Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-10-30
on on TROUBLED WATER.
The Results OF yar,ou. Experiments.


Captain Chetwynd. chief Inspectorof Life
hos,s to The Royal National iifebost Insti-
tuition, on the Use 81 oil 20 cslm troubled
waters. The report gives the result 90 .
series OF experiments conducted by Csptsts
Cbetwynd. or by his officers. at ysriess
points along the coast. on the eject 81
oil poured on the water AZ open sea
OF al the entrance OF bsrbors, he has no
such direct knowledge, and he takes
his facts. accordingly, from reports and
letters which he believes % be tr'pst-
worthy, but which he has not verified.
His conclusions on the whole case will BE-
a little disappointing. A. far n his oWn
observations 20, he iinds oil ~ no spppre-
ciable use aglinst such a surf 81 would b.
dangerous TO fe-boat. Its effect IN rs-
duciug moderate breakers has been estab-
hsbcd. and IL has been most marked. For
ordinary small boats, therefore. u may h.
employed with great advantage. aud
may often enable them 10. live through
a sea which would be fatal u them
without q. Hut In a heavy surf Is Is OF
less effect. and is frequently OF 10 effect at
all. This Captain Chetgynd has seen and
tested on several occasions. The oil has
been spread over the water. and has been
acting well enough until the really danger
1
have been reduced or have been turned to
rolling waves. Then some breaker has ar
rived larger than the rest. and the oil has
been oi no avail, and the water aud the
oil together have been dashed In vol
umes over the boat. For these and for
other reasons Captsia Chetwynd does not
| think that the Use Of oil would be OF any
practical advantage Ia lifc-bsats, and he
| does not therefore recommend that they
should be provided with ii. For small open
boats, which have less than liie-hoat's CO.
pscity OF living In a heavy sea. Il may be
often OF great Use. although in no case will
! II be an absolute specific.
! The rest Of the report deals. we Will net
say with matters Of hcarssy, but with mat
tiers about which Captain Chetwynd and
his suhortiinatcs have had no experience Of
their own. The calming influence Of oil
In the open sea he tiDds reported ~ marked
| and beneficial. and ~ more certain than
when II has been employed on surf or
breakers. Vessels have used II with sd-
vantage when they have been running
before heavy sea, when they have
been hove TO in a gale OF wind. and when
they have been engaged IN lowering
boats. In no instance has the experiment
failed. The effect Of the oil in the open sea
has been 80 great and so invariable that
Captain Chetwynd wonders that IL has no,
been in general Use. II the accounts are u
be trusted-and Captain Chetwynd has ne
doubt on this score -eyery ships boat
ought, he declares. TO he furnished with
oil. and with appliances for using II As {
matter OF course. as much as with oars OF
rudder. On the effect OF oil on heavy
breakers al bars, aud at the entrances o.
harbors. Captain Chetwynd has no
experimental. He finds the report
very favorable as TO it, Use, bu
they differ somewhat from the con
cluslon he has himself drawn from
Ike experiments elsewhere. But in what
ever degree the oil may be OF Use he doubti
whether the harbor authorities would
choose to be at the expense OF pouring 4
out wholesale 10 keep the sea smooth u
order to facilitate the entrance OF ships, q,
whether they would not very properl,
leave IL TO the ships to prepare a passage FOL
themselves. In every ease. IL the oil Is 10 b.
used to the best effect, the ship or boat mus
have the proper appliances for using IL
These, fortunately. are easy and simple IN th
extreme. The best possible appliance Il
canvas bag, loosely s0wn or pierced will
holes, so as 10 allow the oil gradu1l!Y 4
escape. This is a sclf.aciing contriysBH
insuring that the oil shall Pass out In ,
regular, small stream, and II Is better
therefore. for every reasoa. Pan pomins
out the oil by hand. which would be ics,
uniform method, and would need, Uior.
over, the constant service Of a man VIII.
could probably be III spared. In a vessel
or boat running before the sea q bag Of oil
should be hung over each bow; the oil wouId
thus be spread, and would produce the re-
suit intended from i, An CO. &c.. s,vit, with
sea anchor attached TO II. should lie the
, pag OF OIL 10 this. A vessel at anchor in the
ordinary way would do best TO fasten the
bag to the anchor a. buoy. The oil would
thus spread between the vessel and the an
preceding waves. and would serve Ia
moderate their force. Captain Chef
wynd adds-althOugh the matter does
not come strictly within the depart.
ment on which he has been appointed
to report-that the Lfeboat Institution
| would do well to direct series OF expert.
ments on the Use OF oil generally. in the
open sea as well a near land. The import-
ance OF the subject is his sufficient excuse
Tor referring 10 ii. and certainly no subject
could lie OF higher importance In IL.
sci, or more closely akin 10 the pur
pose for which the Lifeboat Institution
eXisis-that OF saving life at sea. a
common incident in wreck Is that
i, is found impossible 10 launch tie boats.
or msn them when they are launched. -
pouring oil on the water il really Gamble
Of The woodworking influence which
has been ascribed to il, the whole ditilculty
would be overcome. The boats could first
be launched IN comparatively smooth
sea, and they could keep themselves ahoat
afterwards, provided only that their sup
ply OF oil was large enough 10 outla,t
the storm and to keep down the waves
until they bad time 10 subside OF them
selves. Two canva, bag. holding a gallon
OF oil apiece would be enough nj a time.
Captain Chetwynd does ROT tell Us how
long each pair OF bags would last. but Il IL
clear that each boat might be furnished
with several pairs, and that il ought 10 be
II so cheap and easy remedy Is as trust
worthy as the reports say.
IL is on this head that we should most
wish TO be informed. Captain Chetwynd's
report gives Us no Information about il.
and i good deal less confident In it, tone
than the other reports which he has taken
az second hand, and which are not alto
gether IN agreement with what he has HIM
self observed. II does not seem % have
occurred to him 10 doubt their accuracy,
although he mentions ~ a very remarkable
thing the lnyariaOIe character OF the
great successes which they record. His
own report may perhaps suggest 10 some
readers skepticism which he has not felt.
The love OF the marvellous i so common q
falling that sca.csptains and sailors must
be more than mortal II they do not share ID
with the rest. When they come home with
strange stories Of mermaids or sea-serpents
they tell them 10 incredulous ears. There
may be no question that they believe all they
say, but very great question whether they
have really seen what they think they have
seen. From the nature % the ease, too,
the experiments which have failed would
be less likely 10 be heard OF than those
which have succeeded. II the oil / poured
out ard does no good, the boat which has
tried II and has persisted In spite OF 1t win
tell no tales. The only possible record will
be OF the cxpeiim ents which have not
failed, aud we must assume even about
these not only a sincere wish 10 tell the
truth. but a more than ordinary power OF
Observing and recording facts. Cap
tain Chetwynds report, as far ~ it
Is bis own, bears the stamp OF care
and accuracy. In other points IL Is
defective, for It fatters no fincies
and gives Us no promise OF a pinacea against
waves and storms. II proves conyincingly
that for hfe.boat service the employment OF
oil to smooth troubled waters will be OF
lftls or No me- Rnf 10 sna.ts e.. -.