Washington telegraph., 1851-07-23
TIE FIRE ANNlH1LAroR.-A New York

correspondent of the Boston transcript.
says of this most wonderful inveption
1t is known as phillips Fire Annihia-
tor. and is now in successful operation
and use in England. So entirely has it
answered the expectations of its nven.
tors, that it has already been introd uced
into the residences of the nobility, from
the Queen down. and also into the CRYSTAL
Palace. Lord Brougham recently stated
in Parliament that he intended soon to
submit proposition that no vessel be
allowed to go to. sea without supply of
these arnihilators or board. I mention
these facts TO show that am not talking
about thing of impossibiilies and oro-
liabilities. but Of actual, permanent, pfac-
tical existence.
phillips Annihilator" extinguishes
flre without the use Of water. The ma
Gaines are of various sizes, depending
upon the use to which they are required
to be applied. Those ordinarily used for
the protection of dwellings and stores are
about the size OF coal-scuttle, and weigh
about twenty pounds each. They are
made of strong sheet iron, somewhat in
the form. of pail with strong cover,
and with various compartments inside
Within these several divisions are placed
number of chemical preparations, which
when brought into contact by simple
mechanical contrlvance; produce ar i'm
mense volume OF gaseous vapor of steam,
which rushes out from an aperture in the
cover and fills the room. This vapor
coming i'll contact with the fame, instant
Iy extinguishes it, although i can be
hreathed with perfect impunity. A room
that is filled with fame and smoke, so as
to be inaccessible under ordinary circum-
stances, can readily be entered with one
OF these machines in operation
The annihilator instantly envelops itself
and the person holding it in an atmos-
phere which can be breathed. and at the
same time keeps at bay and extinguishes
all flames in the apartment. I have not
examined the chemical preparations, or
the results of their combinations, so as
to state the precise chemical effect upon
the fame in extinguishing it. But that
such is the effect no one can doubt, who
has paid any attention to the accounts
given n the English journals. The Lon
don Times, in givinga report of some ex-
periments witnessed says: "Beiore this
experiment was shown. Mr.. Phillips gave
a sort Of explanatory lecture. illustrate
on small scale. He stated the great
advantages possessed by the gas en-
poyed by him over water as follows:
The gas was evolved at temperature of
about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. and came
in contact with fame having tempera-
ture of about 800 degrees, and under
which temperature it could uot exist.
The gas absored part of this heat, and
not only in proportion 10 its original
volume, but expanded as much as a hun
dred times more. each part still retaining
highly absorbing powers Now, water
thrown into body Of fame only acted
on the part in contact with it; and al
though it might be used at say 80 degrees
Fahrenheit-mnch lower that gas-yet il
was found that very small part assumed
the form Of vapor in coming in contact
with fame. and spread through it; the
greater quantity fell down by its superior
weight, and was wasted. MR.. Phillips
then showed an experiment to prove this.
He lighted coal gas in the hold of mod
ell of ship. and poured Jug after jug Of
water on it withou: any effect, but imme
diately the vapor was brought in contact
with it the flame was extinguished.
The cost of such machine as [ have
mentioned, when charged, is about ten
dollars; and can be re-chargeG for one
dollar. One such machine is abnndan,ly
sufficient for the protection uf any o-din-
ary dwelling house or store. Larger ma
chimes to run on wheels, and to which
those can be attached and used for large
fires, cost from two to three hundred dol
lars each.
APPROPRIATE PRAYER-The S. Car
DINA Convention. which adjourned a few
days ago, was opened each day Of its
session with prayer, by cIergymeu who
volunteered their services. On the Sth
of May, the Rev. DR.. Gilman officiated,
and his prayer embraced the following
appropriate petitions and exhortations:
"And yet, oh God! with fond aud lin
gering hopes, we presume to implore thy
blessing OH the great Confederacy of
which we still form a part. May the
letter and spirit of that renowned Con-
stitution. which we have received from
our fathers. and which was cemented and
sealed by their blood and tolls. be faith
| fully reverenced and fulfilled by every
party concerned in it. May the kind ad-
vances aud concessions. which are made
by one portion of our fellow citizens, be
generously Interpreted and accepted by
the others Dispel. by thine Almighty
and benignant providence the cloud
which now seems to impend over our
dcstinies. May spirit of mutual har-