THE SOUNDS TRAGEDY.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 22, Issue 67, 29 August 1911, Page 4

THE SOUNDS TRAGEDY.

TO THE EDITOR, Sir, I have read with interest the remarks made by Messrs E. Tosswill, E. A. Parker, and N. W. Naylor, and there is certainly some light here thrown on this now vexed question. I certainly think that a fire-extin-guisher is a good thing to have handy, and if it got into action it would give the operator a chance to collect his presence of mind; even if it did not entirely put out the fire it would and does make the wood-work harder to catch fire. The sand idea is to me a Jridiculous one, and my plan in case of fire would be to speedily empty this over the side and use the. vessel carrying same to apply water, which has put out every benzine fire so far, to pay knowledge, where it has been persevered with. The shutting out of the air, if a fire occurs in an enclosed deck-house launch, is a sure kill-fire, as ho fire can burn without air, and plenty of it at that. The ketch Emma Sims was saved by this method, although the entire engine : room was in flames, and after the air had been shut out for about a minute a collection of water was got ready, the doors unfastened, and the water immediately applied and the fire put out. The main thing in a benzine fire is a cool head, ami there is then little to fear. The late fire down the Sounds was an exception that will probably' never again occur. The fact that the rudder had been lost and they were working with a steer-oar, and had been doing so for weeks, was unquestionably the cause of the' fatality, for had they been forward and had room to work there is no doubt they would have got the fire out. But as it was there Was no room aft to manage a fire, and to getforward they would have had to cross the flames. I consider the dinghy-carrying, is (especially in small launches) just as likely to prove a source of danger as a source of safety, especially in rough weather; but a life-buoy, two or three belts, a fire-extinguisher, an empty benzine-tin cut open with a handle for applying water, are all that is necessary, .and a fair knowledg? of the nature of the properties of the product you are handling, with a confident assurance that should a fire occur you can get it out by standing to your guns.

With reference to Mr Naylor’s inquiry as to whether the pipes were leaking, I can state that the tank and the piping were all new gear, and there was no leak when it left my shop. And I would state, further, that it is the practice of engineers round the Sound to immediately tackle a benzine leak on any launch coming in for repair at all times, independent of whether the customer_ requires it or not, . ■

With regard to the suggetion for Government inspection, the least said soonest mended. We have quite enough Government officials and their red-tape now, and few of us know what this would entail if we gave the Government a chance. We could at least require the duty taken off all the benzine we use to compensate us for the inconvenience we would be put to, as they would demand an inspection at their leisure, hot ours. They would no doubt not allow a boat to go out without having passed everything, and a hundred other inconI Thanking you for further . space in your valuable columns to express the above.—l am, etc., H. C. Christian.