WONDERFUL EXPERIMENTS WITH OIL IN HEAVY SEAS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1716, 22 November 1887, Page 3

WONDERFUL EXPERIMENTS WITH OIL IN HEAVY SEAS

. Captain Kuhlraann, of the North German Lloyd steamer Main, has reported m Berlin some successful experiments m the use of oil during the prevalence of heavy seas on the voyage between Bremen and New York. He secured a eucooßS " great beyond conception." Captain Kuhlmann'a own words are aa follows : — " We wero m 50deg N, and 23deg W. , m stormy weather with a high &ea from the west. We steered wear, and thus had the sea right m front of us, so that the vessel pitched and rolled badly, taking the heavy scaa at the bows. The passengers could not remain on deck for tbe seaa which rolled from the fore part and flooded the dock, and, moreover, the boats banging m the davits threatened to be waahod away m the shifting of the ve?sal, I re olved m this emergency to experiment with oil, and two pipes opening on the aides of the ship wore stoppad with tow and then filled with oil, which flowed slowly through the tow. I soon ot served the effect, for from the foreshrouds to the stern no water came over. The sea had lost its power by reason of the oiling. We opentd tbe doors and approaches, and the passengers con'd stay on deck at will. The oiling was continued seven hours, »nd the email quantity of s:b was used, Captain Kuhlmann is so elated with his experience that he advises other aavigatoro to adopt the plan,"