Oil on the Waters
There is reason to believe that the question of oil on the waters is to be seriously considered by the League of Nations. It is essentially an international affair, for some of the birds affected migrate up to three thousand miles ; and both fish and people are in some degree migrant. All these species arc affected. One of the most pleasant bathing bays that I know on the West Coast of Wales is ruined by the refuse oil which finds a lodging on the stones and rocks and remains there indefinitely. The birds matter most ; and hundreds are killed by the oil floating on the water. It is probable that the breeding places of some fish are affected, and the effect of the oil is cumulative. It remains unoxidised or otherwise converted for much longer periods than was at first hoped. The most valuable help that Governments can give is in the provision, at the ports, of apparatus for dealing with waste products.
Previous page
