FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13642, 11 July 1906, Page 6

FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

to Tfli imTon. Sin.—The Press Association's telegrams iir reference to an inquiry in New- Zealand concerning fires on wool ships are worthy of the careful consideration of all commercially interested in wool. It is a commercial unit of great delicacy and value, and requires more careful handling than it gets ponorally. Its value is always appreciated, but its fine, soft nature gets comparatively no consideration from many who are largely responsible for the trouble it sometimes gives'; whereas, when understood and cared for—being clean and dry, with sufficient dry ventilation,—it will keep sound, yielding its highest valuo and comfort to man. Woollen manufacturers are in the best position, to know this truth. Wool totally destroyed by fire may causo a shortage of supply, but no other trouble. They arc relieved of tho laborious vexations that accompany wool affected by partial combustion, and usually the result of ignorance, principally connected with the scouring process. It is not an uncommon thing for tho best of wool to be both drowned and poisoned in the cleansing solutions, and then lie in a wet compress to hasten its corruption. Sometimes it is roasted to death and passed on ns a real live thing. This is a matter,in which there is scope for one of the "badly-needed inventions—viz., io clean, wool cheaply without water and alkalies. Wool would be all the better if it didn't come into contact with cither of these cleansing agents. There is small affinity between oil, fat, and water. There is always friction when they aro put together without some mollifying agent; but as this method, followed for the present, is the cheaiicst we have, lot the scouring-bath bo intelligently prepared, ihoroughlyand promptly wool well rinsed and dried, allowed to cool (if stovedi'icd), packed firm in bales, and stored in: a cooj, airy place. Under these conditions, practised over a period of 20 years, wo have never seen combustion.

Wool for shipment—or, indeed, wool for any purpose—should not be cleaned with soaps with soda ash, caustic soda, or resin in their composition: potash soap only should be used. Wool intended for export should be dried in a large, slowly-revolving cylinder, through which hot air is forced. New Zealand soil is too damp for grounddrying, and the atmosphere too cool and moist to allow rapid drying <in the bales after pressing. .Mr A. E. Cummings, the expert whose opinions are published in the Otago Daily Times of the 2nd inst. ro tho East Indian system of wet-pressing, doubtless is correct. He says it "is effected by skill." It may be concluded from that remark (hat it is not merely pressed wot and left there. It is feared that our colonial high-class wools, whoso characteristics and features are strength, softness, and good colour, would be greatly impaired by the Indian system. East Indian wool has no comparison with Australian and New Zealand wool: its character is harsh and its colour bad, and it is largely used in carpet manufacture. We have opened hundreds of the Indian bales without finding a damp or healed one. hut the baked condition of the wool and its hard, stiff fibro were suggestive of wet-pressing and quick drying—perhaps in the Indian sun. Dry wool iii a. dry. ventilated storo will givo no trouble: this is our conviction, having met combustion in wool and woollen yarns only where thcro was damp with a lack of ventilation.

Since the Premier is interesting himself to find the person responsible for shipping damp wool, let us hope ho will succeed. He should not fail to call on the woolpackers, who, in wet seasons, are often templed to act at the suggestion of threatening showers. Should he be able to show that he always sends out a clean and dry article, then tho cause of "fires on wool ships" may be looked for in the ship's hold.—l am, etc., Opoho, July 10. J. R. B.