Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-02-13
A CHARM AGAINST THE WAVES.
Tales Told by Sea Captains Of the Won.
derful Effects OF OIL.

The q. 8. photographic Office has compiled
the accounts received by that office during the
year 1885 Of the use Of Oil to lessen the danger
Gus effect Of heavy seas during gales. The Office
has received the testimony Of many sea cap
ta.ns to the almost marvellous effects of the oil.
Many of them claim that their ships and crews
have been saved from destruction by its use.
Experience seems to demonstrate says the
report of the photographic Office, "that min
eral oils arc not so effective for this purpose as
vegetable or animal oils, and the use Of the
first named IL not recommended. The evidence
received shows that the subject has commanded
more consideration than ever before, and the
policy Of the photographic Office in dissenin-
at ig the facts as widely as possible has been
EXPERIENCE OF A UNITED STATES VESSEL.
During the passage Of the United States
schooner Ounalaska from San Francisco to
Aleutian Islands, between April Is and May
20, 1884, oil was used in the following manner
to modify the action Of the sea:
dashed to the steam, cutters mast, leaving about
2 feet OF spar at each end: To the opposite angle
Of the sail was hung 7O-pound boat anchor.
lines which made the bride, which was made
fast to 4-inch hawser. A navy clothes-bag,
punched irregularly with needle, was partly
mouth sewed up. This was slung by a span
from the ends Of the mast so as to ride opposite
to the center Of Il The %ho1e nns
schooner being at the time under a close-reefed
triangular mafnsail. It tended three points Of
the waves working the bag caused the oil to
squirt out through the needle-hOles, 80 that the
smoothed on coming in contact with the oil,
and reached the vessel more like ground swells
than waves due to severe gale.
REsCUING CREW.
Mt
cago, while rescuing the crew of the brigantine
Fedore, used Oil with the best results. 1t
was blowing heavy gale. with very high seas.
The Chicago ran TO windward of the Fedore,
and, during lull, oil having been poured on
launched and started. A can Of oil was taken
in the boat, and by using this the seas were
kept down In the immediate vicinity, though
they broke In masses OF foam q short distance
away. As the boat approached the Fedore the
crew Of that vessel poured oil on the water,
which 90 Gained the sea that the boat got along
sustaining any injury. About half gallon Of
paint-oil was used by the boat during her trip.
A BRITISH CAPTAIN TRIES TT.
British steamship Napier, Captain Hender-
son, on January 26, 1855, bound from Balti-
more to Cork, latitude 80 n, longitude 500
W., encountered a hurricance blowing from N.
W.,with q tremendous sea from same direction.
One sea larger than the others popped the ship,
SSsrlys AWAY the
"a
the ship to, but happening TO think Of the effect
OF Oil, got two canvas bags and punched holes
in them with q sail needle, then filled them
which he found to last 81 hours. He made the
ends of lanyards fast abreast the fore-rigging,
allowing the bags to tow in the water. In this
the sea. He shifted the bags to about IL feet
en- either side OF the stem, allowing them to
hang down SO as to be just awash. In this posi-
ton they did admirably, the oil keeping the
sea smooth to q width OF about 20 feet on either
side OF the vessel until 1t reached the stern when
1T spread out in the shape Of a fan. He states
that astern he saw the great seas approach
meeting the oil, they would subside, aud only
q heavy swell would be felt on the vessel. He
ran this way for three days and nights, and
not drop of water o the
paint-oil was used with equally good effect
When he left Baltimore he was in company
with seven other steamers, two Of which have
or more days behind him In arriving, they
having hove-to while he, by the use of oil, was
enabled to run his vessel In safety. He also
states that he thinks the oil saved his vessel
from laundering. for in such q tremendous sea
1t is question whether in bringing her up to
the sea, or after she was there, had he sue
ceeded, she would not have been boarded by
HOW CREW WAS SAVED.
Among the many whose testimony Is given 10
r. II. Barrilt, pilot at Port Adelaide, who
writes: ain 1854, when on board the bark Cy-
press, from Portland to London, we picked up
the long boat Of the ship Abberton, of London,
.ss ws1s all
water left. and they were all but gone. They
attributed their safety to the tact that the chief
officer p put keg Of oil in the boat before leav-
Ing Shields bar. They had q heavy gale AFTER
nothing but the use Of oil saved them"