The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1828-05-07
From the NJ Y. Journal Of Commerce.
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. No

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION. No 2.
CAKn1EwIcK. In July, 1874, bale of Can
favick yarn. made from hemp in imitation of
.o.tor warn. was sent from Birmingham to
SnaldinT. in Great Britain. On its way it ac-
c;dentallv became soaked with oil resembling in
smell rape oil, and after remaining several
u,eeks in the warehouse at Spalding, it took
fro spontaneously, but was discovered in time
and thrown into the Streets where it instantly
bazed. Emp. of Arts.
COARSE COTTON CLOTH AND LINsEED OIL.
An accident having occurred in an arsenal in
the East Indies which caused some suspicion OF
an attempt to set fire to the building, led to the
following experiment. Coarse cotton cloth was
nioistened with linseed oil, and locked IN box.
In about three hours the box began to smoke,
when on opening it the cloth was found partly
reduced TO finder, and on exposure to the air 1T
burst into fame The experiment was tried
three times, and with the same success These
experiments removed the suspicion, and deter
mined the liability of spontaneous inflammation
from cotton cloth impregnated with linseed oil.
Report of Arts and Manufactures.
LAMP<BLAcK AND HEMP-sEED OIL vARNIsH.
The following experiment was the consequence
of the fire which was seen ON board the Russian
frigate Maria, in April 1881, while lying at an
Choir in the roads, of the island of Cronstadt,
the substance of which we have before stated
GAS upon judicial examination, as we'll as
private enquiry, it was found that, in the ships
cabin, where the smoke appeared, there lay a
bundle of mating containing Russian lamb
black, prepared from fir-root, moistened with
hemp-oil varnlsh which was perceived to have
sparks of fire in it at the time of the extinction,
the Russian Admiralty gave orders to make
various experiments in order to see whether q
mixture of hemp-oil varnish and the aforesaid
Russian black, folded up in mat and bound to-
gether, would kindle of itself.
"They shook forty pounds of fr-wood root
into a tub, and poured about thirty five pound:
of hemp-oil varnish upon it this, they let stanC
for an hour, after which they poured off the oil
The remaining mixture they now wrapped VI
in a mat and the bundle was laid close to tn
cabin, where the midshipmen had their birth
To avoid all suspicion of treachery, two officer
sealed both the mat and the door with their owl
seals, and stationed watch of four sea officers
to take notice of all that passed the whole nigh
through; and as soon any smoke should APP
pear, Immediately TO give information to Tia
commandment of the port.
"The experiment was made the Goth April
1881, about eleven o'clock in the morning, il
presence of all the officers named in the com
mission. Early on the following day about sil
o'clock, smoke appeared, of which the chic
commandment was Immediately informed by al
officer; he came with all possible speed, ant
through small hole in the door saw the ma
smoking. Without opening the door, he dis
patched messenger to the members of the
commission but as the smoke became stronger
the fire began to appear, the chief commandan
found it necessary, without waiting for tn,
members of the commission, to break the seal
and open the door No sooner was the air thu
admitted, than the mat began to burn witt
greater force, and presently it burst into
flame" Emp. of Arts and Sciences.
SAIL CLOTH, ocHRE AND OIL. In the yea
1857, sort of sail cloth called pre'art, having
one side of it smeared with ochre and oil, tool
fire in the magazine at Brest, where it haC
probably kindled of itself
HEMP AND OIL, AND CORDAGF. Several fire
broke out in a rope-walk, and in some wooden
buildings at st. Petersburg and in all the in
stances not the slightest trace of wilfu firm.
could be found but there was lying in the rop,
walk, where the cables for the navy are made
great heap of hemp, among which a consider
able quantity Of oil ik.-,1iaeod spoiled for w6icl
reason it had been bought at a low price, anc
was supposed to be the cause of the fire. TIL,
poor people had bought this spoiled hemp fo
closing the ehinks of their houses and windows
and causing the fires as was thought in thos.
private buildings. Coils of cable have also beer
ionnd hot requiring to be separated to prevent
spontaneous Inflammation. Nbid)
In the city or neighborhood of New York,
number of fires have occurred in rope walks
and have generally been attributed to incendia
-rles. whereas recent information would lead u
to assign their causes to spontaneous combustion
aud inflammation taking place in the hemp, tht
cordage, or the tar house.
SUBSTANCES IN A STATE OF ToRREFAcTIoN
There are many vegetable substances which
by torretaction acquire an increase of thei
property to in1ame spontaneously if enclosed il
bags OF cloth, which leave them in contact will
the surrounding atmosphere. Of this kind arr
sawdust, burnt coffee, the farina of gramineou
snd the fruits of leguminons plants, such al
beans, lentils. peas, &c.
There are several instances of fires break
ing out in stables by a bag of terrified bran an
Piled TO the neck of diseased animal. an,
which infamed spontaneously. The people il
inc country persist in employing this remedy
tor which Others more efficacious and less dan
gerous might be substituted
Brewers, after causing the barley and othe
grain which they use for beer, to terminate
dry it in kiln OF store, except that for pal,
beer and they generally dry it in greater OF
less degree, to give to the beer a color more OF
less dark. If the grain, when taken from the
Kiln, IS put warm into sacks, it sometimes han
pens that they iniame, and occasion fires II
brow-houses . Tilloch. Mag.