THE NAVAL WAY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4765, 17 October 1924, Page 4

THE NAVAL WAY.

F CELLINO AT ‘2O KNOTS. In modern naval emergencies the maintenance of speed is vital. To prevent waste of time a new scheme of oiling warships at sea whilst steaming at high speed is being successfully developed. Wai ships proceeding hurriedly to far distant watens would need replenishment of fuel from such naval bases as Malta and Singapore, and to stop at these ports would waste invaluable time (states A. J. Cole, writing in the “Daily News”). Hence the development of this new scheme. :t is seemingly a simple method, but it demands assiduous courage and skill, for there is considerable risk involved when two ships are steaming side by' side at high speed. 3he captain of the battleship, on sighting the oiler which has been warned to wait for him, signals the course he wants her to take, and the necessary speed, both of which are, of Course, relative to his own. Intermittent signals are exchanged to regulate the position and speed, and by an admirable piece of navigation the ships draw within 30 feet of each other. At a given signal froiri the captain of the oiler a rocket is fired which carries a line to the warship. A specially constructed cable carrying the oil hose is attached to the line, which is rapidly hauled aboard. The hose is connected to an oil fuel filling system, signals are exchanged, pumping from the oiler commences, and 500 tons of oil an hour are transferred from the oiler to the warship, whilst both vessels are pounding along at twenty knots. The mental tension for both navigators is tremendous, for slight changes of speed due to such causes at “cavitation” of the propellers, variation of water resistance, have to be immediately rectified, and both ships have to be kept on their accurate courses. The helmsmen must respond immediately, and both helms must synchronise. One single mistake might be calamitous —collisions at 20 knots do not merely disturb paint. The hours seem singularly long, but there is no relaxation of vigilance for the men in charge. In three hours 1500 tons have been pumped over, and the signal “Enough !” brings untold relief to both bridges. The hose is speedily disconnected and withdrawn, and the battleship goes ahead'on her responsible mission. These experiments have been carried out with all types of warships, from the smallest destroyer to the largest battleship. Only a few oilers of suitable speed are yet available, but the scheme is young, and offers an interesting insight.into the everincreasing efficiency of the Navy.