ON RENDERING SUBSTANCES INCOMBUSTIBLE. 87 
other metallic salt would do, and used ordinary chloride of 
manganese prepared in the laboratory, which killed all 
such fungi rapidly, and no more have grown after standing 
eleven months in contact with organic matter. 
I believe there are many ways in which this may be 
used. My wish was to find a substance suited for building 
fire-proof ships, and I believe this would do ; at any rate 
the ships would be fire-proof, experience could alone tell if 
any other objection followed. It does not render the wood 
hard, heavy or brittle. 
I believe it would be of the greatest advantage in mills, 
which now suffer so much from fire, diminishing or rather 
entirely removing the expense of insurance. It does not 
hurt colors ; so that even colored goods might be dipped 
when kept long in one place, or when sent in vessels 
abroad. Possibly some delicate colors may be attacked, 
but this must be a rare case. 
I am more desirous of seeing ships built of an incombus- 
tible material, the means of escape at sea being few, and 
confined to few ; and whilst there is any hope of doing it 
easily, I scarcely think it proper for any one to neglect 
what information may exist on the subject.— Sillimcm's 
Journal from Phil, Mag, 
