement is abouc 10,000 tons. The bunker capacity of these first-class cruisers 

 range from 1,075 tons (Saratoga) to 1,776 tons (Charleston). These ships cost 

 approximately $4,000,000 each. Patrolling on blockade, these ships would proba- 

 bly burn 50 tons per day and would probably coal every 10 days. 



The four second-class cruisers all burn coal and range in displacement from 

 4,500 tons to 7,387 tons and have a bunker capacity of 850 tons (Chicago) to 1,525 

 tons (Columbia). The Olympia, one of these second-class cruisers, cost nearly 

 $3,000,000. Patrolling on blockade, they would probably burn 45 tons per day and 

 would probably coal every 10 days. 



The fifteen third-class cruisers are all coal burners. They range from 2,212 

 tons displacement (Marblehead) to 4,687tons (Chester, Salem, Birmingham). The 

 bunker capacity for these ships varies very much, 428 tons (Boston) to 1,400 tons 

 (Birmingham and Salem). These vessels cost about $2,000,000 each. At 10 knots' 

 speed the Chester burns 40.44 tons per day, the Salem 53.85 tons per day, and the 

 Birmingham 21.74 tons per day. These vessels, patrolling on blockade, would doubt- 

 less average 40 tons per day and would probably coal every 7 days. 



The problem of maintaining the fifteen third-class cruisers continuously on 

 blockade would not be a simple one. More than half of these carry approximately 

 700 tons. When consuming 40 tons per day they would be nearly empty in two 

 weeks. Prudence would indicate that each should be coaled once a week. Two of 

 these would therefore have to be coaled every day. This would be easily done from 

 one collier of the Jason type should the sea be smooth enough to allow a cruiser to 

 coal while steaming alongside the collier at a speed of from 10 to 12 knots. Coaling 

 under headway is essential should submarines be present. When the sea would not 

 permit of coaling broadside while steaming at sea, then recourse would be had to 

 the marine cableway, in which the collier would tow the cruiser. 



The Royal Italian third-class cruiser Liguria (only 2,280 tons) is smaller than 

 any of the United States third-class cruisers. It received 60 tons of coal per hour 

 from the marine cableway when towing the collier at a speed of 12 knots and in a 

 sea in which the screws of the cruiser were seen from the deck of the collier in tow. 



These small cruisers might be able to take on and stow coal 40 to 50 tons per 

 hour and might consume the better part of a day to coal under headway in tow at 

 sea. 



It would be wholly possible to coal at night, for the Virginia was coaled by the 

 marine cableway at sea in a dense fog when it was impossible for any part of either 

 ship to be seen from the other. 



Our small number of cruisers would seem to make it necessary to coal them at 

 sea, to maintain them at anything like an efficient blockading fleet. 



OUR FLEET CALLED TO BUENOS AIRES. 



Rear- Admiral Bradley A. Fiske, U. S. N., in his prize essay before the United 

 States Naval Institute, June i, 1905, points out that: — 



