The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-07
From The London, Times.

The FIRE ANNlHILAToR.-Several experiments
were made on Tuesday with "Philps patent fire.
annihilator," in the presence Of large concourse
ofspectators in Battersea-feld. The ''fre-ann-
hilator" has for some time been before the public
| as a portable machine for domestic application,
and the experiments or yesterday were intended
TO test Its utility in extinguishing fires raging in
many rooms of house at once, with the view Of
superseding the common fre-engine. The ma
chine for which the appellation "fre-annihilator
has been claimed, is described by the patentee as
composed of four tin or sheetiron cylindrical cas-
es, one within another, the central case contain
ing "a chemical preparation which will discharge,
with the power of steam, vapor in which flame
cannot exist. 1t is pretty well known that fire
can only be maintained alive by the continuance
Of a due supply Of oxygen or atmospheric air,
and that by cutting off this supply or overpower-
ing it with carbonic acid gas, it is at once ex-
tinguished. The latter ingredient has also the
power of sulfocating animals, and on account of
these properties is known among miners as "choke
damp"
The purpose Of the inventor Of the "fre.anni-
hilator" seems to be to provide in cases OF fire n
quantity Of the chemical vapor before alluded To-
which we take to be carbonc acid gas-suficient
to overpower the oxygen; and to this end, so far
as the experiments show, it is well adapted An
unfinished six-roomed house in the neighborhood
of the waterworks, in Battersea-feld had been
selected TO experiment upon, the several rooms of
of dry deal roughly put together for the purpose.
The beds were furnished with curtains of hempen
cloth and pillows and holsters Of the same mate
rial, stuffed with wood shavings and the rooms
were lined with deal panks-the whole calculated,
when once ignted to "burn like match" These
combustible materials having been set on fire,
were permitted to burn for the space OF five or six
minutes, until the flames shot with considerab BILE
fury through the windows, the temporary frame
work OF which was, in one instance wholly, and
in others partially, consumed. A signal was then
given for the application the vopor, which was
discharged with considerable force through the
hose or tubes inserted in the aperture of the win
dow, and the entire fire thus extinguished in
twelve minutes.
On a subseqent examination Of the rooms we
found that the beds were unconsumed; but that
great havoc had been effected in the apartments on
the ground floor, indicating that a powerful body
Of flame had existence there. Perhaps, however,
the experiment which followed was the more sue
cessful; for a lighter having been moored along
side the adjoining wharf, and several turpentine
and saltpetre barrels, and other nfammable ma
terias, fired in the hold, and allowed to burn five
or six minutes, by the application of the machine
the flames were completely subdued in about three
minutes! A discovery that will effect, il not the
utter prevention Of fires at least their
or speedy suppression, will prove Of great social
benefit; and that the present invention will be of
utility IN this respect, in many cases. may be re-
garded as established beyond doubt Where n
fire has not made much progress before it is dis
covered, it will be found exceedingly efficient, and
at the same time economical. Ii SO happens.
however, that the most destructive fires a! usual
" not Of this description; and how the machine
would operate here, the experiments scarcely JUS
u'y us IN pronouncing an opinion.