Firth. — On Fires in Coal-shij^s. 103 



in which he states that " where the cargo is under 500 tons, 

 the number of carriers meeting with disaster is but one in 

 four hundred. Cargoes between 500 and 1,000 tons show a 

 percentage of IJ of fires and explosions. This increases to 

 Sh per cent, when tlie coal carried is between 1,000 and 1,500 

 tons, and 4^ per cent, for 1,500 to 2,000 tons, while above 

 2,000 tons the percentage of disasters to cargoes is no less 

 than 9." 



In order that a clear idea may be formed of what the 

 burning of a coal-ship at sea means, I may cite some of the 

 latest cases recorded, that of the burning of the " Eepublic." 



Burning of the " Bejmblic." 

 The " Republic " left Newcastle, N.S.W., on the 22nd Janu- 

 ary, 1896, with a crew of thirty- two hands. The early part 

 of the trip was devoid of adventure, and the discovery of a 

 small column of smoke, which filtered through the chinks of 

 the fore hatch on the 10th April, was the fii'st thing to startle 

 the crew. The thermometer in the ventilating-pipes showed a 

 rising temperature, and, while alarm was an element still 

 absent from the minds of the crew, it was decided to open the 

 hatch, and when the hatch was opened very little smoke 

 escaped, and the pumps were prepared to dispose of what was 

 deemed merely a small blaze. The men kept up the brave 

 struggle, labouring steadily at the pumps night and day. The 

 battle went on without incident until the 15th April, when the 

 gaining flames began to show their powder. The sounds of 

 small explosions of gas went fore and aft through the hold all 

 day long, and culmmated at 7 o'clock in the evening in a 

 terrific explosion. Hatches 1 and 2 were blown overboard, 

 the decks started, and the great vessel strained from stem 

 to stern. The night of the 15th was a terrible one, and the 

 crew worked on in desperation trying to subdue the fire fiend. 

 When morning dawned a vessel was seen within speaking 

 distance, which proved to be the ship " Hollinwood," and 

 Captain Kidd, who by a curious coincidence had been in 

 trouble of a similar nature, readily agreed to stand by the 

 "Republic." On the following morning the explosions were 

 renewed, and forks of flame shot up through the ventilators. 

 On the 18th a further series of explosions occurred, and on 

 the 19tli Captain Hughes decided to abandon the ship. The 

 two lifeboats were at once got ready, but, as it had been blow- 

 ing hard since the previous night, the heavy sea running made 

 it impossible to save anything but what the men stood up in. 

 The mates commanded the boats. Captain Hughes remaining 

 on the " Republic " until the crew had been transferred to the 

 "Hollinwood," when he secured the ship's papers and was 

 taken on board the latter vessel. The transhipment was a 



