Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-12-19
Oil on the Waters.

Almost everybody has regarded the ex-
preston about pouring oil on the waters"
as entirely iigurative; but there seems a
much better meaning in 1t than that. There
have been, IL seems many instances of its
wonderful power at sea In cases of impen-
ding shipwreck.
New York skipper, who had been at
sea twenty-eight years, and master for ten
years. says that ne saved the vessel under
MS command twice by oiling the sea. He
says when the ship Is disabled aud cannot
get oit OF storm, and the master has TO
make the best of gale, IL he has oil on
board he should start two or three gallons
over the side to the windward; this will
smooth the water. Tie oil allowed TO drip
slowly cut Is all that is required; the ship
is IN smooth though heaving water as long
as the ol runs. In 1854. in the heaviest
gale OF wind he ever experienced, he lost
all sails. and then the rudder followed and
he knew the vessel could not have ridden
the sea Tor an hour longer Ii he had not had
som" oil. Five gallons lasted fifty-six
hours, and thus saved the vessel, cargo and
lives. lie recommends that ships of heavy
tonnage should have two iron tanss Of
forty gallons each. one on each side, with
the faucets so arranged that the oil can be
started at any time into small vessels. saw
ten gallons casks; and in all ships boats.
tanks OF five gallons each well filed, so
tnat In case the ship founders or burns, the
boats viii have oil TO smooth the sea in
gale. With these tanks, and good mas
ter who knows the law OF storms. and
handles the ship so as TO get out OF the cen
tire OF 1t. the danger of laundering is great
ly reduced
Captain Belts of the King Cenric, of one
thousand four hundred and ninety tons.
which lately arrived at Bombay from Liv-
erpool with cargo OF coal. used common
pine oil in heavy gale OF wind 10 prevent
The sea breaking on board, and with perfect
success. The gale continued for nearly
hve days. and ragged with determined fury
II had lasted some time, when the chief
officer bethonght himself OF plan he had
seen tried upon some occasions when in the
Atlantic trade 10 prevent the sea breaking
IN. lie got out two Convass clothes-bags:
into which he poured two gallons of oil.
lie punctured the bags slightly, and hung
one over each quarter. towing them along
The effect was magical. The waves no
longer broke against the poop and sides of
the ship; but yards away, where the oil had
slowly spread Itself over the water and in
the wake OF the vessel, was large space
of calm water. The crew were thus able 10
pan d'hha-'s WIN greater tne snip
was relieved from those tremendous shocks
received from the mass OF waters which
had burst over her quarters and stern. and
the danger was considerably lessened The
TWO bags lasted two days; after which. the
iirst OF the gale having expended Itself, no
more oil was used. Four gallons OF oil.
scarcely worth thirty shllIngs, perhaps
here save the King Cenrc, her cargo and
the lives aud the property of the crew
The philosophy OF the operation Is sim.
ply that the thin covering OF oil floating on
The waves prevents the wind from entering
under the surface, and therefore greatly
reduces the roughress of the sea. and prob
ably the height OF the waves. the cresls OF
which are thus prevented from breaking,
which Is one of the principal causes of dan
get. There l., however, nothing new in
The application OF oil for such purposes.
Pliny mentions that in his day divers used
oil Ia lessen the roughness OF the sea. In
order that they might more readily discern
objects at the bottom.