The herald., 1897-11-15
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CHICAGO. Nov. s:-(Special Corre-
| spondence to The Herald.) Father Nep-
tune In his angry moods is not easy to
| pacify, as his wreck -bestrewn ocean
bed bears witness. OF all the schemes
invented by storm tossed mariners and
stomach-tossed landsmen to calm the
heaving bosom of the sea. not one has
proved able to keep back the billows
from q vessels deck. Oil has been used
by various shippers and the effect OF its
tranQuilizing influence on the waves Is
reported as wonderful. but there
has always been a shortage of oil and a
tremendous superfiuity of wave force.
The oil. although scattered in the largest
quantities possible, was literally only
drop in the ocean at best, and the waves
were too we'll developed before it reached
them to be affected much by the circum-
stance.
A realization of this set the active
brain Of Mr. w. Guthrie of 2S22 Indiana
avenue to work on solution OF the
problem from different direction. Mr..
Guthrie argued from the basis that oil
could be used to still the waves with per-
feet success if it only reached them at
their birth and not when they had at
tained full force, and beginning with
this idea he has hit upon plan that he
feels confident will tie Father Neptune's
hands at the command of any skipper
who follows it out.
Mr.. Guthrie's idea is to attack the
waves in very much the same way that
an enemy's ship is attacked that is. by
bombarding it from cannon. The am
fnunition is to be sponges loaded with
,i1 iA1, &c. hA ch
raging sea so as to form circle around
the ship at Il distance to which the gun
will carry. Mr.. Guthrie's theory is that
the circle of oil will prevent the waves
from forming within any distance of
the vessel, and all the skipper will have
to do is to see that the ship rides as
nearly as possible within this charmed
circle, where the water is calm and the
waves powerless.
Mr.. Guthrie is so confident that his
idea is not q visionary one that he will
bring the matter before congress and en-
deavor to secure an appropriation to
enable public test to be made of his
wave-stilling plan. His own ideas re-
garding the oil-soaked sponge scheme
for fighting stormy seas he gives as fol-
lows: tqr-l
Il have been asked how / would dis
tribute the oil on the waves. Many de-
vices for thus distributing it could be
found. A pneumatic gun would be the
best, using perforated cans, balls of
oakum cotton, sponge. or any other
loose material that could be thrown any
desired distance or direction. A small
mortar could be used, although some
have expressed the fear that the eXplo-
sion of the powder might cause fire. But
let us have an act of congress making IT
compulsory for vessels to carry oil for
the purpose of use in storms. and the in
genuity of the people will soon furnish
the means for its proper use.
Il would urge the life-saving service
10 experiment with this and other de-
vices-kites FOR instance. They have
time and opportunity and the equip
ment, guns, lines. etc. First and fore
most. however. there should be passed
Il law inforcing the use of oil.
Il am not an expert on the subject of
oil to still the waves. although l have
given the subject considerable attention
in the past few years.
"The reason for my faith in oil is my
familiarity with its use around ma
chinery. From the smallest piece o.!
machinery to the most ponderous ma
chine oil is Indispensable. Where among
all the worlds products could We find
Il substitute? Ii q few drops of oil viii
prevent friction in our vast machinery.
why will it not as between air and
water. 1t is friction that produces the
waves. and if the use Of oil in the shape
Of bags of oakum or other saturated
material hung over the sides of vessels
has been of great service, how much
more would it be if distributed long dis
tanccs to the windward, that 1t may do
it's work before the waves strike the yes
sell" 'r'-'t
Which argument Mr.. Guthrie is pre-
pairing to bring to bear upon the men,
bers of congress when they assemble in
Washington again, as he is determined
to force trial of the plan at the car
liest date possible.
Mr.. Guthrie is Il son Of Alfred Guth-
rie, the originator of the steamboat in
spection law. which was the means of
bringing into existence the life-saving
service. so that he is fitting person to
give to those who go down to the sea
in ships device that Will equip them to
battle with the storm king and beat him
on his own territory.