192 SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE LOSS BY FIRE ON VESSELS. 



how fires originate, we know the points which must be safeguarded to 

 prevent them. It is of the utmost importance where a stack passes through 

 a wooden deck that the opening be cut at least twelve inches clear all around 

 and the wood be faced with asbestos and sheet-iron or steel. If forced 

 draft is used and overheats the uptake and stack, further protection is 

 needed — either the uptake and the base of the stack should be covered 

 with cement or all the woodwork within a distance of three feet should be 

 covered with sheet-iron placed over asbestos. When covering a boiler care 

 should be taken along the sides of it; frequently the space between the 

 boiler shell and bunkers is so small that it is difficult to make a good job, 

 but in no case should this space be packed up with non-conducting material ; 

 some opening should always be left between the covering and the bunkers. 

 On a leg boiler, the covering on the sides of the fire-box should be carried 

 right down to the floor; frequently it is stopped about the level of the grate 

 bars, and an examination will show that the heat from the uncovered 

 plates has charred the bunker boards alongside. A coaming should be 

 placed at the front of boilers extending across the fire-room to prevent hot 

 ashes getting between boiler and bunker sides. If the fire-room floor is 

 laid on a wooden deck or wooden beams, asbestos should be put down first. 

 Hot ashes have set fire to a wooden deck through four inches of cement. The 

 same care that is used in protecting woodwork around the boilers should 

 be used around the galley stove and stove-pipes. All wooden partitions in 

 the back and at the sides of all galley stoves should be protected. Where 

 possible the floor should be brick or cement, but, if wood, should be covered 

 with sheet metal over asbestos extending out in front at least 2 feet 6 inches 

 and the stove should be securely fastened down. Most important of all is 

 to have a metal hood over the stove or have the ceiling overhead covered 

 with heavy asbestos, disastrous fires having been started by grease boiling 

 over on the stove and blazing up, setting the woodwork overhead on 

 fire. The stack from the stove should lead outdoors by the most direct 

 route possible; on some old passenger steamers it has many turns and bends 

 before it finally comes through the upper deck. When possible the galley 

 should be on the upper deck, but if placed in the hold care should be taken 

 to run the stove-pipe in such a manner that even though it get red hot it will 

 not ignite the woodwork. In engine-rooms the method of carrying lubri- 

 cating oils and waste needs attention. It is well to have the supply of oil 

 as small as possible; where there is a large quantity on board the engineers 

 are usually careless and extravagant with it, while, with a small supply, 

 good care is taken to see that none is wasted. This not only saves money 

 for the owners, but less oil is spilled about. All oil-cans should be carried 



