TEST OF FIRE-EXTINGUISHING AGENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 2712, 7 December 1876, Page 3

TEST OF FIRE-EXTINGUISHING AGENT.

■'-♦ A teat of what tho Americana term a new flro extinguishing agent took place on vacant land near fcho Drill Shod last nighfc, and was attended, wifch a very_ enoournging amount of suoocss. A pilo of light timber, shavings, and other inflammable materials, covered wifch a good coating of tar, had been providod for tho oooasion, and had a somo what formidable appearance It wat) 10ft x 16ft at. tho baao, and rose to a height of about. 9ft. A verfcioal boiler was placed on tho windward sido of the pile, and in thia fcho liquid and gas to bo used was prepared. Tho boilor oontainod 80 gallons of water, and COlbs of bi-oarbonato of soda, a jar to hold 201bs of sulphurio aoid boing alao fixed insido in suoh a manner that, when everything was ready for aotion, it could

be moved from the outside so as to pour the acid into tho water. Owing to tho heavy rain in tho early part of the evonine, tho preparations woro aomowhat dolayed, and thus tho proceedings did not commenoo until considerably after tho appointed hour. A large number of poraons, inoluding members of the City Oounoil and Insurance agents, were prosont to witneaa tho exporimont which was oarried out under tho supervision of Mr Superintendent Harris and Prof easor Biokerton. Shortly boforo nine o'olook the sulphurio aoid was poured into tho jar insido the boilor, and the hole tightly fastened up. An inoh and a quarter md a-rubbor tube with a fin nrzzle waa then affixed to a top at the bottom of tho boiler, and tho pile of timhor waa ignited. The flimoa immediately blospd up to a great height, and whon thoy woro considered to have obtainod a sufficient hold the aoid was pourod from the jar into tho boiler of water. For a few seconda tho gauge attaohed to tbo boiler eo\roo)y moved, and ovon when it did its aotion waa very slow, a foult entirely duo to tho faot that tho aoda had boen put into tho water in bulk, instead of being first dissolved. When the gauge rcgiatered lOlba tho top waa turned on, and liquid wae slowly ej^ofced from the nozalo. By osoillating tho bailor, ao as to oaueo tho soda to mix moro freely with tho water, tho prosauro of gas was raised to 25lbs, whioh was the highest point attained. By this pressure, tho liquid was ejooted with a moderato amount of foroo, and direotly it waa turned upon tho blazing pilo a wonderful effect waa produoed Wherever thoy wero attaoked the dimes died out inatantanooualy, leaving only charred timber, whioh did net ifinito again for a great length of timo. Un ' fortunately tho tubo from the boiler was not long enough to enablo tho operator to move round tho pile, and as the supply of liquid was only small, tho firo oould not bo completely extinguished. Ib was quito evident, however, that tho agent employed ie vory powerful, and whon the Brigade havo acquired more praotioo in its management it will bo of inoaloulablo benefit to the oity and anburbs. Tho good proportion of tho compound employed aro twofold. Not only doea tho gas and eulphato of soda, produood by tho mixture of chemicals, quickly extinguish flamoa, but the sulphate of soda renders tho material it is poured upon, to a groat extent, flro-proof, thus preventing its re ignition. Bosirioa .hia, alao, the ooat of oaoh oporation ia but email, tho total value of tho chemicals uaod yoatordoy being about 10a. There waa no opportunity yesterday of testing the distanoe to whioh the liquid oould be sent by the foroo of the gas generated in the boiler, but Professor Biokerton was of opinion that if tho bi-carbonate of soda wero dissolved before boing plao>-d in tho boilor, an estimate of 140 ft would not bo too muoh. This, it is unnecoa-sa-y to aay, ia far moro than would borequired in Ohriatohuroh. Whon the flames wero at thoir height the fire boll waa heard to ring, but no notioo waa taken of it, aa Mr Harris vory rightly surmised, that some ono, not awaro that an exporimont was being tried, had takon noedlesß alarm at tho strong glare oausod by tho burning timbor, and had rushed to the fire boll. The'contonta of tho boilor were exhausted in about nino minutos. whon the hand engine Dreadnought was brought into requisition to complete tho task of extinguishing tho firo. It was arrangod that other trials should bo made, , and on tho next occasion tho soda will bo dissolved beforo boing plaood in the water, so that tho gas will bo moro quiokly and effectively generated. It ia then proposed if tho Oity Oounoil aro aatieflod with tho trials, to havo tho hook and ladder carriage altered ao aa to oarry a tank oapable of holding 160 gall- ns of water and ohemioals, tho effoot of whioh in extinguishing, or keeping fires in ohook until tho arrival of tho steam- engines, oannot bo too highly estimated. Tho Amorioans olaim the prinoiplo on wbioh yoatorday 'stoat was carried out, ia entirely new, but it will be aoon from tho explanation given that it is similar with what has boon known for years aa L'Extinoteur tho only real difference boing that it is worked on a largor soalo.