New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-12-29
pRoTEcrIO, TO OUR SHIPPING.

The burning of the ship Great Republic, at our
docks from fire originating at distance and while
the buildings on the street lying directly in front of
those docks remain totally pnharmed is fact desery-
ipg of deep attention, and stimulates the inquiry
whether such an sent il Inevitable consequence OF
the pecyidty OF cur accommodations ipr shipping,
whethsr IL results lror that can be o5viated
Our City presents tougueshspel area, the extre ne
end ard sides OF which are washed by sheets
Of water Here our shipping clusters, closely,
hugging the shore aud forming a fores. OF masts
and smoke-pipes in shape Ike horse-ahoo. No
where in this port do long qlays or piers
project out as 1T Boston, NewHayen aud some other
places carrying the shipping away from immediate con-
tact with the great body of buildings. All around the
City, the shipping is hudled up close to the shore from
the fact that no sufficient breadth Of water exists into
which long wbarves may be projected. The difficulty
is less on the North River side than elsewhere but
here constant complaints heard Of the encrOach-
merits Of dockbuiders upon the river bed. 4 crowd
of vessels must therefore Away, exist, while we re-
main a great commercial emporium, closely crowded
ard Luddled up upon the most densely occupied pOr
tions of the City; and those portions too, which
peculiarly exposed to destructive cOnhagraons. Here
our bakeries, coOpers shops, sparyards, block
makers and rggers iofts and similar theaters Of in
dustry Of the most inviting character for the spread Of
FIRE
Under such circumstances, the greatest precautions
against possible CONGREGATIONS OF the shipping would
seem TO he the dictate of the most ordinary prudence
1t would seem that unusual care would be taken
to remove everything from the vessels lining the
docks tha- would lessen the danger OF CON-
ri hat indy
in this respect, the regulations of the City would
lie framed so as to interpose every possible guard
Since the introduction of cotton canvas the exposure
ola ship to fire from burning cnders much increased
dry cotton sail is perfect tnder-box, and once on
fire. the rigging aud spars attached can scarcely be
saved under any circumstances The first and most
important thing to be done in the way of precaution
against fire to shipping is therefore to have every
yesfel stripped at of her sails coming into DOCK
TO have them fully sheltered by some reproof cover
ing If the sails Of the Great Republic had not been
bent presume the ship would not have been burned
Ii is because her sails alO aud unshetered that
the fatal result of her destruction ensued A ship
with IO upon her would stand shower of
Sinders upon borpars and rigging without great danger
81 cutting II is only when fire gets fully under way
tist the tar Of the rigging lends such alarming
urgency 10 the flames. 1t ia the sails of the ship
alone that expose her to imminent danger from the
filling einders of distant fire. This is forcibly
illustrated in the of the very large ship Constela-
on ilat lay the opposite side of the pier to the
Great Republic and nearer TO the fire. and yet escaped
UnlsImed. Her sails were taken of. Had they been
ben; We presume she would have been burnt along
with the Great Republic. And here we viii mention,
that disastrous confagration among the shipping was
narrowly escaped the other day by the burning of the
Harpers establishment in Clf-st A burning brand
was waited over the tops Of the many intervening
blocks and lighted upon the topsail of slip being
loaded by the eonsignees of the Great Republic In
an instant it was in flames but they were extngushed
happily by instant activity and energy But if the fire
had been at night, we should probably have been
called upon to record extensive disaster to our ship
ping from the that resulted in the destruc
tion Of the Great Republic. We think that some
such regulation as we have suggested requiring
the removal Of the sails Of vessel. willie Wing IN loek