The Locomotive - Lighthouse Survival Blog

1U01.] THE LOCOMOTIVE. 39
difference, if any difference exists, is uot great enough to explain the tremendous pre-
ponderance of deaths and injuries in the United States. In fact, we have been unable
to arrive at any explanation which appears to be reasonahlc and adequate.
Liquid Fuel.
The Annual Report, for 1900, of the Chief of the Bureau of Steam Engineering, of
the Navy Department, is at hand. Among other noteworthy passages we find the fol-
lowing concerning the liquid fuel experiments that have been conducted by the Bureau
for some time past: " As far as has been possible with the facilities at hand, the
Bureau has pursued these interesting experiments during the year. It has labored under
the great disadvantage of not having available an expert engineer officer to devote his
time to the work and make the necessary observations. An airtight fire room has been
built in one of the shops at the New York yard, representing, in a degree, the conditions
obtaining on board a torpedo boat, but being free from many of the inconveniences always
connected with experimental work afloat, and more particularly those upon small
vessels. In this room is installed a water-tube boiler— small tube type — and all neces-
sary apparatus for running oil-fuel tests with forced draft, it being my intention to get
good results ashore before installing any further burners on board the Talbot — the torpedo
boat turned over to the Bureau for these experiments. So far, the success with
the jet type of burner does not seem to indicate possible satisfaction. The best type of
jet or spray-burner jet used on the Talbot has failed to secure power for a sustained speed
of more than three-fourths the full trial speed of the boat, even for half an hour, while
the smoke feature is equally as evident as with soft coal, except at a speed as low as ten
knots. Great convenience attaches itself to the use of oil fuel, especially in these small
boats, owing to the instant control obtained thereby over the fires, and the avoidance of
handling ashes or cleaning fires while under way. In point of economy and fuel effi-
ciency, however, it has not yet been demonstrated, either in this country or abroad, that
a change from coal is at present possible. The first desideratum in this field is to secure
full power without smoke, the matter of economy in torpedo-boat class being of sec-
ondary consideration. By reason of this smoke question, the difficulties are greater than
they otherwise would be. Experiments with a retort burner, in which the oil is volatil-
ized and mixed with the hot air before issuance therefrom, are now in hand, and, while
giving promise of a greater efficiency than did the jet apparatus, sufficiently definite re-
sults have not yet been obtained upon which to base positive conclusions. I wish to note
here that none of the burners experimented with is of Bureau design. The great num-
ber and variety of oil burners extant, covering the results of the work of hundreds of
inventors, has afforded opportunity for selecting types of ample variety for its experi-
ments, and securing also the advantage, in many cases, of the inventor's personal
directions.' 1
"We desire to acknowledge a circular issued by the Decimal Association, of London,
England, reporting the progress of the metric agitation in England during the past
year. We note that 170 members of parliament have signified their approval of the
compulsory adoption of the metric system in England. The names of 150 of these are
given in the circular before us, and it is stated that the names of the remaining 20 are
withheld only because authority to publish them has not yet been received. (The
address of the Decimal Association is " Botolph House, Eastcheap, London, E. C")