OIL AS LOCOMOTIVE FUEL 89 



Use of Oil Fuel for Steamships 



Oil is being used to a constantly increasing extent as fuel on coast- 

 wise steamships along the Pacific Coast of Canada and the United 

 States. The recent installation of oil-burners on Canadian Pacific 

 and Grand Trunk Pacific steamers out of Vancouver is an illustration. 

 In Eastern Canada, the Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Co. has 

 equipped two steamers with oil-burners. 



The rapid increase in the use of oil as fuel for battleships is note- 

 worthy in this connection. One by one the navies of the world have 

 been tentatively and slowly adding oil-driven warships to their fleets. 

 It is said that the British navy has made greater advance in the use 

 of oil fuel than has the navy of any other country, notwithstanding her 

 magnificent resources in coal, which have so long formed the backbone 

 of her naval supremacy. 



It has been f oimd that two tons of oil will do the work of three tons 

 of the best coal. This is a tremendous advantage in favour of oil, 

 since it means equal or greater, efficiency with an enormous saving in 

 weight and space. This is of vital importance in a warship, since it 

 means a proportionate increase in cruising range. The development and 

 adoption of internal-combustion engines, of which the Diesel engine is 

 a tjrpe, will enormously increase this advantage. 



Other general advantages of oil fuel for steamship use are ; 



(i) Great saving in time and labour in loading with fuel ; 



(2) Great reduction in number of men required for handling fuel 

 on board ship ; 



(3) Reduced cost of boiler and other repairs ; 



(4) Increased cleanliness ; 



(s) More complete combustion and therefore greater efficiency 

 of oil fuel. 



The following report by G. W. Dickie, published in The Vancouver 



Province, on the comparative costs of coal and oil as fuel on one of the 



C.P.R. British Columbia Co^t Service steamships, is of interest, in 



view of the number of vessels which have recently been built to consume 



liqiiid fuel; or have been changed so that either of the two fuels may be 



used. The costs of coal and oil for the Princess Victoria are given 



as follows : — * 



Coal 



Per Day 



100 tons at $4.50 S450.00 



9 firemen at 855 a month each 16 . 60 



9 trimmers at $45 a month each 13 . 50 



Food for 18 men 7.66 



Total $487.56 



*Canadian Railway and Marine World, April, 1913. 



