The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-09-29
THE USE OF OIL AT SEA.
II Proper Precautions Are Taken Vessels
May Weather Heaviest Gales.


May Weather Heaviest Gales.
Terrible gales on the English coast, and
heavy weather off our own coast and upon
the north Atlantic ocean, bring forcibly to
mind the strenuous efforts that are COM
stantly being made by the United States
Hydrographic office to induce all vessels
to provide themselves with appliances for
eiecting oil.
When Commander Bartlett was hydrog-
rapher the matter Of using oil for quell-
ing the waves was made special feature
and placed under charge Of Lieutenant
Over, who, when he became hydrographer
pushed the matter still further. The re-
suit of this intelligent and persistent eff
fort has been the collection of a large
amount of information on thesubject that
has been embodied in aset of rules which
the branch hydrographlc officer in this
city. Lieutenant o. w. Lowery, is dis
trbutipe among the shipmasters.
The belief in the efficiency of this meth
od of calming tbe waves has so firmly es-
tablished itself in many cases that num-
bers of vessels are now especially provided
with oil distributing apparatus, and sell
dom n storm passes without one or more
reports being submitted on the subject.
The general conclusions being that had
the precaution not been resorted to fatal
results would have followed. 10 substan-
tiate this opinion one need only refer to
the marine reports of disaster that follow
anv one of the severe storms on our coast,
When scudding before gale the rules
saw that the oil should be distributed from
the bow bv means of oil bags or through
waste pipes 1t will thus spread aft as
the ship continues on her course and give
protectiop FROM both uuartering and fol-
lowing seas The effect is almost miracu-
lous, the foaming seas as they come tear
ing along, looking for all the world as
though they would swallow up the vessel,
masts and all, stop when they reach the
"slick," over which their combers cannot
pass, and expend their energies in futile
efforts to reach their prey
If drifting in the trough of heavy sea
use the oil from the forward waste pipes
and put the bags over on the weather side.
Lying to, to tack or wear ship, the oil can
also be used from the same places. 1t seems
wonderful that film of oil too thin for
the most delicate instrument to measure
can have such an instantaneous effect even
when there is lashing and diabolical
play Of the water that no pen can describe.
Everybody knows how much easier ma
chinery runs when it is oiled, or, in other
words, when the friction is reduced. 1t is
the same thing in this case-the wind can
not catch good hold on the water, as it is
prevented from so doing by the oil on its
surface.
A vessel hove to for a pilot should dis
tribute oil from the weather side and let
quarter. The pilot boat runs up to wind
ward and lowers boat, which pulls dowr
to leeward and around the yessels stern
, The nilot boat after sending off her boat
then rims down to leeward gets ont oi
baps To windward and on her lee quarter
and the boat pulls back around her stern
nrotected by the oil The vessels drift +,
J leewar,l and leave an oil slick ia windwarf
; between the two
Towing another yesseI in a beavv sea /,
$ freouently very dangerous oneration
and again and apain has the attemnt bee,
, given up until wind and sea have abated
whereas in many Instances n eonld raadiI,