484 TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION F. 
The Economics of Oil Fuel. 
Coal in its crude state can only be utilised for steam-raising purposes in a 
furnace, hence :— 
(1) the necessity of large coal-bunker space in steamers. 
(2) coal being comparatively difficult to handle and stow on board ship has 
to be placed near the boilers. 
(3) the bunkers occupy some of the best cargo space. 
(4) these very considerably affect cargo-carrying capacity, and so the 
economical working of the ship. 
Oil can be utilised in either a furnace or in a cylinder—i.e., may be used for 
either reciprocating or internal-combustion engines. This has several im- 
portant economic effects :— 
(A) Where used as fuel for reciprocating engines :— 
(i.) one ton of oil will do the work of 14 ton of coal. 
ii.) bunker space is greatly reduced because :— 
(a) less fuel need be carried. 
(6) the oil can be pumped into any out-of-the-way space in the ship; thus 
spaces into which neither coal nor cargo could be stowed can be utilised. 
(c) oil can be carried in the ballast tanks. 
i.) economy in transporting, handling, storing, and stowing. 
(ii 
(iv.) less labour is required :— 
(a) only about two-thirds the number of firemen need be carried. 
(b) no trimmers are required—these two items reduce the wages bill by about 
33 per cent. 
(c) the food bill is reduced by a like amount. 
(d) less accommodation is required for engine-room staff. 
The saving in wages, food, and cost of fuel in a recent trial of oil against 
coal, tried on the same vessel, showed an advantage in favour of oil of no less 
than 34/. on one day’s steaming on a steamer of 3,800 tons. 
(B) In the case of internal combustion engines :— 
(i.) one ton of oil will do the work of four tons used for heating boilers. 
(ii.) there is considerable reduction of bunker space over oil-consuming 
reciprocating engines, and a very much greater saving of space over coal-driven 
engines. 
(iii.) there is the economy in handling, transporting, storing, and stowing 
already noticed. 
(iv.) effects on labour :— 
(2) less labour is required; here there is an economy over engines driven by 
oil fuel, as neither firemen nor trimmers are required. 
(b) the number of the other members of the engine-room staff can be reduced. 
(c) social effects—these are important. The coaling and stoking of steamers 
have a brutalising effect on the men employed.» This is a blot on steam- 
ship service. The greater cleanliness and the better conditions of work 
connected with the use of oil as fuel will tend to raise the standard of one class 
of shipping labour, and will eliminate altogether a type of work which is 
inherently brutalising. 
(v.) the engines occupy less space and there are no boilers. Hence saving 
in space includes :— 
(a) bunkers. 
(6) engine and boiler-room space. 
(c) sleeping and other accommodation for the staff. 
(C) Sources of supply :— 
These are now known to be far greater than was once thought. They 
include :— 
(I.) Oil in the fluid state. 
(II.) Various shales, coal, etc., whence oil can be distilled. 
As to (I.) of areas already supplying oil there is Eastern Europe, and 
apparently a vast workable area running thence throughout Asia to the Pacific. 
