162 



NOTICES OF AUTHORS. 



No danger from fire need be apprehended, from the 

 sudden slaking of a thin layer of shells, even though 

 a leak in the main deck should occur. The thick- 

 ness beyond which shells could not be suddenly 

 slaked upon dry boards mthout danger of fire, 

 might be tried. 



It is necessary to mention, that, though lime-shells, 

 or diy hydrate of lime, when timber is so diy as to 

 be liable to corruption by insects or by dry rot, is, by 

 destroying life and increasing the dryness, preventive 

 of this corruption ; yet lime, in contact with timber 

 for a considerable time in very moist air, from its 

 great attraction to water, draws so much moistm*e 

 from the air as to become wet mortar or pulp, which, 

 moistening the timber, promotes its decay by the 

 moist rot. 



