OIL FUEL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 189, 30 December 1912, Page 4

OIL FUEL.

DIESEL AND OTHER ENGINES. engineering tijadk at home. Keturned from k 'u.ii.lay trip to tlie Old Country, Mr. J. Scott, of Messrs Scott Hi or., engineers, Christchurch, speaking lo a reporter, gave his impressions of the work being done in connection with oil fuel engines. "In the first place," said tMr. Scott, "I did not go Home on business, but on a holiday. As an engineer, 'however, I soon found myself taking my pleasure in visiting the big engineering establishments, and enquiring into what was new and what progress was being made in power production. One thing that struck me was that most of the makers of gas engines and oil engines were trying their hands at making engines fOr crude oil, a la Diesel. Most of them are doing it, but the engine is not coming to the front as was anticipated, and there are still big demands for the ordinary oil engine. Big business is being done by the manufacturers of fuel and suction gas-pro-ducer engines. I went to Hornsby's works, and to those of Ruston, Proctor and Company—pro-bably two of the largest firms dealing in these engines in Britain. They were as busy as they could •be with suction gas engines, and, as I say, were only trying their hands at the crude oil type. I did not go to the Die-el works, but I visited their office and talked over matters. While I believe that the Diesel type has a big future before it, where the fuel can be obtained at a reasonable rate, the initial cost of installation is high, because, according to the pronouncement of Dr. Diesel himself, ordinary engineers cannot make the engine, and special plant is required to turn it out. The high pressure and the high temperature at which it works make it necessary that the engine, to run satisfactorily, must be in perfect condition, and built with special care and skill. It will not take the place of the suction gas engine. I spoke with the makers of the big steam engines and with the Babcock holier firm, and tliey think that the future for steam is as big as ever. They say that while it is possible at present prices, with the perfect construction of the engine, to run the Diesel economically, it the type becomes general in use the rates for the fuel per horse-power will approximate, and it will be no more economical than steam. The only radical change in connection with gas-pro-ducer plants is the attempt to utilise wood refuse, leather refuse, and things of that sort of suction gas-production. Of course, anything in which there is a certain amount of carbon can be used, but the difficulty experienced is the tar, and, so far, it has been necessary to use some mechanical method to got rid of the tar.

"Trade could not be better -than it is now in England among the engineers. Everybody is busy, and working at top speed. One firm had to shut down because it coukl not get plates from the steel works. You cannot get a promise out of any engineering firm for delivery of anything under four to six months. This great activity is due in a measure to the coal, and dock strikes, the orders having got behind; but the works have a busy time ahead, and they will be going busily for some time yet. I enquired generally what effect" this activityhad on the money market, and I was told that while in the colonies money might be tignt, there was any amount of money in Britain. I was. told, too, that people are not anxious to put their money into colonial municipal or harbor boards' loins. . ... . There is a marked increase in the feeling for Australasia, and there is building up—providing proper facilities are given—a tendency for immigration to Australasia as against immigrating to Canada. People are looking out • this way . and talking about us. This is due probably in a largo way to the work of Sir George Reid, the Commonwealth High ■Commissioner. The Commonwealth is building big palatial officers just off the Strand, but the New Zealand office is still away back in Victoria |street. Wu should move to a better, 'position, where, while we could not make such an imposing show as Australia, our oilicss would be handier."