Bird Notes & News 



ISSUED QUARTERLY BY THE ROYAL SOCIETY 

 FOR THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS 



Vol. X.] 



SUMMER. 1922. 



[No. 2. 



Oil on the Water 



Some two years ago the attention of 

 the Royal Society for the Protection of 

 Birds was directed to the destruction of 

 sea-birds by the discharge into sea and 

 rivers of refuse oil from petrol-driven 

 vessels. For months and even years this 

 had been observed on various parts of 

 the coast, but being at first entirely 

 attributed to submarines and wrecks 

 associated with the war, the evil, it was 

 supposed, would gradually disappear. 

 Instead of disappearing it has developed 

 with alarming rapidity, until now the 

 cry is heard from all round our shores 

 that scores, hundreds, thousands of birds 

 are being washed ashore dead and dying, 

 with plumage black and clogged so as to 

 render flying and diving impossible, 

 and a slow death by starvation inevitable. 

 With this cry comes also an alarm of 

 danger to our fisheries through destruction 

 of fishes and fish-ova, some of the stuff 

 choking the surface of the water, while 

 heavier portions sink and poison life 

 beneath ; of peril to harbours blockaded 

 with thick floating scum ; of injury 

 (spelling ruin in course of time) to water- 

 ing-places through the deposit of filth on 

 the shore and on the sea, staining and 

 spoiling clothes, clinging to the bodies of 

 bathers. 



The matter causing the trouble is a 

 heavy black oil, of the appearance of tar, 

 consisting of the wastage and refuse of 

 oil from ships' tanks, much of which 

 has to be disposed of somehow and 

 is got rid of by the simple process of 

 emptying it into the sea. It has always 

 been a popular thing to pitch waste of all 

 kinds — old kettles, dead cats, sewage — 

 into any water handy. Legislation has 



to some extent stopped the pollution of 

 rivers. The business now to be taken 

 in hand is to prevent the defilement of 

 the sea. 



After a brief investigation of the subject 

 in the opening months of 1921, the Society 

 communicated with the Ministry of Agri- 

 culture and Fisheries. The Ministry, 

 already awakened to the probable losses 

 to the fishing business, seemed doubtful 

 whether that probability was sufiiciently 

 instant to warrant action. A little later, 

 however, a Board of Trade Committee, 

 representing harbour authorities, ship- 

 owners, and oil companies, was appointed 

 to consider what, if any, steps should be 

 taken by the Legislature. 



The Society at once set about gathering 

 evidence in regard to birds. It came in 

 from north, south, east and west, present- 

 ing a startling consensus of testimony 

 as to the extent and character of the peril. 

 It was furnished by residents and visitors 

 on the coast, naturalists, fishermen, 

 officers of the coastguard, and others. 

 The letters received afford matter enough 

 to fill several numbers of this journal. 

 A selection from them was sent to the 

 Board of Trade. 



Newspapers, especially the Times, have 

 also taken up the subject and published 

 further statements and protests. Ques- 

 tions in the House followed ; and after 

 the official Committee had concluded its 

 inquiry a Bill framed by the Board of 

 Trade, was introduced by Lord Somer- 

 leyton into the House of Lords on 

 May 17th. 



There is no question as to (1) the serious 

 nature of the evil, and (2) the need for a 

 remedy. 



