PERMANENT FIREPROOFING OF COTTON GOODS 407 



the action of the weak alkali of the soap. But a matter of hardly less 

 importance from the practical point of view is that the material is not 

 only permanently fireproofed by the process I have just described, it 

 also retains and acquires properties which make it as perfect a mater- 

 ial in all other respects as could be desired. In the first place the treat- 

 ment has no effect on the delicate colors which are now so generally em- 

 ployed in connection with the manufacture of flannelette and other 

 cotton goods and very careful experiments have demonstrated the fact 

 that the insoluble tin compound in the fiber has not the slightest dele- 

 terious action on the most delicate skin. In addition, the presence of 

 the tin compound in the pores gives the cloth a softer and fuller feel 

 than that of the original flannelette and what perhaps is the most un- 

 expected result is the fact that the material is considerably strength- 

 ened by the process. 



A series of tests made by the Manchester Chamber of Commerce 

 proved that the tensile strength of flannelette is increased nearly 20 

 per cent, as the result of the introduction of the tin compound into the 

 fiber. 



Further and very exhaustive tests made at the Municipal School of 

 Technology, Manchester, on a machine specially designed for testing 

 the wearing properties of fabrics, showed an even greater gain in dura- 

 bility in the case of the fireproofed flannelette. These separate and in- 

 dependent tests conclusively showed that the increase in strength and 

 durability was approximately equal to the cost of the fireproofing 

 treatment so that garments made from the permanently fireproofed 

 flannelette are, as a matter of fact, no dearer than those made from ordi- 

 nary flannelette and are at the same time as safe as if made from flannel. 

 Some of these properties and statements may be easily tested by each 

 of you independently with the samples in the little book which you re- 

 ceived on entering the hall. 



This permanently fireproofed flannelette is now manufactured on 

 the large scale by Messrs. Whipp Bros, and Tod in Manchester under 

 the name of " ISTon-Flam " and, although its introduction has been slow, 

 it is being increasingly used and will, in all probability, ultimately en- 

 tirely replace the ordinary inflammable variety. One of the difficulties 

 experienced in connection with its general introduction is the fact, that, 

 owing to the high price of tin, which is now quoted at about £210 or 

 $1,050 per ton, the cost of the process is not inconsiderable but, even 

 with tin at this high price, the extra cost is not more than 1 d. (2 cents) 

 per yard or about- H d. or 2 d. (3-4 cents) for a child's garment. I 

 have here on the table, rolls of " Non-Flam " of different qualities so 

 that any one who wishes for a larger sample than is contained in the 

 little book can easily obtain it. 



It is hardly necessary for me to say that this process can be applied 



