MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether, on the trial of a heavy shale oil as fuel which was made in 1868 by the Admiralty with the Oberon boiler at Woolwich, it was found that 16 lbs. of water were evaporated for each pound of the oil consumed, whereas coal evaporated about 8 lbs. of water for each pound of coal; whether oil fuel has long been, and still is, successfully used by Russian vessels in the Caspian and Black Sea, and is now being used for locomotives by English railways; whether the use of oil fuel would very greatly increase the fuel carrying capacity of Her Majesty's ships, while doing away with the necessity for stoking and stokers; and whether, since the Oberon trial, any further trials of oil fuel have been made, or whether any are now being made or are proposed to be made by the Admiralty, with a view of ascertaining its adaptability to the use of Her Majesty's Navy?
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Sir U. KAY-SHUTTLE-WORTH, Lancashire, Clitheroe)The results of the Oberon trial are somewhat ancient history, on which it would not be useful to go back. Oil fuel has since been frequently experimented upon by the Admiralty, and its adoption elsewhere is being closely watched, both in foreign countries and at home. Against such 1032 advantages as are suggested in the third paragraph of the hon. Member's question certain grave disadvantages must be set.