The Preservation of Timber.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 22, 10 December 1874, Page 7

The Preservation of Timber.

The niethod-gf^reSeriving thftWiff* troduced by the^le^ Dr % Jones, to which we '(< Building Ndws') recently referred, was experimented with a week or two ago, at the residence of Mr/v 7: C. Jarvis, The Priory, Tahdridge, hear Godstone, Surrey. . Dr Jones claimiT that his patient will not Only avert dry-rot, but absolutely cure it, and render timber considerably less liable to the action of fire. The first experiment' was tried on two pyramids^ ddristructed by placing a large number Of pieces of wood together, one pyramid being pickled" with the preparation, and the other unprepared. A ; pint of petroleum was placed oh each, and whilst all that remained of the Junprepared timber was the usual residum of ashes, that soaked with the preparation re^maihed almost intact. The next experiment was that tried ot a barrel of the usual Government size, Under the. head of which was placed a quantity ofgunpowder wrapped in a piece of tissue paper prepared with Dr Jones's solution. Thongh subjected to the heat caused by petroleum being- poured over unprepared shavings) the gunpowder did not explode even When the Aames were directed to the inside of the barrel. When taken out the gunpowder was found in precisely the same condition as it was prior to being subjected to 'fire. Thejthird experiment was that of setting fire to two wooden houses, one beinoprepared by the process, and the other not so treated. In the instance of the former, though subjected to the heat caused by a large fire being placed in the centre of the basement, the floor was. but slightly charred :in the other, aa might have been anticipated, the the flooring was completely burnt, and had time been allowed the whole seme* ture, would have been destroyed. A fourth experiment 1 was that of subjecting a wooden box of several inches thickness to the flames" of a fierce fire for. some fifteen minutes. When taken out the exterior of the box was but little charred, and on its being opened a parchment, deed, to which a large seal had been attached, was found un» harmed, the sealing-wax itself not presenting any appearance of having suffered from melting. , After these tests of the efficacy of the "treatment had been concluded, those present -were shown a piece of timber taken ironi Her Majesty's ship Lord Clyde, which had been restored from a state. of almost pulp to its normal condition.