Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-08
Oil on the Waters.

A patent for casting oil upon the
troubled waters is certainly novelty,
but will hardly occasion surprise in this
day and generation. The wonder will
rather be that we have been so long in
finding out that the Scriptural meta
phor was literal fact deduced from
| experience. From time to time in
stances have occurred where, in ex-
treme cases, as 4 sort of dernier resort,
oil has been poured out as q placating
libation to an angry sea; and but a
short time ago we recorded the fact
that an Atlantic merchantmen had
been saved from the fury of the tenn
pestuous ocean by emptying to the
windward 4 cargo of sperm-oil. The
! oil fioated out and subdued the waves
to the extent of giving the vessel q
| clearing free from the reach of the
| booming, breaking waves. We ven
tured the opinion at the time that there
might come from this successful ma
neuver a practical scheme for future
protection. A step in this direction
has been taken by Mr.. Shields, of
London, who has obtained a patent on
an apparatus for oiling the ocean to
mitigate storm dangers. He has ex-
hibited his invention through an exer-
else of its powers in English waters,
efectually subduing the perturbations
of the covered compass of the channel.
BY this machine oil is forced through
pipes under the water surface, and riS-
| ing quickly seems to calm the cOmmo-
ton in its struggle to the top. The
effect was remarkable. The rough,
chOpping waves were Subdued to q
gentle, undulating motion in which the
life boat rode lightly, while before it
had been dancing about like q cork.
Mr.. Shields has an coil shell" that
may be used as projectile, to be stor-
ed on board ship. In an emergency,
its time fuses, made ater-proof, are
lighted, it is flung from an ordinary
siX-inch mortar, and sent to the point
of delivery with reasonable accuracy.
The shells burst, and almost immedi-
ately there is formed an area of undis-
turbed water described as the coil field
and the radius covered by a gallon of
oil may be apprOximated with the basis
of calculation that one drop will ditfuse
itself over square yard. Another
feature of the invention is line of gut
with valves. This may be attached by
| lanyard to q solid shot and laid by the
discharge of the projectilc. When the
! tube-and this is intended for shallow
water-has settled, oil is pumped into
it from the shore or ship end, forced
| through the valves, rises to the sur
| face, and produces comparative smooth
ness on the water surface.
| The several experiments were salts
| factorily made, and the greatest inter-
est is felt in more extensive tests that
will be made in ocean disturbance. If
the results are equally decisive there,
! the perils of ocean travel will be so
materially reduced that those remain
| ing will not be allowed to count. 1t
might be interesting TO carry to q con-
clusion the possible advantages gained
| by liberal use of these machines for
q term of years. The oil appears to be
an economic force, since u drop is
equal to the surface of a square yard
of water. How many gallons would
be necessary to give the entire ocean a
repressiVe coating, and what would be
the waste by absorption to be over
come in III aintaining the covering once it
was secured? This most turbulent and
demonstrative ocean might in a term
OF years be reduced to the most APP
proved pacifcation, serviceable at all
seasons and under all conditions of
travel. This would particularly be an
equivalent 20 bridging the Atlantic,
uniting Europe and America by sub
stantial pontoon of oil, along which the
sharp-prowed Cunarders could move
as gracefully and securely as q steamer
on the Mississippi. Mr. Shields will in
all probability be knighted before he is
many years older.