SUCCESSFUL USE OF OIL TO CALM KOUGH SEAS. 
173 
monsoons. The sea shows a kind of oily scum, which, as 
has been ascertained, is derived from springs of petroleum at 
the bottom, and which prevents the formation of breakers. 
The sponge-fishers of Florida make considerable use of oil 
for the purpose of calming the surface of the water. During 
the greater part of the year the effect of the slight ripple on 
the water is easily overcome by a water-telescope, by the aid 
of which the fishers easily discern the sponges, and hook 
them up from the bottom. But it sometimes happens in the 
spring, that the roughness of the sea prevents the handling 
of both hooks and telescopes. Then the sponge-fisher throws 
a spoonful of oil upon the waves, which produces a calm 
about his boat as long as he cares to drift about with it. 
The oil preferred by the sponge-fisliers for this purpose is 
obtained from the liver of the “ nurse ” shark; and so 
effective is this oil considered, that as much as four shillings 
a gallon is paid for it. 
In the use of oil from a ship for calming the surface of the 
water, there is a difficulty in getting the oil well to windward 
unless the ship is either at anchor, or lying-to, or running 
before a gale. There have been two appliances brought out 
for effecting the distribution of the oil in any direction, with¬ 
out regard to the wind. The first one is specially intended 
to spread the oil between two ships which wish to communi¬ 
cate with one another in bad weather. The apparatus 
consists of a mortar and a few shells filled with oil, which are 
fired to various points on the water between the two vessels, 
and burst, thus allowing the oil to spread. Should the 
distance between the two ships be so great that it cannot be 
covered with oil, the oil from each of the shells would, never¬ 
theless be of considerable use, forming little havens, into 
which the boat could go, and not only allow the men to rest 
and recover their strength for further battle with the wind 
and waves, but also furnish them with a place of comparative 
security during any exceptionally heavy bursts of the tempest. 
Under certain circumstances, this apparatus may be used for 
ensuring the safety of the vessel itself; for instance, when 
about to pass through a dangerous and narrow channel in 
bad weather with wind against tide, a few oil-charged shells 
may be fired ahead of the vessel with considerable advantage. 
The second appliance is specially intended to distribute 
oil on the sea between a stranded vessel and the shore, in 
those cases when the vessel has no oil on board, and com¬ 
munication by boat is, with the assistance of the oil, 
practicable. It consists of a mortar and some hundred yards 
of fine light hose, to one end of which (the end being left open) 
