GROWING USE OF OIL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4309, 26 August 1921, Page 4

GROWING USE OF OIL.

AS FUEL FOR SHIPS. The head of a very important American oil company said recently that the increase in the use of oil for fuel purposes throughout the world is very significant, particularly as re Sards pil burning ships. The use of petroleum in this way, said*this oil man, is destined to increase greatly as more- coal burning vessels are converted into oil burners. The differ-, ence in cost of operation between coal and oil! burning ships is ndw frequently so important 'as to preclude; -the use of many coal burners altogether.- The British coal strike has, had the effect of permanently increasing the use of oil for fuel.. Last month <he British House of Commons was informed by the Civil! Lord of the Admiralty that in a very short time the entire British Navy is destined to use oil exclusively ; in fact, that is why the British Government obtained a controlling interest in the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, which is to provide oil reserves for the British Navy. . How the British have turned fb oil; is shown by British imports o'; that article, now running at a rare slightly in excess of 100,000,000 .gallons monthly. As to the oil supplies available for such use, the president of .the American Oil Company mentioned is authority for the statement that the use of oil for fuel can be yet increased enormously without seriously affecting either reserves or price.