THE FIRE-FIEND ON SHIPBOARD.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 3838, 24 April 1899, Page 2

THE FIRE-FIEND ON SHIPBOARD.

The following 'Oflicial Notice to Shipowners and Shipmasters' has been issued by the Board of Trade relating to the carriage of glue pieces on board ship : — ' The attention of the Board of Trade has been oalled to the decision of the Court of Inquiry into the circumstances attending the recent abandonment on fire of the ship Hollinwood, laden with wool, tallow, glue pieces, etc., from Sydney (New Soulh Wales) . JDr Dupre, adviser to the Explosives Department of the Home Office, informed the Court that he had experimented with the specimens of various articles forming the vessel's cargo, and found that with a mixture of wool and glue pieces at a temperature of 250deg. Fahrenheit there was a tendency to spontaneous combustion. He deduced from these experiments that the -fire on board the vessel probably resulted from hair being mixed with the glue pieces, such as might be adhering to the ears and portions of hides of animals of which the bales of glue pieces were composed. The Court found that the fire on board the Hollinwood broke out in the glue pieces stored in the 'tween decks, which fire, according to Dr Dupre's evidence, might have been due to spontaneous combustion.'

Large companies are being i formed in Yokohama for the i erection of meat-chilling establish- ' menls in Nagasaki, Kobe, ' Yokohama, ana Tokio, for j the purpose of receiving meat sent < aut. la is, of course, anticipated ihat large shipments will be sent jver from Australia at a very jarly date, as steamers are being jpecially fitted for the trade. The Malta correspondent of the Daily Mail states thai on Wedneslay, February 1 5th last, as H.M. iruiser Soylla was out running orpedoes, the captain ordered a orpedo to be fired at the steamrinaace, not thinking that she ould be hit, as she was 300 yards tway. The torpedo, however, aught the pinnace amidships. Ihe at once sank in 22 fathoms of rater All her crew esca^ei, and he engine-driver alone was rounded. So far neither the boat or the torpedobas been recovered, taugh a search lasting 24 hours •Asmide It is expected that a »urt of inquiry will be held repecticg the tuatfer. For Children's Hacking Cough ike Woods' GreatPeppermint Cure, Visiting Cards equal to copperlate printed at the office of tiki*