The Portland daily press., 1886-02-12
OIL ON THE WATERS.
Its Practical Use by Sea Captains in
Heavy Seas.

FROM lllle 10 Ilnle during Ine year 1850 dc-
counts have appeared in the Monthly Pilot
Chart of the use of oil to lessen the danger
Gus effect of heavy seas during gales of wind.
Experience seems to demonstrate that miner
al oils are not so effective for this purpose as
vegetable or animal oils, and the use of the
first named is not recommended. The evil
dence received shows that the subject has
commanded more consideration than ever be-
FORE and the policy of the photographic
Office in disseminating the facts as widely as
possible has been fully justified. In view of
the undoubted efficacy of this means of safe
ty, masters of vessels are requested to make
experiments whenever the opportunity oc-
ours, and to report the results to our Branch
photographic Offices or directly to the CEN
tral office at Washington.
Lieut.. George @. Dyer, U. S. n, has COM
piled the accounts which were published last
year, and has had them issued at the Hydro
graphic office in pamphlet form. There are
many interesting sea stories connected with
the use of oils. Below we make few ex-
tracts from the pamphlet:
Capt. E. Matthews, commanding bark Ella
at Portland, Me-, sends the following: In
regard to my experience in using oil for the
prevention of the breaking of seas over the
ship, will say that several times, while ly-
ing-to in gale off Cape Horn, | have usedsit
with perfect success By filling gunny-
cloth bag with oakum saturated with linseed
oil, and placing it over the lee bow so that it
was dipped in the sea by the motion of the
vessel, found that, as we drifted to lee
ward, the oil covered the surface of the water
on the weather bow and prevented the seas
from combing and breaking. Have seen the
same effect produced by oil slowly dripping
from the lee scuppers, and have also tried
kerosene and found that it Unanswered the pur-
pose as well. | firmly believe that oils
brought into common use for this purpose
would prove substantial benefit to those
who traverse rough waters.
Capt. j. III. Parke reports that in 1876,
while in command of the Carrie E. Long,
from Sicily to Portland, Me-, laden with salt,
the snip would have foundered had | not
used kerosene OIL The ship, lying-to under
fore and main lower topsaiis, did very well
until the main lower topsail blew away
This caused the vessel to fall off into the
trough of the sea, which boarded her and did
great damage. The ship was put before the
wind, but leaked so badly, and the seas still
breaking on board so that the men could not
work the pumps, it was eveident that some
thing must be done to keep her from foun-
dering. Having picked up two barrels of
crude oil on the voyage east, poured this
down the closet pipes This Gained the sea
so much that we could go to the pumps, and
had no difficulty afterwards The waves
were clearly soon to break all around the
oil-covered spot. I fully believe had l not
used the oil the vessel would never have
stood it, and at least l should have had most
of the crew washed overheard. 1t is my
opinion that crude oil is better than kero-
sene, but the latter will do in an emer-
gency."
Clyde, writes that he first took notice of the
value of oil for this purpose in 1878, during a
voyage from Glasgow to Calcutta in the clip
per City of Hankow. When about on the
meridian of Greenwich in the South Atlantic,
during a very heavy gale from N. W., the
cargo of oil between decks got adrift, and
some of the casks were stove. The oil ran
INTO the llmbers and was pumped overheard.
Before this the decks were continually flood
ed, but afterwards no water came on board.
In 1882, in the same locality, he fastened a
canvas bag, holding about a gallon of oil, to
each whisker end with lanyard long enough
to allow the bags to dip into the water. The
effect was greater than expected, for before
the bags were put over the main deck was
kept full to the rails, and afterwards not a
ton of water shipped in an hour. He ran
this way for thirty days, averaging 223 miles
day, and is confident that if he had not
used the oil his ship would have been lying
to more than half the time. He is also con-
WINGED that one trial will satisfy any sea-
man. He has used several kinds; and finds
Kerosene not as good as the thicker oils. As
long as it will drip through the pores of the
canvas, the thicker the better. When lying
to he recommends three bags on the weather
side, one at the whisker end, one at the waist
and one from the mizzen rigging. When
running, one ON each side from the whisker
end, the further from the ships side the bet
ter. If the bags do not get washed and
blown foul Of the fore sheets, the fore yard
arm would be the best place to hang them.
In regard to this subject, Captain Forbes
of the American bark Albermarle makes the
following remarks: ITO use oil effectually,
think it should be distributed from the for
ward part of the vessel. A five-gallon tank
should be put on the top-gallant forecastle,
with two one-half inch delivery pipes, one on
each side of the stem. These pipes can be
fixed permanently, as the old head pump was
fixed, by groove in the wood, covered with
metal, a rose at the bottom, or distributing
point When the vessel is scudding before
the wind and sea the oil passes on each side.
If it has any efficacy it will be exerted as the
sea rolls up. The tank can be removed at
pleasure, leaving the pipes as fixtures. The
oil should be of the heaviest description, and,
if small hawser is towed astern at the same
time it will be found beneficial in steering
the ship, and also it has tendency to break
the sea before it reaches the vessel The
hawser should be paid out about 60 fathoms''