OILING THE WAVES. 289 



annum. If the above statements are reliable, some of the 

 wholesale oil merchants who read this might contract to 

 becalm a considerable area of the Channel for a smallef 

 amount. 



Further experiments have been made at Peterhead since 

 the above was written. The following account, from the 

 Times of those made on February 27, 1882, is interesting: 



" On Monday the long-wished-for easterly gale to test 

 the experiment of throwing oil on the troubled waters 

 reached Peterhead. It may be mentioned that the harbor 

 of Peterhead is singularly exposed, and with an east or 

 north-east gale is very dangerous of approach. Mr. Shields, 

 of Perth, has laid the oil apparatus to be used in quelling 

 the troubled waters. It consists of an iron pipe which con- 

 veys oil and extends from a wooden house behind the sea- 

 wall at Eoanhead down through a natural gullet in the 

 rocks about 150 yards long and about 50 yards beyond the 

 mouth of the gullet into about seven fathoms of water; at 

 this point the iron pipe is joined to a guttapercha pipe, 

 which extends across the harbor entrance outside the bar 

 and is perforated at distances 12 yards apart. Through 

 the guttapercha pipe the oil reaches the sea. On Monday 

 the wind was not so strong as to make the experiment so 

 complete as could have been wished; still, there was a heavy 

 swell. Early in the forenoon the pumps were put in mo- 

 tion and the leakage space in the pipe filled; but unfortu- 

 nately it was found, soon after the oil began to rise to the 

 surface of the bay, that the supply in the cask had become 

 exhausted, and those who were conducting the experiment 

 did not consider themselves at liberty to order a fresh cask 

 of oil without Mr. Shield's sanction. But while the ex- 

 periment was only partial it was highly satisfactory. At 

 the same time, the film did not extend sufficiently far to 

 prevent the waves forming and curving to broken water. 

 As soon, however, as they reached the oil-covered neck the 

 observers from Ihe pier-head could easily discern the influ- 

 ence at work. Waves which came in crested gradually as- 

 sumed the shape of undulating bodies of water, and, once 

 formed, they rolled unbroken towards the breakwater. 

 On, Wednesday morning there was a heavy sea at the north 



