576 PROCEEDINGS OP SECTION J. 



all in with a wooden roof — what is this but a magnified match 

 box ? Should a fire get a start at the bottom of a lofty building 

 SO constructed, nothing could save the occupants of the upi^er 

 stories, the danger of spreading would be increased ten-fold and 

 the risk of a general conflagration gieatly augmented. On the 

 ground of hui:i>anity alone this danger ought to be faced at once, 

 to say nothing of the immense loss of property that is inevitable 

 should such a fire occur. 



The problem, though practically new to Australia, has been 

 met both in Europe and America. In the cities of France, 

 Germany and Italy a non-inflammable building is the almost 

 universal rule, in England and America it is becoming the rule, at 

 any rate for buildings of importance where the occupants are 

 many or the contents valuable. Let us therefore glean what 

 hints we may from these countries and apply them to our own 

 needs. England and America will naturally afi'ord us the best 

 information on this system of building construction, as the modes 

 in use on the Continent of Europe are foreign to our customs and 

 ideas, though did time permit some useful hints might be gained 

 therefrom. 



But first let me qualifiy the title of my paper. Such a thing 

 as an absolutely fireproof building does not exist. Given a suffi- 

 cient quantity of highly inflammable fuel and in time all materials 

 would fail under intense and long continued heat. The oVject is 

 therefore to render a building fire-resisting, and this may be 

 effected in many ways and to diflerent degrees to suit diff^erent 

 requirements. For instance, a factory or warehouse would not 

 require the same treatment as a Bank Strong Eoom ; or a private 

 dwelling, that of a large Hotel or Theatre. The Americans 

 divide their buildings into classes, viz.: ordinary, slow burning, 

 and fireproof (so called). The division is simple and suited to my 

 puipose, I will therefore adopt it though I shall make the 

 terms embrace more than they do iir America. 



The ordinary building I have described — let us now see how we 

 may make it less combustible, or, in fact, slow burning. For the 

 sake of clearness I will number each suggestion. 



1. In a warehouse or factory, with naked floors, the mere sub- 

 stitution of an Australian hardwood, such as well-seasoned iron- 

 bark, in place of Oregon joists, girders, and posts, is a distinct 

 gain, especially if the timber be thickly coated with limewash or 

 a fire-i'esisting paint, such as that prepared from asbestos. 



2. In ceiled buildings, plastering is much more fire-resisting 

 than wooden linings, especially if hardwood, or, better still, wire 

 lathing be used instead of sawn American laths. For plastered 

 ceilings Oregon joists are preferable to hardwood, because they do 

 not shrink or twist so much and cause fewer cracks in the plaster. 

 Asbestos mortar may also be used instead of ordinary lime 

 mortar. 



