instituted with Lucifer Matches and others ignited by friction. 361 



It appears, therefore, at least within the range of possibility 

 that in the transport of matches on board ship, and in the 

 absence of due precautionary measures, continuous concussion, 

 combined with a degree of heat not unfrequent in the hold of a 

 vessel, may bring about the accidental ignition of lucifer matches — 

 an occurrence which is known to have taken place, and which, 

 it is believed, is much more frequently the cause of fires on 

 board ships than manufacturers and exporters of matches may be 

 disposed to admit. While it may be granted that the accidental 

 ignition of one or two boxes in a securely closed case of matches 

 may frequently occur, especially under ordinary atmospheric 

 conditions, almost without the possibility of the fire spreading 

 even to other boxes in the same case, yet a knowledge of the 

 very remote causes to which the accidental ignition of gunpowder 

 and other explosions have been traced, and of the impossibility 

 of securing infallibility in extensive manufactories — with regard 

 to such a point as, for example, the air-tight closing of cases 

 containing lucifer matches intended for shipment — renders it, to 

 say the least, advisable that such precautionary measures as are 

 obvious and easily observed should be attended to in the ship- 

 ment of matches, with the view to reduce to the minimum the 

 possibility of their accidental ignition. 



Among such measures would be included — 



(1) The special appropriation, if possible, of some part of the 

 vessel in which matches are transported, to the reception of the 

 packages containing them — or, at any rate, the stowage of such 

 packages together (as far as practicable), distinct from other 

 merchandise of a combustible nature, and in such positions that 

 they may be readily removed in the event of any accidental igni- 

 tion occurring ; 



(2) The efficient ventilation of that part of a vessel in which 

 matches are stowed; 



(3) The enforcement of rules on board ship to prevent the 

 possibility of fire being brought by sailors or others into the 

 vicinity of packages of matches ; 



(4) The careful packing of match-boxes into cases, so as to 

 prevent their being subjected to any independent motion by the 

 movement of the vessel ; and 



(5) The bestowal of a more uniform attention upon the pro- 

 duction of safe and sufficiently stable match-boxes. It need 

 hardly be observed that a very great variation exists in the form 

 and quality of the match-boxes used in this country and abroad. 

 The metal boxes with hinge lids, in which Vesta matches are 

 most generally packed, rank highest as regards the security they 

 afford to the match; and the circumstance that no accident, 

 however slight, is on record as having attended the shipment of 



Phil. Mag. S. 4. Vol. 26. No. 176. Nov. 1863. 2 B 



