Men on Oil-Tanker Live Like Princes

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 334, 20 April 1928, Page 1

Men on Oil-Tanker Live Like Princes

LUBRICO’S BIG CARGO MARVELS OF NAVIGATION The Standard Oil Company's tanker Lubrico, which reached Auckland last evening, brought 450.000 gallons of bulk oil, having discharged the rest of her cargo at Wellington and Melbourne. The vessel was to have come direct from San Pedro to Auckland, and thence to the capital, but a shortage of oil fuel in Melbourne necessitated her going there via Wellington first, and calling at Auckland on the return trip. The Lubrico is one of the biggest tankers to trade in New Zealand waters, and has a capacity of 10,000 tons, or well over 3,000,000 imperial gallons. She is however but a dwarf compared with the latest bulk-oil carriers in the States. The newlylaunched motor-tanker, Stillman, has a capacity of more than twice that of the Lubrico, and is the largest in the world. LUXURIOUS QUARTERS Crews of modern tankers live a luxurious life compared with the popular conception of what seafaring life was *in the “good old days.** The men of the Lubrico. for instance. are issued with ice-cream three times a week. Even the deck hands are accommodated two in a cabin, and waited on by Filipino boys at mess. Such are the conditions under which the crew live, and naturally the officers have to go one better. They eat and sleep like princes. In spite of these comforts, life on a tinker is not all a bed of roses. The men sign on for six months or a year at a time, and during that year they “sure are kept at it.” with no longer in port than necessary to load or dis'harge. With powerful pumps putting out at the rate of 125.000 gallons an hour, it can be seen that they never have protracted stays in port. “Yes, we get fresh fruit and milk throughout the voyage,” an officer exp.ained. “We tested your mutton and bitter in Wellington, and have eaten nothing like it before.” SHIP STEERS HERSELF The marvels of navigation have reduced travelling at sea to an exact art. With the Sperry gyro and the gyro pilot compass the Lubrico steered herself all the way from the Pacific Coast. No one is needed m the wheel house, an officer alone being on watch. Characterised as the greatest Invention in navigation since the compass, the radio direction-finder can b * used around tne American and Continental Coasts to guide a vessel in all weathers. In a heavy fog, recently, the Lubrico made her way from Sail Francisco to Seattle after sighting nothing from port to port. Discharging # operations will oe I completed before dark to-night, and ,at 5.30 a.m. to-morrow the Lubrico will leave for San Pedro, via Honoi lulu.