FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12849, 6 July 1907, Page 7

FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

ROYAL CJOMMISBIOira KEPWrjP^fl h —-■ ' ■' .*' ' !U ". "3</"'•* (PBKM AiWCUTKW TBMUM'I jf%?j} , WELLINGTON,- Jfrffjjfflj The report of the' Royal on fires on wool chips was »»»*,«|JIiWW table of the House this •&***&**)%£s& rcporti is in extension, of «wliWffi inentaxy to the interim lished in October laet. ' 5 -^EgS After referring to iwifM. c *ra-jl fires in vessel* whose caw© lied *•¥*( wholly or partly oompoeed of ,wooL MJh3 tow, or other oombuetibU >»•***»& the Commissioners co «»*"*« the probable causes of thsL»wj-'--'l*! to flex end tor. tw QMMMi% sioners find that no sing* «•• «f eggs taneoua combuetion ci* ■••• wepg putably proved to h»w'Uta»Ji«J«i.; On the contrary, the w«ich« evidence eoee to "*** taneoua oombuetion hu nek j Tl«e probability, therefore, of *•* «f i tow having, through •pontuMOOi buetion, been the cau»* ef WlWj upon New Zealand ships w negfttovwL' The highly inflammable nature of Itt or tow rendem it exceedingly ltebM-to] tir=» from extraneous cause*, and thMJ liability is increased! if by any BMaaa there is a mixture of m it. ', £V In the Commieeioa's . opinioa n\ would bo an advantage if the baks «f • flax or tow were coverodi, and they Hrij also of opinion that tow should inspected. .'-.' s *'^ In regard to wool, the Conußissierf. states that from a review of all t4*S; circumstances and the report*, investi-' gations, and opinions of scientist* txA the evidence which has been laid before, the Connniseioii, there is no doubt that spontaneous combustion doos take The Commissioners, however, have no; hesitation in saying that in many cases fire on ships carrying wool, flax and tow, have arisen tiom extraneous causes. Alter a lengthy earrey of the •«• periuients cojiUUcUxl, tho Comnus* hioncis make the following reconv* mendations:—1. That it be compulsory on (Tappers to have the nature or clat* of their wool dearly marked on. the out* side of each bale. 2. Sheepskins should be inspected under the same conditions a» Wool. 3. Tow shouid be inspected under tß* bo mo conditions as wool. 4. Flax and tow «hould be covered, if jjofceiblo, with niaU-.riai of a l«es m»' flammable nature tlian hcesian. ' . ». t.vui bjiould not be stored witk V>il, fat, tallow, toiv, or flax, or i»-' contact with packages containing asy, of thtse products, or in contact wftjfc any other material more readily coss*<bustible than wool iteelf. {ft} ii. in our opinion every ship carxyieg a cargo that is wholly or partly ojb-, i posed) of wool, flax, tow, or other efM bustil)le material, should he fitted *W ; ! an adequate chemical fir© extinifuifc*'' ing sj-stem. » . . . '>/.<s&