FIREPROOF PASSENGER STEAMER. 191 



are equipped with sprinkler systems, the new Hudson River boat being built at 

 Hoboken and the one at Camden, I understand, will not be equipped with sprinklers. 

 In my opinion shipbuilders all over the country should install sprinkling equip- 

 ments in the passenger steamers, especially those with large wooden upper works, 

 which would materially reduce the losses by fire, and they would not increase the 

 cost of the boats very much. 



In freight steamers the principal danger of fire is from fire originating in the 

 coal bunkers or in the cargo. The coal bunker fires have nearly all been due to 

 the old coal remaining in the bottom of the bunkers. As the coal is used a few 

 tons are allowed to remain in the bottom, and the ship is coaled up again. The coal 

 will be used down to near the botton and fresh coal put in again. This process is 

 repeated indefinitely, and the old coal is allowed to remain. It is this coal which 

 takes fire. If some system could be devised so that the coal in the bunker would 

 be used up completely, and none of the old coal allowed to remain, the number 

 of cases of spontaneous combustion would be greatly reduced. At the meeting 

 two years ago the Fire Chief attended, and spoke of putting a system of perforated 

 pipes through the cargo space, so that water could be pumped into any hold of the 

 ship where there was a fire. There are some vessels now that are fitted with steam 

 extinguishers, but it would be very much better to use water than steam, on account 

 of the greater cooling effect. There are experiments being made now which may 

 interest our naval architects, that is, installing small perforated pipes for the use 

 of pyrene in the hold of the cargo steamers. Pyrene has done some wonderful 

 things, and it is probably the most efficient substance for extinguishing fires that 

 is known. Pyrene extinguishers are now installed in all of the subway trains, as 

 it is the only extinguisher that is a non-conductor of electricity. With this installa- 

 tion the pipes can be made extremely small, and kept clear of the cargo, and yet 

 be made very efficient. 



Mr. A. Fletcher, I think, spoke of a ratio of one- tenth of one per cent being killed 

 of all of the four million passengers carried. While this may appear to be a very 

 low percentage, it means that four thousand people have been killed in the last 

 ten years on our steam vessels, and that number is entirely too large. There are 

 two arguments that have been used by shipowners and shipbuilders against 

 installing sprinkler systems and other fire-extinguishing devices in the holds of 

 steamers. One is that the fire insurance underwriters or marine underwriters will 

 not allow a sufficient reduction in the premiums to pay for the cost of this installa- 

 tion. They usually want a reduction that will make up the entire cost in two or 

 three years. There are other things to consider, however, than a reduction in the 

 insurance rate. An owner may be reimbursed by the underwriters for a loss on 

 a boat, but this does not pay for loss of life or personal injury, or for the loss of the 

 earnings of the boat until it is repaired or replaced. The other argument is that 

 the vessel is equipped to comply with the law. I do not believe that any good 

 naval architect or shipbuilder considers the steamboat inspection law requiring 

 the highest type of construction possible, and I think our naval architects should 



