110 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



saying, are solely responsible for all the fires and the ex- 

 l^losions which occur. 



Shifting Cargoes. 



The shifting of coal-cargoes at sea is doubtless responsible 

 for some of the " missing" coal-ships, but the presumption is 

 strong that many of them have been burnt by the spontaneous 

 combustion of their cargoes, and no one left alive to tell the 

 tale of misery and disaster. Coal-trimmers are, I think, often 

 unjustly blamed. There are doubtless some cases of false 

 trimming, and no wonder, considering the very small pay coal- 

 trimmers receive for doing very disagreeable work. 



If shifting-boards are used, and the coal-distributor herein- 

 after described be employed, and a fair wage be paid for 

 trimming, the danger from shifting cargoes will be reduced to 

 a minimum. 



Prevention op Fires. 



I now pass on to the consideration of the best and most 

 available means for the prevention of fires on coal-ships. 



I have endeavoured to demonstrate that tires in coal-ships 

 are caused by the formation under each hatchway of cones of 

 small coal, slack, and dust, into which so considerable a pro- 

 portion of large and round coal is changed by the dumping of 

 coal from trucks into the unprotected holds — and, I may add, 

 in a less degree from shoots or baskets — and that these coneS 

 become heated and take fire from the spontaneous combustion 

 of the oxygenized small coal and slack they contain. 



This paper is already too long, and, as the appliances for 

 preventing fires on coal-ships will shortly be put to a practical 

 test, it is not necessary to occupy more of your time or to try 

 your patience further than to say, generally, that I propose to 

 fix in the ship's hold a coal-distributor at varying points, from 

 which the coal slides off, and, in so doing, makes so small a 

 quantity of small coal, slack, and dust, and the coal lying so 

 loosely, that it is deprived of all liability to absorb oxygen 

 in dangerous quantities, thus preventing spontaneous com- 

 bustion and reducing the risk of fires in cargoes of coal so 

 loaded to an inappreciable minimum. 



The distributor not only prevents the formation of danger- 

 ous cones of coal under the hatchways — as by the present 

 system of loading — but tills the spaces under the hatchways 

 with large and round coal. The distributor will not dispense 

 with coal-trimmers, but it will enable the trimmers to do their 

 work properly, and will secure better and safer stowage, and 

 much less danger of shifting, than under the present system. 



In this way the coal is very much less broken, is distri- 

 buted much more widely, and the hatchways are tilled with 



