Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-07-14
Oil at Sea.

About twenty-eight years ago. in tn,
month of May, there arrived in Hob
sons Bay n small fore-and-aft schooner
which may be called the Jeanette
She came from New London, Ct. Uni
ted States, was deeply loaded and be
sides carried heavy deck-load of tim
per. She caused good deal of specu.
lation for the following reasons: Sh,
was only sixty tons register, was load
ed like a barge, had had very stormy
passage of four months, and reached
Melbourne without loss of any kind.
The captain was shrewd Yankee. who
knew thot vessles of this kind were in
great demand in Australia for the
coasting trade, there being then but few
steamers there. He had brought her
OUT Tor the purpose of selling her, had
made as much freightage out of her as
could be made, and knowing that she
was overloaded, he had, before leaving
New London, taken on board barrel
OF OIL, which oil, when necessary. had
Deen sprinkled over the taffrail The
huge waves ran after the Jeannette. buf
not to hurt her. They overlook her
GUIDED gently under her, and left her to
De Followed by others i'm the same ren-
tie manner. After being ian eipht
days wonder I'm Melbourne. the Jean
nette was sold foreman in the country.
and one of the crew shipped with the
writer to return to- England. This man.
himself skillful seaman. used to say
that the safe arrival of the Jeanette in
Hobson's Bay was entirely due to the
practice OF sprinkling oil upon the wa
tiers.
The following letter from Captain
Allison. steamship Loeb Awe, has been
addressed to Captain Mitchell, Dundee:
LAT the time the steamship Loeb Awe
was lost { in the first week of january.
there being but little prospect of saving
our lives in the remaining boat, i'm oc-
Cured to me to try if small
quantity of oil would smooth the
breaking sea, and keep our
frail craft rs long afoat as possible.
Accordingly, before the boat was swung
out, three-gallon can of oil was placed
in her. After abandoning the vessel
and drifting before wind and sea, on
observing breaking sea approaching,
small portion of the oil was poured
out, and always succeeded in smooth
my lHc DIOhen UP Oh the sea before II
reached the boat. OF course the boat
was proceeding at a considerable rate
through the water, which allowed the
oil to get to the approaching sea before
it reached the boat.
ut is my opinion that if vessels run
ming before breaking sea were to pour
small quantity of oil over the stern,
or have a strong canvas bag filled with
oakum and saturated with oil suspended
over the stern or side of the vessel in
such position that it would occasion
ally dip in the water it would in great
measure keep the sea from breaking on
board and doing serious damage. 1
have seen bags of the above description
used in small vessels engaged in the
fish trade between New Foundland and
Europe, and the fishermen all spoke
greatly in favor of oil being used to
Keep the sea from breaking. 1t is also
well known that dead whale or other
oily fish floating on the surface of the
water will keep it quite smooth for a
considerable distance, even while the
sea may be breaking heavily where
there is no oil on the surface.