SAFETY OF LIFE FROM FIRE AT SEA. 49 



In the City of New York there are 5 million inhabitants, or for the three years 15 

 millions of people to be counted, of which 227 lose their lives by fires. For the same 

 period the vessels of the United States recorded the carrying of 1,009 millions of passen- 

 gers, not counting the crews or the millions unrecorded as on ferry and excursion boats, and 

 only 50 lives lost by fire — 15 per million in the city and .0033 per million on vessels. 



I deprecate the alarm caused by the frequent calling of attention to the so-called great 

 danger from fire on board vessels. There is danger in all walks and occupations of life and 

 it can not be entirely eradicated. That comparatively so few lives have been lost by fire 

 on our steamers is most remarkable, but anything that naval architects and marine engi- 

 neers can do to make steam or other vessels safer will be done, I am sure, for they have this 

 subject always in mind. 



Mr. W. T. Berry (Communicated) : — I am of the opinion that the sprinkler systems 

 on the steamer Commonwealth and the other steamers similarly equipped, which I have 

 referred to, do not convey any false sense of security. These steamers are fitted with fire 

 pumps from four to five times the capacity required by law exclusive of the sprinkler pumps, 

 and we still place great dependence on this equipment with its connections to fire hydrants 

 fitted with 2^ -inch diameter hose. In various buildings in cities where ideal sprinkler sys- 

 tems are installed, we believe that similar equipment of the regular city fire department is 

 frequently required to extinguish fires. 



There are many conditions in holds of steamers stowed with freight with which I do 

 not believe any sprinkler system can cope. The sprinkler systems on these steamers were in- 

 stalled with the idea that it was a step in advance and that, should the occasion arise, they 

 might be of use in saving life and property. 



I agree thoroughly that the ideal sprinkling system should be entirely automatic, but, for 

 the reasons stated in my previous discussion, do not consider either the wet-pipe or dry-pipe 

 systems feasible on these steamers, and certainly did not consider any reputation records 

 which sprinkler patentees might be trying to make for their particular appliances. 



Mr. Teague (Communicated) : — Taking up in turn the various features discussed by 

 Mr. Berry, I have the following comments to make on those which I did not refer to in my 

 discussion on the floor. 



The fact that the passengers and crew of the Volturno were obliged to remain on board 

 the burning vessel for over twenty-four hours is evidence that they had little choice between 

 death by fire or drowning, and that all these people were not lost was due only to the slow 

 spread of the fire which finally permitted rescue when nature intervened and the high seas 

 calmed down. The people lost on the General Slocum, comprising 70 per cent of the total, 

 were not so fortunate, since the fire spread rapidly, and escape was impossible even on the 

 comparatively calm waters of the East River. It is evident that this serious danger exists 

 whenever the seas are too rough to permit the use of the lifeboats, which is frequently the 

 case at sea or when the crew is not competent. 



While it is true, as Mr. Berry states, that accident insurance companies allow double 

 indemnities for injuries suffered while traveling on common carriers and while in burning 

 buildings, he is incorrect in using this as an argument to prove that the hazard to life under 

 these conditions is less than under normal conditions of living. I am informed by the Aetna 

 Life Insurance Company that in the early days of accident insurance there was only single 



