The New York herald., 1871-11-29
LECTURES LAST NIGHT.
FIRES AND HOW TO PREVENT THEM.

sfcture ny PrOfr ssor DOre emus.
Inc second OF the series OF lectures by Professor
Doremus on science was delivered last evening In
the hall OF the Young Mems Christian Association.
The subject was "Fire and Its Treatmentn good
deal OF valuable Information was given relative TO
the nature and origin OF the element. Fire assumes
various FORMS sometimes, as heat, it cheers and
reyivines the system eneeblcd by cold at other times
u assumes the more terrific shape OF connagration
as 1t has lately done In the West, and carries
with 1t all the elements Of desoaton and terror II
IL the most awful exhibition given to man OF the
potency of the Creator It's power either Tor good or
evil being incalculable. Various have been the
theories held at various times as TO It's nature.
LORD Bacon maintained It was a mode OF notion
In our own time the theory has been
revived by number OF eminent chemists,
chief among them Sir John Tyndal, who has
written book IN defence or Its truth. 10 had been
considered by the ancients to he one OF the ele.
ments; but this - not maintained ~ the present
day, and we are IN certain at sea as 10 It's
proper place In creation. The causes which pro-
duce fire, however, are we'll known, the chief among
them being combustion, which Is probably the prlnci-
pal the nam, cause most OF the 6res which occur
IN our large cities. PARTICLES OF matter brought into
contact with each Other havea natural afnity, and
attracted with the wind, Will, IN numerous M
stances, kindle into iame. We frequently rcaG or
instances where the leaves OF trees, rustled by the
blast ignite ana produce terrible conhaaratons,
Michigan, wnerc whole forests were destroyed from
thls simple cause. On the same principle a ooiv
travelling vita great velocty conng in contact
with an opposing force produces lre-as, Tor
s;ss y .. 5 5sS,p % s,li S send lsS, '' spssSs N
win be inteiglbe 10 ali JI relative to ue The procsioa
OF tins element are easily explained. 1t Is by
diflcultles OF science, and among them this priuci-
PIE oi nre. Chemistry explains what \ known as
seem very mysterious II carbon or charcoal be OK.
posed 10 the air II can easily ignite ana In The same
CSs yeS The s % a SaI
coal when exposed to the air, ana IN the came
time twenty eight OIL 81 the coal ships which LETT
have Dcen lost for the same reason. Another great
cause Of fire Is eiectrcy which has been fearlully
illustrated by the destruction OF Chicago. Tie air
is surcharged with The ether electric force, and In
sucn weather as we have ag present this can he
easily proved. II a persoa who walks distance =
day like this comes into q warm room ami rubs MS
feet for length OF time Oh q carpet or rug in
short time the electricity viii penetrate 10 the very
tips OF MS fingers, and match apple to them Will
ignite fame THIS theory explains such phenom-
ena as we read about 10 the papers IN connection
long distances from where the fire was raging, vino
had no idea OF moving to place OF refuge sud
that seemed inexncabe to them. rne truth or the
theory Is easily explained. Great ires such
ar % s1Sag 81
frequently firing 2 city In places widely
apart. The knowledge or this principle should
create counter element to prevent such disasters,
and IL Is believed chemistry Is able with It's COM
paratlyeiy limited knowledge to suggest one.
Apart from this, some valuable hints are being
thrown out by men Of science relative to the build
ing Of CITIES. The long, narrow streets are IL Is
sald very dangerous In the presence oil fire, short
broad streets on the European plan being much
safer and less exposed TO the acton OF the 1alnes.
Some improvements might be made IN our Fire De.
partment. IL has been suggested that instead Of
wafer being solely depen1ed upon as an extin-
gutsher 4. reservoir should he provided In all our
larger cities filled with either carbOlic sulphuric
acid, which would be much more enicacious
than wafer. II pipes were connected with The
reservoirs, leading to our large establishments In
case Of fire breaking out at any time. the mere
action OF turning on valve and filling the burning
apartment with the gas WOulO extnRnish the
names. The same method could be employed at
sea, on ships, ana the disasters that arc now so
frequent could be easily prevented and controlled
number OF other valuable suggestions relative
to the means which 1t would be advisable to take to
prevent fires In our houses cities ana on our per.
sons were offered Dy the Professor and well re-
ceived by the audience. The lecture was beaut.
tuly illustrated, the experiments beng Of the most
elaborate Kind, and the audience testified their ap
preciAtlon by repeated plaudlta.