566 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



seciH'ity from its occurrence at any subsequent period, and if it 

 has so occurred that a boat indifferently secured and provided 

 against fire has run for a period without ever being fired, it 

 would be found very difficult to induce either her owner, cap- 

 tain or engineer, to adopt any change having in view any im- 

 provement in her security against fire. 



As the proportional loss of steam vessels by fire is greater 

 with us than with any other nation, it is not amiss, as a measure 

 of apology for us, that the cause of it should be referred to here, 

 with the view of showing how this blot upon our fame has arisen. 



Upon the first introduction of steam navigation in this country 

 it was confined to rivers, baj s, and the shores of Long Island sound, 

 and if a fire occurred, reliance for security of life was had more 

 upon the facility with which the vessel could be run ashore, and 

 the passengers and crew escape thereto, than the probability of 

 subduing it by provisions for the purpose. 



Had our first essays occurred at sea, and been restricted thereto 

 like those of the English, we would have commenced with a better 

 observance of the requirements of security from fire, but unfor- 

 tunately the burning of a steamer upon a river does not present 

 itself to the feel-ings of the public, like to a similar occcurrence at 

 sea, from the losses and horrors that usually attend it, it is uni- 

 versally conceded to be the terror of the ocean. 



My purpose in submitting these view to you, as has already 

 been stated, is that of inviting your attention to this subject. If 

 you should see fit to submit this letter to the public, it may be 

 the means of arresting the attention of the owners and officers of 

 steam vessels to the responsibilities of their positions, and should 

 it cause them to reflect upon the nature of their duties, both to 

 the public and themselves, I cannot doubt but that some good 

 may be effected thereby; if so, the interests of all and my object 

 wall be w^ell accomplished. 



Mr. Meigs remarked that he was on a committee of the Insti- 

 tute with Professor Eenwick and others and found the operation 

 in his opinion far more difiicult of control and very dangerous. 



Mr. Lee asked the chairman what form of boiler had been 

 found most liable to explosion? That according to his own 

 observation tubular boilers were the least liable. He had never 

 heard of one of them being exploded. He had tried many 

 experiments with them, heated them red hot without any danger. 



Mr. Clark thought that the less water there was over the flues 

 the more rapid the formation of steam. 



