Oil On Troubled Waters

ompletest demonstraron ever made that the aoothing effect oí oil on trpubled waterB can be put to praotieal use was made by Mr. John Shield.i, of Pertb, Euglaud, ia March latt. Having chosen Peterhead as the most suitable place for his experiment, Mr. Shields caused irpn and Jead pipe3 to be laid from the beach into the sa iu front of the entrance tl the harbor. A force-pump was attached to the land end of the piping, an$ near it waB placed a large barrel containing 100 gallens of oil. Mr. Shields, having been informed by the Metcorologicnl office that the sea waa rough at Peterhead, went thither from Perth, accompanied by several seafaring raen from Ducdee and Aberdeen. Wben the wbite-crested waves were rising to a height of ten or twenty feet at the harbor entranoe the oil pump was put in motion, causiag the oil to spread in the bottom of the sea, and on ite gïadually rising to the surface the white foam entirely disappeartd, and, although tb.e swell continued, the surfdce of the sea was perfectly smooth, so that a ship or sinall boat coxüd have entered the doek without the slightest dauger- an impQssibility bofore the oil was distributed in the water. The experimente saüsfied the shipsnasters who witaessed them. Mr. Shields is wiljing to give any harbor board the benefit of his invention, and reuder assistanoa in carrying it out.