USE AS A FUEL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 209, 10 May 1912, Page 4

USE AS A FUEL.

The probabilities are that in the near future oil fuel will displace the use of coal on board nearly all war vessels and on steamers. The British Admiralty has been experimenting for some time past for the purpose of testing the advantages of oil burning, and though the results have not been disclosed it is understood that they have been highly satisfactory. The only doubt appears to be as to the possibility of ensuring a permanent and adequate supply of fuel oil, but on this point experts declare there need be no uncertainty. "After all," says Mr. J. D. Henry, the leading authority, who has just returned to London 4»m his visit to Taranaki, "there are few countries which are barren of oil. The geography of the petroleum world is no longer confined to the two first great centres of production —Baku and the northern fields of America. Few people adequately appreciate the importance of the latest petroleum developments at numerous points along the All-Red route. Starting west and going round the world, we have, in North-West Canada, from 200 to 500 miles above Athabasca Landing, considerable tracts of territory earveyed for the drilling work which is to be started this spring. Hundreds of drillers have been engaged to leave for these remote parts directly the spring clears the roads of the snow. If oil is struck the drilling crews will be kept on the properties next winter. The railway companies are taking a practical interest in the opening up of this new field. Quite a lively search for oil is being conducted at different points along the coast of British Columbia, and production has been obtained on more than one island in the Pacific. We may safely anticipate the early opening up of new oilfields in British Columbia." Mr. Henry added > that the developments of the last few | weeks in New Zealand were most encouraging. One well in the drilling of which he was interested had produced oil at the rate of seventy barrels a day (No. 5 well at Moturoa maintained this flow for a short period, subsequently averaging thirty-six barrels a day), and was the largest producer in those parts. In many parts of Australasia a great deal of interest was being taken m the business of opening up the oilfields Discoveries of oil had also been made on several of the small islands in the southern seas. Nearer home, in the protectorate of Somaliland, a wild place to prospect in, there were good oil prospects, and, of course, no one any longer doubted the possibility of our getting large supplies from extensive areas within easy reach of the Suez Canal. "AH the way round the All-Red route," Mr. Henry says, "there are important oil developments, and there are more reasons than can be discussed in this brief statement which go to show that it will be possible ere long to maintain ample oil supplies along the British Empire lines of ocean traffic."