"OIL ON TROUBLED WATER."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4243, 26 November 1881, Page 2

"OIL ON TROUBLED WATER."

The Harriet M'Greiror, which arrived at Hobart from Mauritius on Saturday, encountered some terrifio weather on ter vo/age teece to Port Louis, and was in imminent danger of being overwhelmed by the featfal s»a whioh raged. She left Hobart on August 8, and next day, whsn off the South Cape of Tasmania, a heavy gale sprung up and continued with uoabating fury for five days. The vessel was hove-t a under storm 8 tay sails for some time, but during the last two days of the gale she laid-to with only a bolt of canvas wrapped round the mizea rigging. Tbe huge waves broke on board in great volume, und ths barquo received several severe strikes. As an instance- ot the fierceness of the gale and the heavy sens, no food oould be cooked (or two whole days, cv u ry place wheie water could flnd iogres.H haviog to be closed up. The vessel was only saved, so Captain Leslie firmly believes, by his using oil to smooth the water, and provout it breaking on boa-d. The oourse adopted was saturating swabs in oil evory two hours, and casting them over the sides of the Ship with weights attached to keep them .in position. .The effect was truly marvellous, for mountainous waves would be st- en approaohing the little barque, and were expected to completoly envelope and crush her, but as tbey met the oil floating round the vessel they broke, only leaving- a. heavy swell, from which sho suffered no harm. Every drop of oil on bonrd was used for the purpose, and it proved of inestimable worth. It is to be hoped that these faots will become widely known, and that the use tf oil in boisterous weathor will be OOBsidered of greater value, aud be believed in more than it is at present.— Hohart Mercury, Nov. 7.