TANKEE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1921, Page 3

TANKEE

| - (Jiy one who knows them), i 'i'll,, oil-carrying ship is like no othc mss,4 alloat. The tunnel is erected as , r ,r all a,, possible, and the masts rise s't rai'dil from th„ deck-h'vel. unsupj by the picturesque, upper-works s, Often'seen at the base of the masts - in tramp steamers. | Indeed, when looking front the toi"’,ml i- wards the funnel, one is impress. I j,y (he hare outlook. The only lea att i acting attention art' hatches-- reetimglllar excrescences, like old-fashioned toaihslttni'M: but they on k,, inter-eiuine, led. The tanks vary in size. The averag, a, ditfeet deep by 20ft. square the size of a small dwelling house. In the lartankers 0 or It) tanks are built ,’)i either side of the vessel. The cargo-shift big devices seen '<> Other ships thus,, derricks which rapid- |( W'iihdrim cargo from the ship ami deposit it -It the qtmy nnt r 0 qilired in a tanker. In their place e i uill u piuiip-rooin and when '‘elearj ncargo" a white ribbon of steam sh'iloting"skywards from the fennel and a droning sound' from the deck below lire the. only indentions of the work proceeding. * ’l'll,. aeeonintoihit ion arrangemepts ciii'v. Inn t!m (um’ineers are usually housed above the boiler-rooms, the 011i,.,.|s amidships, end the deck hands for*

Tlie aT-eouintodat ion arraiigcmeets viii'v, bat the eirn’ineei's are usually housed above the hoiler-rooms. the ollieers amidships, end the deck hands forward. Winn this occurs three httle commit ■' ees liie aboard and in foul we. l lher remain isolated. A narrow gangway, raised about 7ft. above the tank-tops, runs the lull longlh of the ship, and it is no easy (ask in lake a Mareonigram from the “wireless” room aft to the bridge amidships when she is "taking it green. Tankers are good friends to ships in distress.

A few years ago a sltip was a lire in i aid-A thiid ie with n Cumirder standing by, helpless, until a tanker lumbered up and pumped nil upon the raging ' waters making rescue possible. They are “'wet ships” and do not ‘‘ride" well, hut they are dillirltlt to sink. Th,, Herman submarine commanders so,ill discovered 1 hat it was useless wasting terp"do''s on til" tanks, bet-uis,> y hen the oil Moated mil the water simply filled the space, and so long as the deck held tight, no loss of buoyancy ! ,h run cl . * Tlirir favourin’ method of attack was to disable them with a well-placed torpedo in the crew spare and then smash the tank tops with shells.

Fir,, is the tnnloVs most relentless enemy, and the tanks are therefore isolated bv a eolferdntn an empty Mi-e" between two oil-light hulk-heads, over which the leakin', oil must pass before reaching the hoiler-mom. This strategic point is always under ehserv.'il ion. hut. should a lire break out the who!" 'hi” below decks can he Hooded with well-sat u rat I v d steam.