Oiling The Sea

One of the most curious sighta at sea is that of au oil bound ship. Every np to date ship carries oil tanks, the quantity varying with the size of üie vessel, For instance, a steamer of 150 tous burden carrios on au avera.grj 00 gallons of oil. This oil is the reíase discarded by the oil refining factories and otteneonsistsof a mixture oí vthale oil, petroleum and vegetable oil. tt costs about twopence a gallon, and a large sized vessel eau be well supplied for 20 shillings. The oil is stoweid in spacious zinc tauks, arranged in the hold of the ship to act as ballast. Eac-h tank eontains iiO gallons of oil, and an ingenioua mechan - ioal tap arrangeme)it coimects the tank with the outside of the vessel. If a dangerous gale arises and the ship become unmanageable and likely to founder, the sluices are opened, and 20 gallons or more of the oil is allowed to escape into the sea. The effect is instantaneous. However Storrny the sea may be, the vessel lies in a gently heaving millpond. There is no fïirther clangor of foundering, and the oil moves along with the vessel for sonie time, often half an hour, after which it breaks up and disperses. The ship must slacken speed a littlej and inore oil is let out from the tanks. Enormous waves uiay bear down on the ship, but on approaching the magie oiled they seem to melt away and pass harmlessly beneath the vessel. Sailing vessels are not so öften furnished with oil tanks as stearuers. It is esrimated, however, that over 200 vesscis have been saved from shipwreck hv rueans of the oil tanks eince thcy were introdneed a few years ago. It is only in cases of absolute peril that the tauks are resorted to. -