FIREPROOFING WOOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 152, 29 June 1899, Page 8

FIREPROOFING WOOD.

Among the many valuable lessons taught by the recent war between Spain and the United States (says a \vriter in one of the magazines) is the important one that a ship of war Should have as little wood in its construction as possible, and that what there is should be fireproof. Dr. Hexainer recently read before the Franklin Institute a paper dealing wifh this subject, and showing how, by a comparatively cheap and easy process, ■woodwork may be rendered absolutely incombustible. It may be noted that the inventor of the system does not seek to make money out of it, but gives it to the American nation with a view to-do his country a service. Before commencing his experiments Dr. Hexamer laid down certain conditions .■which he considered imperative, tihe chief of which was that to prove effective against fire the wood must be treated, not on the surface only, but [through its entire mass. After trying .various substances with which to impregnate the wood, he finally, chose .waterglass, treating it at a later stage •with ammonium chloride in order to render it insoluble. The woodwork is first of all heated in an iron container to expel all moisture; after which the ;water-glass is admitted under pressure and is forced into the inner recesses of i!he wood. Ammonium chloride is then admitted to the container, under the same conditions, and the wood is finally washed in running water, and slowly dried. ___________