New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-21
OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.
ITS EFFECTS PROVED IN MANY CAsEs-How 1T is


ITS EFFECTS PROVED IN MASY CAsEs-HoW 1T Is
The Branch photographic Office in the Maritime
Exchange Is supplying all merchant captains sailing
out OF this port With pamphlet on the use oil OH 10
ls.sen the dangerous effects of heavy seas The
pamphlet Is not a theoretical dissertation but COM
plation Of cases in which oil has been used. with
escritiou of the manner Of using it, careful record
ba. been kept by the photographic Office tor some
time of ships which have used oil IN storms and the
officers are Convinced its great utility Experience
seems t. demonstrate that mineral OILS are not 20
elective as vegetable or animal oils and the use Of the
hrst Is not recommended.
One else cited by the photographic Office is that
of the steamship Taomas Melville She left Baltimore
in February 1854. Running before gale from tne
westward she was constantly boarded by heavy seas
Two canvas bags made. punctured Ia many
places With sail needle and filed with oil. These
bags we're hung the bow and allowed to drag IN
the water The oil spread out to windward prevent
in the combins OF the waves and The seas no longer
came Oh board One gallon lasted several hours
Ei.hty-six examples given II the pamphlet
showing the use OF the oil modecatng the force OF
the waves The oil applied IN various ways, ont
the most effective seems to have been IS loiloWs'
Take canvas bag and puncture 1t full OF hoies WIN
sar needle Tuen put III II quantity oil oaknm ana
mi M the bag with OIL The bags should De huhs
over the lee bows a rule. as the NesSe III naAlns
! Ice
Since the photographic Office began the dissemina-
ton Of information IN regard 70 the n-e OF OH IN heavy
seas it, use Jas vastly increased. Scarcely vessel
! oomtng into port and reporting heaVy storm
does not 80 report having used oil Win great oeneII
Every one WHO ha- been knows that the DANGER
in a storm Is not iron the wlud, but from the sea
shin il los, at sea in two ways: First by the waves
taar,np her to pieces ilng her aud sinking her.
They thunder against with terrific force starting
her seams aud wrenchng her apart unth enough
wafer mas entered u her OGoyancy anu sue
g,es down II a ship Is lumberladen she does not
aux but becomes water logged and the waves Tear nef
"a pieces and strew the with her wreckage Ions
nj water are precipated her deck emashi19 IL ana
c,rrving away the ha ches and flooding the mold ms
i nor done by the themselves, but each great
roller il covered like mountain with crests ana nil
and these are constantly topping about me snip anu
rushing wildly az ansI or over her NOW OIL mas Tue
| efsct of smoothing down all these and leaving a
smooth surface to the large CLASSY rollers linus the
| GREATEST danger of a storm Is overcome.
The other danger from the waves themselves anu
this nothnr can abate In all vessels there are t"c
ceutres-the meter centre and the centre oil gravity
II vessel Is caught by the waves and roi eu over
until her meter centre and her centre OIL gravity e
lie cap-izes Vessels have been lost IN tul- manner
but not often The greatest danger Is from comDlhs
waves and the use OF oil seems to be an almost com
| niete SAFEGUARD against these. Thousands an'
| tborsanos of dollars and hundreds OF lives nave, IA
doubt been saved by the use OF OIL