180 ECONOMY IN USE OF OIL AS FUEL FOR HARBOR VESSELS. 
development of the large oil deposits in California, and many steamers of 
all descriptions, employed on the Pacific Coast, were thus equipped. As 
the cost of transforming the coal bunkers into oil-tight tanks for fuel-oil 
was considered prohibitive in view of the age of the vessel, and the lack of 
funds for the purpose, the idea was temporarily abandoned. However, 
in the early part of 1910, it was found necessary to fit this vessel with a new 
boiler, and the thought then occurred to the writer that a limited oil system 
could be installed at a comparatively small cost. The duties of this vessel 
are almost entirely confined to San Francisco harbor and the waters adjacent 
thereto, so that at no time is she more than thirty or forty miles from her 
wharf. A scheme was therefore evolved of fitting a horizontal cylindrical 
tank under the deck beams in the fire-room space, as shown in the accom- 
panying drawing. ‘The result was that this tank having a capacity of 23 
barrels, the oil pump, burners, etc., complete in all details, were fitted at a 
total cost of only $2,500. 
The oil is obtained from a pipe line run to the end of the wharf imme- 
diately alongside the water hydrant, so that the labor of fueling and water- 
ing the vessel is reduced to a minimum; in fact the oil tank can be filled 
in ten minutes. ‘This tank carries sufficient oil for ten days ordinary use, 
as the tug’s duties are very intermittent and consist of running down to the 
harbor entrance and placing inspectors on incoming foreign vessels. For 
nearly nine-tenths of the time she must lie at the wharf, with steam up 
and be ready for an immediate call at any time a vessel is reported as coming 
into port. The great saving is therefore in the time that the vessel would 
ordinarily be under banked fires if coal was used. As soon as the run is over 
under present conditions the oil is, of course, shut off and practically no 
fuel is used when the cutter is not underway. In the summer months the 
oil can be shut off, the boiler closed up tight, a full glass of water pumped in, 
and with steam at 150 pounds at six o'clock in the evening there will be 
found ample pressure the next morning to start the oil pump, when steam at 
the working pressure can be raised in a few moments. In the winter season 
when it becomes necessary to use steam for the radiators, one burner partly 
turned on is found ample to keep up the pressure, and the additional fuel 
consumption for this purpose in 24 hours is found to average about one 
barrel. 
There is nothing unusual about the apparatus employed, as it consists 
of a No. 10 S. & P. oil pump with the necessary heater, coil, governor, relief, 
gauge, tank, strainers, etc. ‘There are three ordinary type burners, one to 
each furnace, which project about 12 inches beyond the door frame liners 
and are about 6 inches above the level of the grates, slanting slightly down- 
wards. 
