Why early battlecruisers still burned coal

Why did early battlecruisers use coal despite the manpower burden of handling it?

Coal was proven and widely available through established coaling stations, whereas reliable large-ship oil firing was still developing.

Coal was the dependable fuel available when the first battlecruisers were designed, and worldwide coaling infrastructure supported global deployments. Oil was already entering naval use but had not yet acquired the same confidence for large ships. Yarrow began developing small-tube boilers while ships still burned coal, seeking greater efficiency before the timing of a change to oil was clear. Boiler development and fuel choice therefore overlapped rather than changing together.