584 PROCEEDINGS OP SECTION J. 



name is legion, but those containing asbestos as a basis appear to 

 be the best. Most, if not all, require frequent renewal to maintain 

 their efficiency. 



But I must draw my paper to a close. There is much more 

 that might be said even from the practical point of view of the 

 materials and processes at present available, as well as ou the 

 further development and cheapening of fireproof construction, 

 especially with a view to the elimination of ironwork. I had 

 intended to deal also with the relative cost of the systems I have 

 described, their especial ajiplicability to various classes of struc- 

 tures, and the desirability of bye-laws defining and enforcing 

 some system of fire-resisting or fire-proof construction in the more 

 crowded portions of our cities ; but time and space forbid. I 

 must therefore content myself with off"ering this short and 

 imperfect resume of what is known on the subject to building 

 owners and fellow-workers, who will ere long be called upon to 

 deal practically with the question of " Fireproofing City Build- 



Appendix a. 



(From the London Building News of April 27th, 1887.) 



"We are glad to see that our opinion of the merits of Messrs. Evans and 

 Swain's new method of fireproof construction has been confirmed by the 

 result of a test experiment conducted last week on the site of the old citj' 

 gas works, near Blackfriars Brid^'C. The following details are taken from 

 the Times : — A room was built in 14 inch biickwork, and measuring 14 ft. 

 square inside, with a height of 7 ft. from ground to ceiling Over this 

 room was laid the flooring, which consisted of deal battens 7 in. deep by 

 2i in. thick, placed side by side edgeways, and spiked together. One-third 

 of the ceiling thus formed to the room was plastered, the key for the 

 plaster being nails partially driven in. A second third was also plastered, 

 the key for the plastering in this case being dovetails cut on the wood ; the 

 remaining third was left unprotected. The cracks between the battens 

 were grouted with fine plaster. On one side of the room was a doorway 

 4 ft. wide, whilst two of the walls were pierced each with two holes 9 in. 

 by 6 in., fitted with iron air gratings for draught. 



In this building about four loads of timber were placed on Monday 

 morning last, the fuel reaching nearly to the roof. Just above the fuel, 

 and with its ends resting on ledges cut in the walls, was an ordinaiy rolled 

 iron joist 7 in. deep, which was placed there in order to test and compare 

 the action of the fire on the iron and the wood. A weight of about 3 cwt. 

 was placed on the centre of the joist. At 10 o'clock the fire was started, 

 and in a very short time a roaring furnace was going within the building, 

 for tar barrels and other combustibles vs'ere used in making the fire. In 

 about an hour the iron joist bent and twisted, and toppled over into the 

 fire ; the floor, however, remained cool on the tojj. At 12.30 the fii-e showed 

 itself through a defective joint in the unprotected portion of the flooring, 

 end some loose earth was thrown on the leakage. About 1 o'clock, slight 

 ascapes of smoke took place through some of the joints in those portions 

 of the floor which were protected by plaster, the leakages being attributed 

 to the defective grouting of the joints. About this time, too, the wall 

 adjoining the unprotected portion ot the floor showed signs of giving way. 

 At 2 o'clock, after four hours exposure to intense heat, the unprotected 



