OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2553, 27 November 1882, Page 3

OIL ON TROUBLED WATERS.

We gather from a recent Scotch paper ,hat some experimenting with oil on troubled waters has been carried out at Aberdeen. A telegram dated Aberdeen, September 26th says : — " Mr Shields, of Biilhuusic, Perth, who for several years has been engnged m experimenting with a view to allaying surf at harbor entrances by means of oil, arrived here on Monday night, for the purposo of superintending the putting of his system into permanent operation at the Aberdeen harbor entrance. The Harbor Commissioners have authorised Mr Shields to hnve the apparatus necessary for the conducting of the oil to tho waier placed at the harbor bar. The arrangements have already been made, and this morning operations were commenced for carrying the plan into effect. Two reservoirs containing oil will be placed, one on each side of the channel, from which the oil will be pumped through some COO feet of piping placed at the bottom of the water. Each reservoir or tank will hold about 170 gallons of oil. The pipe to be laid is of lead, about one inch m diameter, m which there will be two conical valves, each fitted with an appliancelike the rose of a watering-pan to allow the oil to escape, and thus float to the surface. The connecting pipes leading from the reservoirs will be of iron. The place selected is where, m addition to the inward salt water current there is always at the harbor entrance, a strong outward current of fresh water, and this will serve, it is believed, to float out the oil from the point chosen to the sea, so as to meet the breakers at the mouth of the harbor, and especially at the south, whero, m the event of south-easterly galrs, there is the greatest danger to vessels making the port. A few days must elapse before all the necessary operations can be curried out, but ere long the project which Mr Shields has earnestly striven to popularise and perfect will.be put to a practical test. Mr Yeaman, ex-M.P. for Dundee, was present at the operations." A message of a later date says: — "Tho oil experiments wero continued at Aberdeen Harbor entrance to-day. Among the persons who witnessed them were Dr Siemens, Lord Aberdeen and Sir Alex. Gordon, M.P. About half-past 10 o'clock this morning all the apparatus for spreading the oil upon the water at the entranco of the harbor having been got m readiness, a trial was made with it. There was a strong south-easterly breeze blowing at tho time, and a heavy sea was running, which dashed over the south breakwater, and occasionally over the north pier. The oil was pumped through the pipes, and rose speedily to the surface of the water. It at once brought the rough crests of the wave 3 into subjection, and the billows came rolling smoothly inwards without breaking. Great satisfaction was expressed with the roeult of the experiment. Between twelve and one o'clock a second experiment was attempted ; but it had to be stopped, owing, it is thought, to the valves with which the lead piping is supplied having become choked. Mr Shields was of opinion that heavy metal Binkers had dragged the valves down into the sand, and it was decided that, as soon as the state of the sea permitted, divers should be sent down, and five-eighth valves substituted for the present ones, which are only three-eighths size, nn d which, Mr Shields is afraid, are too small. It was also resolved that lighter sinkers of malleable iron should be used for the valves. The experiments will be continued during the winter."