SAFETY OF LIFE FROM FIRE AT SEA. 37 



these reasons the tetrachloride extinguisher should only be depended upon to ex- 

 tinguish incipient fires in enclosed spaces. 



Hose Streams and Fire Pumps. — Manually operated pumps and later steam 

 pumps with fire hose have proven effective when brought into use before the fire 

 has assumed large proportions. The discovery of the fire usually takes place after 

 it has gained considerable headway, and the consequent delay in bringing the fire 

 hose and pump into use forms a serious weakness of this method of protection. 

 Furthermore, it is difficult and frequently impossible to direct the streams at the 

 source of the fire because of the inaccessibility of numerous parts of the vessel's 

 compartments and the inability of the firemen to withstand the smoke and heat at 

 a point near enough to apply water. The hose streams are very effective, however, 

 as a secondary line of defence in preventing the spread of fire by wetting and cool- 

 ing down the structure contiguous to the burning area, and as a means of final ex- 

 tinguishment after the fire has been gotten under control. 



The arrangement of the system proposed by the International Convention for 

 the Safety of Life at Sea provides that every vessel shall have powerful pumps ; on 

 vessels less than 4,000 tons there shall be two, and on larger vessels three of these 

 pumps. The capacity of the pumps shall be such that they can deliver a sufficient 

 quantity of water in two powerful jets simultaneously in any given part of the 

 vessel. The fire service mains are to be arranged so that two streams can be simul- 

 taneously directed on any given part of a deck occupied by passengers and crew, 

 when the watertight and fireproof doors are closed. Provision is also to be made so 

 that two streams may be conveyed to every space filled with cargo. 



Steam. — The advent of the steam engine and steam turbine for propulsion of 

 vessels made steam available for fire extinguishment. The steam extinguisher was 

 first favored and required by the United States Government for use on passenger 

 and freight steamers, and it is now in general use for the protection of cargo spaces 

 on steamers of practically all nations. 



The General Rules of the U. S. Steamboat Inspection Service requires the 

 following arrangement of steam-extinguishing apparatus for ocean, coast-wise, 

 lake, sound and river steamers. "The main pipes and their branches, on steamers 

 carrying passengers or freight, to convey steam from the boilers to the hold, and 

 separate compartments of the same shall be not less than i^ inches in diameter. 

 * * * Steam pipes of not less than % of an inch in diameter shall be led to all 

 lamp lockers, oil rooms, and like compartments, which * * * compartments in 

 all classes of vessels shall be wholly and tightly lined with metal. All branch 

 pipes leading into the several compartments of the hold of the vessel shall be sup- 

 plied with valves, the handles distinctly marked to indicate the compartment or 

 parts of the vessel to which they lead. These valves or their handles shall be 

 placed in the most accessible part of the main deck of the vessel and so arranged 

 that all can be inclosed in a box or casing, the door of which shall be plainly marked 

 with the words, 'Steam fire apparatus.' Pipes for conveying steam from the 

 boilers * * * fQj. ^j^g purpose of extinguishing fire, shall not be led into the 

 cabins or into other passengers' or crew's quarters." 



