OIL ON THE TROUBLED WATERS. 173 



lowered and a search made ; but before all this can be 

 done, the vessel has run a considerable distance, and 

 although the poor straggler in the water may be a 

 good swimmer and able to keep afloat for some time, 

 the great difficulty is to find the exact spot where he 

 is to be sought for. A life-buoy or a man's head is a 

 small object to descry amongst heaving waves and 

 white foam. If life-buoys were constructed so as to 

 contain a small portion of oil in a little receptacle or 

 indiarubber bag attached to them, to be punctured 

 with a knife before being thrown overboard, the 

 effect would be not only to prevent the sea from 

 breaking over the castaway, so making it easier for 

 him to keep afloat, but would indicate to the searchers 

 almost the exact spot where to look for him. His 

 whereabouts would easily be discerned from the ship 

 or boat by the lioom. 



I throw out these hints and suggestions on this very 

 interesting subject, and I do think it would be well 

 worth while that some experiments were made to test 

 the effects of " oil upon the troubled waters," and that 

 the results if satisfactory, as I am confident they would 

 be, were made widely known to seafaring men. The 

 cost would not be worth naming; and I am much 

 mistaken if the benefit, as a means of saving valuable 

 life and property, would not be enormous. As one 

 who speaks not without personal knowledge, I would 

 urge upon philanthropists and ship-owners, if these 

 remarks should come under their notice, to turn their 

 attention to the subject. 



