96 



DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON BOTANICAL WORK; 



iSir W. T. addressed an urgent letter to me on the subject, whicli I 



Thiselton- laid before the First Commissioner. As a result, Sir 



Dyer, Eyre Shaw was requested to examine the Herbarium 



K.C.M.G., buUding. He made the following report to the OfBce of 



F.R.s. Works : — 



29 Nov. 1900. Metropolitan Fire Brigade, 



Headquarters, South wark Bridge Road, S.E. 

 February 4, 1889. 



Memorandum concerning the Herbarium, Kew Gardens. 



I have visited this building, which is little more than 

 an ordinary dwelUng-house with the addition of one laxge 

 room consisting of wooden floors, wooden galleries filled 

 with a considerable number of light wooden and paper 

 boxes containing dried flowers and herbs fastened on 

 paper. 



The place is heated by means of hot-water pipes leading 

 from a boiler outside, and if it may be assumed that some 

 artificial heat is necessary, the mode adopted appears 

 satisfactory, particularly if the hot-water pipes are in no 

 part nearer tlian three inches to the woodwork, as, I was 

 assured, is the case. 



K a light were applied to one of the wooden boxes on 

 the ground levii the probability is that every floor with 

 all the contents would be in a blaze and beyond the hope 

 of safety within five miautes. All the arrangements, 

 therefore, should be made in such a way as to be avail- 

 able in less thnn this time. 



I made some inquiry about a watch being kept, but 

 tJie replies give reason to liope that something more 

 might be done. The lower windows are absolutely un- 

 protected, and in their present condition are at the mercy 

 of any e-sdl-disposed or thoughtless person. 



I saw two fire-engines, one of which was in good order, 

 though of such a xype as to be unworthy of a place in a 

 valuable building. Tliis might be removed, and a fire- 

 engine of modern pattern, with six-inch cylinders and 

 eight-inch stroke of piston substituted for it. 



The other engine is not of much value, but might be 

 allowed to stand in some part of tihe premises, not where 

 it is now, in the engine-house, at some distance away- 



The hose is of thre3 diJf erent sizes, and this is not safe. 

 It should all be of one size, and the most suitable for the 

 purpose Would be a diameter of 2| inches in the pipes, 

 which would allow a diameter of two inches in the 

 couplings. 



The head of water is stated to be 160 feet, and the 

 quantity in the reservoir 250,000 gallons. I had no means 

 of verifying these figures ; but, if they are correct, the 

 arrangements in that respect are satisfactory. 



The nine hydrants within the building are sufficient ; 

 but at least four should be added to the two outside. 



The quantity of hose should be made up to 2,000 feet, 

 in any lengths which those in charge consider most con- 

 venient, but it is probable that twenty hundred-feet 

 lengths would answer best. 



AU the existing copper branches should be removed, 

 and replaced by leather branches of the modem type, and 

 SIX half-inoh nozzles and six three-quarter inch nozzles 

 should be provided. 



I was informed that the turncocks can be called by tele- 

 graph, and I think this very satisfactory ; but I should 

 recommend that the engineer, whose presence at the early 

 stages of a fire would be of much greater importance, 

 should be called in the same way. 



'The firemen should be frequently practised in the use 

 of ;.he appliances with the low pressure service, the high 

 pressure service, and the fire-engine, and should at every 

 practice mount to the roof and other upper parts, both 

 from inside and outside. 



I received the greatest attention from the Director of 

 the Gardens and his assistants, and all questions which 

 I ;.5ked were promptly and intelligently answered. 



(Signed) Etbe M. Shaw, 

 Chief Officer, Metropolitan Fire Brigade. 



As a result of that report a variety of detailed improve- 

 ments were made in the arrangements for fire proteobion. 

 Wihat I myself most dreaded was the effect of lightning. 

 A new system of conductors was accordingly provided 

 under the direction of Sir "William Preec-e. The lower 

 windows still, however, remain unprotected. 



American botanists who have worked at Kew and take 

 an especaal interest in the Kew Herbarium, have re- 

 peatedly expressed their dissatisfaction that it is so im- 

 perfectly protected against fire. The foUoiving letter 

 stated the view taken of the matter in America so clearly 

 that I laid it before the First Commissioner. 



Professor Underwood to Eoyal Gardens, Kew. 



Columbia University in the City of New York, 



Department of Botany, 

 October 15, 1897. 



Deab De. Dyer, — On my return to America I take 

 this first oppoilunity to write you to again thank you for 

 the facilities extended to me during my stay at Kew. 

 My appreciation of the pre-eminent value of the Kew 

 Herbarium as an international institution was only 

 heightened by subsequent visits to others on the Con- 

 tinent, particularly at Paris, where I spent a fortnight 

 after leaving Kew. 



So many of the types of the early explorers in America 

 are preserved in your magnificent collection, particularly 

 of regions to the south of the United States, which must 

 become the working ground of Anglo-American botanists 

 in the future, and your coUeotion is represented by so 

 wide a series of specimens that we must always depend 

 on Kew for supplementary staidy of the American flora. 



And this leads me to express the hope that your 

 Government will realise the international importance of 

 your Herbarium, and provide for it a new fireproof 

 building, where it ^vill be placed beyond the possibility of 

 loss by fire. I ivas astounded when I learned for the 

 first time that the priceless treasures of Kew were not 

 housed in a fireproof building. I could conceive of no 

 more dire calamity that could happen to botanical science 

 than would result from the loss of the Kew Herbarium. 



We have had the same problem to grapple ivith here in 

 America, and I am happy to say to you that even since 

 my return the City of New York has authorised the pay- 

 ment to the New York Botanical Garden of the sum of a 

 half million of dollars for the construotion of buildings, 

 which include a fireproof museum building which will 

 house our own herbarium, now the largest on this con- 

 tinent. The contracts for building the museum are 

 already in, and bids will be opened on next Monday. We 

 hope to be able to occupy tlie building by the winter of 

 1898. 



I shall hope to soon hear that the English Government 

 has been as liberal toward the Kew Herbarium. 



Again thanking you for all the Mndneas shown me 

 during the past summer. 



I am. 



Yours very truly, 



(Signed) Ltjcien M. Underwood. 



Sir John Taylor was in consequence instructed to 

 examine the building. He made the following report : — 



i. The Herbarium, as it now stands, cannot be said to 

 be secure from risks of fire, as no part of the building (or 

 of the Library attached to it) is of fireproof construotion, 

 but, on the contrary, is such that it would bum rapidly 

 if it caught fire. 



$ « 3H :^ * 



ii. It appears to me that all reasonable precautions are 

 at present taken to safeguard the existing buildings, sub- 

 ject to the improvements named in clause 5. 



iii. The Herbarium itself could at a reasonable cost be 

 made fireproof, but tlie Library portion of the building 

 could not be so dealt with, owing to its age and construc- 

 tion. In the event of the Board deciding to make the 

 Herbarium fireproof, it would be necessary to vacate the 

 building, say from four to six months, in order to sub- 

 stitute iron, concrete, and cem^ent construction in the 

 floors, roof, etc., for the woodwork now there, and to 

 make such other alterations . and additions as may be 

 considered necessary. 



* * * * 



V. It is desirable to substitute an iron and concrete floor 

 for the wooden one in the Library building immediately 

 adjoining the heating apparatus, as pointed out on the 

 spot, and to provide a small spirit store outside the build- 

 ing so that the sjiirits now stored in the basement may he 

 placed there. These alterations shouldbedoneat once. 



10/11/37. J. y 



