Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-10-16

lessen their height, prevented the waves
from breaking, and caused them to run
up the strand like rollers, carrying the
boat with them. In 1867 master stat
cd in the New York Shipping List that
he had been at sea twenty-eight years,
and master for ten years, and that he
had saved the vessel under his com
mand twice by oiling the sea. He says
when ship is disabled and can not
get out of storm, and the master has TO
make the best of gale, if he has oil
on board he should start two or three
gallons over the side to windlodrd 1; this
will make smooth water The oil al
lowed to drip slowly out is all that
is required the ship is in smooth
though heaving water as long as the oil
runs. In 1864, in the heaviest gale of
wind he ever exper fenced, he lost all
sail, and then the rudder followed and
be knew the vessel could not have rid
den tho sea an hour longer ii he had
not had some oil Five gallons lasted
fiity-six hours, and thus saved the YES
sci, cargo, and lives. He recommends
that ships of heavy tonnage should
have two iron tanks 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-say,
ten gallon casks and in all ships, boats
tanks of five gallons each, well filled so
that in case tho ship founders or burns,
the boats will have oil to smooth the
sea in a gale. With these tanks and o
good master who knows the law of
storms, and handles the ship so as TO
get out of the centre of them, the dan.
ger of laundering is greatly reduced.
Captain Belts of King Centric, of L.
400 tons, which lately arrived at Bonn
bay from Liverpool with cargo OF
coal, used common pine oil in a heavy
gale OF wind TO prevent the sea break
ing on board, and with perfect success.
The gale continued for nearly five days,
and ragged with determined fury. 1t
had lasted some time, when the chiei
officer, Mr.. Bower, bethought himself
of plan he had seen tried upon some
occasions, when in the Atlantic trade,
to prevent the sea breaking in. He
got out two canvas clothes bags into
each be poured TWO gallons of oil. He
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
and yards away, where the oil had
slowly spread itself over the water and
in wake Of the vessel, was large space
of calm water The crew were thus
able to repair damages with great ease !;
the ship was relieved from those ire
mendous shocks received from the mass
of water which had burst over her
quarters and stern, and the danger was
considerable lessened. The two bags
lasted two days after which, the worst
rage OF the storm having expended it.
self, no more oil was used. Four gal
Ions of oil, scarcely worth thirty shil-
lings, perhaps here saved tho King
Centric, its cargo, and the lives and prop
erty of the crew.
frbe ohove Facts ara conobla of abso
lutte verifcation. The philosophy OF
the operation is SIMPLY that the thin
covering Of oil floating on the waves
o'ousS en' VA VA. ,hoD"io" oa q"oe
Inoe" W. su,ia ~" .hsnsa anI sn y, s" "a ~
aoIo auoSohIr Ju ,h ho;rSs 90 ,he U oos , a nv
crests of which are thus prevented from
breaking which is one of the principal
causes Of danger There is, however,
nothing new in the application OF oil
for such purposes. Pliny mentions
that in his day divers used to throw
oil TO lessen the roughness of the sea,
in order that they might more readily
discern objects at the bottom.
The position of seals is readily known
by the traces Of oil which they throw
up when feeding on oil giving fishes,
such as the cod and the course taken
by shoals OF herrings and pilchards can
also be easily observed by the oil let
free, causing streaks of smooth water
in the midst OF the otherwise turbulent
element. From the same reason, the
sea never breaks round the body of q
dead o. hNrpooned whale and its track
for long distance may he clearly dis
cerned. The cooks slusb, or the Waste
from a disused oil barrel, or little
coal-tar thrown overheard, has caused
a rough sea TO become remarkably
Newnort Harbor United states the
600 vas olwavs smooth when there
wore anv wboIing ves,els nj anchor ir
il through the waste of blubber apd
from o,l.loden shins in tho Covion trad,