?,3G THE TROPICAL AGEICULTURIRT. [Nov. 1, 1898. 
LIQUID FUEL: 
FOB STEAMEEB, LOCOMOTIVES, GAS- 
WORKS, FACTORIES (TEA AND 
OTHERWISE), &c. 
We are on the eve, in tliis propiessive Colombo 
of ours, of a notable revolution in respect of tlie fuel 
required for steaniers, locomotives and factories, 
which cannot fail to have a great and benelicial 
influence on the amenities, if not health, of the 
city, and on the pro^'ress of trade and local manu- 
factures. We refer to the substitution of petroleum 
residuum, the liquid fuel known to the Kussians 
as "astaki" or ' mazot" for ordinary coal. 
Ihis substitution is much nearer practical realiza- 
tion at tliis port than the public are Renerally 
aware of. ^\e] have become accustomed to the 
bulk petroleum installation of the fieat London 
Company with its £1,800,000 of capital 
(owners of the "Shell" line of steamers, as 
well as of deposits of petroleum, in Europe 
and the East, and of installations at every 
Eastern Port) for whom Messrs. Delmege, For- 
syth & Co. are the local representatives. But 
it is not known that this same Company, having 
secured a Concession of 200 square miles at 
Koti in Dutch Borneo, with an inexhaustible 
supply of petroleum and especially of tlie 
residuum, now proved to be so vylnable for 
liquid fuel, are making arriingements for separate 
installations on account of this new article 
of trade to be supplied at every port of any note 
between Yokohama and Suez. At Singapore, the 
installation is already comjilete, and a vessel has 
arrived with 1,000 tons of the residuum. Colombo 
is not so far ahead, owing perhaps to the 
puzzlement of the Government as to how this 
new product of petroleum should be treated. It 
took some time to show that it cannot possibly 
be used as an illuininant ; but only as a fuel 
and substitute for coal or wood. Consequently, 
it h&s been properly [decided that no Customs 
duty can be charged on it any more than on coal, 
and that there is not the slightest need to 
guard against the risk of accident with the fuel, 
as there is with kerosine oil. This having been 
now fully realised, legislation to enable the 
new fuel to be readily dealt with at Colombo 
will shortly be passed. Meantime Messrs. 
Delmege, Forsyth & Co. have had waiting for 
erection, two enormous tanks each capable 
of holding 4,000 tons ot this material, one 
of which tanks now about to be erected is ex- 
pected to be finished by January ne.xt. (The 
largest petroleum oil tank at; present in 
Colombo does not exceed 1,500 tons.) When this 
is done a supply from Borneo will be available 
to be pumped into the tank and thence distri- 
buted for local as for steamer purposes. Before 
the close of the present year we shall probably 
find steamers coming into our harbour using this 
new fuel, — although they cannot be supplied 
here before February IS93— but an experiment is 
to be made on a locomotive in Colombo before the 
end of this year and this may lead to its adoption 
all along our railway lines. It is to^ soon to speak 
of price; but supplied to us from Borneo, it is very 
likely that Ceylon can be ex-ceptionally dealt 
willi as to coi-t ard that the Dinibnia planters 
may be renderc^l independent of I lie FJ)i\n forest 
supply! The home calculation at present ii^ that 
1 ton of this new fuel is equal to jJ to 2i of 
coal according to circumstances; wliile anioDg 
ether great advantages is its far less bulk and 
room required, a:.d strange to say, the much le^s 
risk of accident, •from coinbusi ior,, &c. In the 
case of Kteaiiiers with tlie luacbiiiery fitted on 
to spray the liouid fuel from the tanks into the 
furnace, no ttoLcrs ere lequired ; while nearly 
all the space now required for coal ran be 
used for ]jaying cargo. In the case of locomotives 
no tenders for coal will be rcquiied. I'o pet 
rid of coal-dust alone should be an advantnge 
to Colombo as well as to our engine-drivers; 
while all humane )ieiPons will rejoice that there 
is to be no further nfcd of "stoking' in the 
Bed Sea or Tropics. What is to be done with 
our Colombo Coal Sheds on their new sites is 
a |)oiiit that can be settled a little later on I 
Sir Marcus Samuel Rtate<l at the trial that 
the " Ti igonia," which had already started on lier 
Eastern voyage, was really the pioneer of the 
Shell fleet in using fuel. The intention is to save 
Canal dues, by supplying installations from North 
Borneo at all ports up to and including Suez, and 
on the other side of the Canal to huvesupuHes at 
the usual "coaling" poiis from Bussia. In the 
East. Sir Marcus said his Company aimed at de- 
livering the liquid fuel at a rate to successfully 
conijiete with coal and be believed the siijiitly 
from their field in Borneo to be practically in- 
exhaustible. Five of the " Shell " steamers had 
now been adapted for liquid fuel. Tlie following 
extract is of local interest— Sir Jolm Dnrstow, 
K C.n., beii!<.' Engineer in-Chief of the Navy ; — 
Mr. E. T Delmf Kc pioposed the health of tlie di- 
rectors of the "Shell" Co., on wboee behalf Mr. 
Samuel Samuel briefly responded. 
Sir .Tolin Dnreton in psoposing the tosst cf '"The 
Builders of the H!ilioli=," said that to bis mind what 
hail kept back the qnestion of liquid foel in the p&bt 
was tl'c difficulty of supply, but after whHt Sir Marcos 
Samuel hiid told them it would appear that the supply 
was assured, and that the only question became otie of 
the experience. 
Throughout the entire run not a hitch of auy kind 
occurred. Steam was readily maintained and smoke 
ei)tirel\' absent. 
"Fair Play's" shipbuilding authority stated in 
July last that this new fuel may comiiete with 
coal wherever the latter exceeds 30s per ton. 
But this does not allow for a number of savings 
Ironi u.^i!ig the former : —in space, in expense of 
stokers, in time of loading, the " m.ascot " being 
pumpeti into its tanks (no coal dust again for 
passengers, j^aloon. cabins cr deck — what a 
blessing I) The Shell fleet to 'be devoted to 
this liquiil fuel distribution, is reckoned to carry 
one million tons a year — so Indian and Austra- 
lian as well as Japanese and British coal n)iue 
owners must look out for competition. The 
use of liquid fuel is expected to add enor- 
mously to the speed of vessels, and the com- 
fort, from getting rid of stokers and coal-h(dds 
on men-of-war, torpedo-boats, &c., will be very 
great. Land for oil-tanks for the new fuel has 
been obtained at Suez, Colombo and Singapore, 
and at other ports arrangements are in a more 
or less advanced state, so that as Sir James 
Laing said in July last, " coal eoBsuinpl ion, and 
especially so far as the Eastern trade was con- 
cerned, was dooii;ed to a veiy sudden death, 
because the advantages of liqiiid fuel weie so 
preponderating that it must supersede coal as a 
motive power." 
