§ 7. Mr. LOUIS SMITHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty in view of the large quantities of creosote available for fuel purposes for what reason the Admiralty has been unable to purchase oil of quality equal to specification and at competitive prices from the tar-distilling industry?
§ The CIVIL LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Captain Euan Wallace)Creosote has a number of technical disadvantages, as compared with other liquid fuels, which entail additional expenditure in storing, mixing and issue. It is not, therefore, at present suitable or economical to use it as fuel in His Majesty's ships.
§ Mr. SMITHCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman tell us what the technical disadvantages are, so that those responsible for this home production can deal with them?
§ Captain WALLACEThe technical disadvantages are two. One of them is that naphthalene, which is contained in this fuel, is deposited in solid masses when the temperature falls below 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and that involves special arrangements for heating tank wagons and bunkers of tankers, unless the creosote is mixed with three parts of petroleum oil. The other disadvantage is the presence of anthracene which, we are advised, is dangerous to the personnel, and until the manufacturers of creosote fuel remove this component we are not prepared to use it.