Correspondence.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 20 January 1872, Page 11

Correspondence.

THE LATE FIRE.

To the Editor of the 'Neison Examiner.' Sie — The disclosures made in reference to the defectiveness of the hose at the late lire in Bridge-street, which, as I expected, was confirmed in your paper, remind me of certain certificates, among a large number of others, respecting one of the important uses of phormium. As these certificated will no doubt be interesting to some of your readers, I send you copies taken from printed copies of the originals. There are some who may say "What good can the publishing of these do ?" Ido not address them to persons who do not take any interest in the matter, aud have only to say that what has been done may be again : — " Copy of affidavit upon tho merits of hose, made from the phormium tenax plant. "In the City of London. I, George Thorn" ton, of Smitli's-court, Windmill-street, in the parish of St. James's, Westminster, assistant fireman to that parish, do hereby voluntarily make oath, and say, that on the 26th day of March, 1831, having received an order from the churchwardens to allow Mr. Doulan to prove the comparative strength of the linen hose manufactured by him against one of our best leathern hose, both to be tried by the force of our large engine. I accordingly attended, about nine o'clock in the morning of that day, at St. James's church, for that purpose, when I screwed on to the engine : one length of our leathern ho6e, to which I screwed the length of linen hose brought by Mr Doulan (both being of the same diameter), to this I attached the branch pipe and then ordered the engine to bo worked, having, to the beet of my recollection, nine persons on either side, whilst I held and directed the branch pipe. Both hoses acted well during the working the engine, which we continued afc its force for about fifteen minutes, when it was proposed that all the lengths of the hose they had in store should in successiou be tried with Mr. Doulan's linen hose. Accordingly this was done, which occupied above an hour and a-half from the comruenceraent of the trial. j " At this time I observed to Mr. Doulan, that his hose appeared to be a remarkably good one, and with v view to the trial of its utmost strength said to him, 'Shall I burst it for you?' To which Mr. Doulan replied, ' Certainly.' I had no doubt that I should very soon burst the linen hose, because the full force and pressure of the engine was directed to act especially upon it, by reason of its being placed next to the branch pipe, which position was the one by which its merits could be most amply judged of and ascertained. I then placed my thumb upon the end of the branch pipe, and told the men to work with all their strength, when within the space of two minutes our leathern hose, to my great astonishment, burst, whilst Mr. Doulan's linen one remained uninjured. (Signed) " George Thornton. " Sworn at the Mansion House, London, this 3rd day of January, before me, " P. Laurie, Mayor." " I hereby certify to the truth of what is contained in the foregoing affidavit, having been present during the whole of the trial. I (Signed) " Edwabd Halves, i "Parochial Engineer. " Church Passage, St. James's, " January 9, 1833." In the above, you will perceive tho fireman termed the hose "linen." This is one of the absurd practices of persisting to term p7iorviium — 'flax. The other certificate is as follows : — " Being in authority afc this station, and having received a portion of Mr. Doulan's new manufacture, produced ft'otn the phormium tenax, or New Zealand flax plant, made into hose required to convey water from the pump to our tenders, and finding that canvas hose, made of the common manufacture, gave scarcely any service for this duty (leather hose being found equally defective), 1 do hereby certify that a hose made from Mr. Doulan's flexible cloth has been in constant use for thirteen months in every variety of weather, and has lasted four times as long as the best hose ever submitted for our use ; and that it has maintained its flexibility in the most Bevere frost as well as in the heat of the sun. (Signed) " George Booth. " Grand Junction Railway x Stafford, " October 27, 1811." I am, &c, Luke N. attbass.