, 1888-05-30
OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.
From "NGtmre.'O

That the great effect produced by oil in
smoothing troubled waters should have
been so we'll known in times past as to have
passed into a prOverb, aud yet that no
general practical use of this effect Should
have been made until the last few years,
is a remarkable instance of the hardness
of mankind to apply the benefits that natu-
raj phenomena provide To the Hydr0gra-
phic Office of the United States is IN inly
due the credit of bringing into prominence,
and forcing on tue notice Of Seamen, in
various publications, the great Importance
of this property of oil under circumstances
when life and property are endangered by
breaking seas, aud the extreme facility
and tridiug expense Of its employment.
Thanks to the efforts of the Americans, the
facts are now well known to all English
speaking mariners, and many are the in,
stances Of the successful use of oil; but,
nevertheless, the prejudiceS of many are still
against it.
The Admiralty, in 1886, issued a memo
randum on the subject to the fleet, largely
founded on the American publications. Adj.
miral CLIQUE has done II like service for his
countrymen, and has written the best and
most complete essay ON the subject, i'll
the little brOckWre before us. DR. wing on
the mass of experiences collected by the
American Office, and giving them due
credit for their action, he repor.s additional
striking cases which have occurred during
the last year or two, and suggests many
practical means OF employing oil under
circumstances other than those yet tried,
or where it has to some extent failed.
The facts are briefly these. In tile hea.
West gales at sea, when breaking seas are
u source OF danger TO small or heavily la
den vessels, or an Inconvenience and dis
comfort to larger or more SeaW0rthy ones,
~ very small quantity Ut oil, ~skiIfully APP
plied to suit the circumstances, spreads
upcn the Surface of The water with marvel.
ious rapidity, ana forms a perfect break
water. the raging waves being ipHtanta-
ntOuSly transformed into IA harmless swell,
which quietly lifts the ship without amy OF
the violent shocks and blows caused 10y
the impact of an almost wall-like mass OF
water about to break. Spray alone comes
on board in place of the sheets OF water
and green seas which often do so muCh
damage. Admiral Clone calculates, from
a number of Instances where the quantity
of oil used and the speed of the vessel are
given, that the film OF oil which causes
this marvellous and b inefficient effect can
he little more than l/lO0,00 0 Of IL MILNE
TIE i'll thickness!
Experience already goes to show that u
SLHdl QuduClCN .Ol Oh IL molo cLHGaCiOuS
than Il free application of it, the film APP
parently spreading more quickly. Less
than half a gallon an hour seems to secure
the largest ship from being boarded by the
waves.
The ordinary method Of its application
is, to hang small canvas bags, containing
about a couple of gallons of oil, SO as
to, bangle or float on the wafer, the
bags being pierced with small holes by a
sail needle through which the oil slowly
exudes. These bags areplaced in different
positions, according to whether the
ship is flying before the tempest. or lying
to, comparatively n~OtionlesS. This simple
appliance is therefore within the means of
every ship, and there can be little doubt
that already many vessels owe their i'm
munity from damage, and in some cases
even their safety, to its employment.
Among remarkable Instances OF saving
life, is one, cited by Admiral CLIQUE, of the
boats of a ship burnt i'll 1885, 800 miles
from the Seychelles Islands, in, which, the
crew were making their way to land. "A
cyclone was encountered, which raised a
terrific sea, but the boats, provided with
oil BY the. ppEescience of the captain, wea-
thered it ont in perfect safety, for sixty
hours, riding to q floating anchor of their
masts and oars, to which was attached a
bag of oil.