Evening journal., 1897-11-09
FIRePRoof WOOD roR sAlps.
Some of the Advantages and Dtsnd-
Nantnges IncIdent 20 Its Use.

NAntuEcA 10 It's Atts
NoninAammable wood, or freproof |
wood, as it's commonly spoken of out
side of the circle OF experts. has re-
ceived considerable attention from |
naval constructors and naval engineers |
since the Yaloo river fight in the China
Japan war, and more especially at the |
recent international congress of naval
architects and, marine engineers at
London. and from the naval authorities
of the United States and Japan. The
chief of the bureau of ordnance Of the
United States navy recently made some
tests of fireproof wood for the purpose
of reporting upon its value for use In
making boxes for fixed ammunition.
His report declares that the wood. by
being treated with the chemicals used
in the freproof process, lost consider
able strength and was difficult to work;
that it also corroded n piece of brass
placed between two pieces OF II. alb
sorbed moisture to amarked extent and
refused to receive paint. This report
resulted in instructions by Secretary
Long TO the board Of bureau chiefs to
make thorough investigation Of the
use of fireproof wood. and the result is
predicted that the government will find
it advisable to cancel contracts that
have been made for fitting vessels under
construction with wood thus treated.
The board Of bureau chiefs has re-
ceived several reports already. The
Columbian iron works at Baltimore re-
ports that five coats of paint were tried
on a single section of fireproof wood.
and it refused to receive any of them.
| OF the experimenting constructors at
the various naval stations one report
declares that the tools employed in
working the wood have been badly cor
roded by the chemicals used in the fire.
proofing treatment. Another makes
report upon the corrosive effect upon
the steel and iron in the ship. II is also
| reported that the wood is exceedingly
porous and is apt to make the decks OF
a ship spongy. An article recently APP
( peared in an English service paper writ
ten by can expert" in which the writer
describes the decks of the armored
cruiser Brooklyn as OF noninilammable
wood, and he contrasted their appear
ance disadvantageously with those Of
] the British men-of-war He also pre-
dicted that the decks would not wear
well and was generally uncompliment-
ary to noninfammable wood.
Prof. Biles, the well-known English
3 expert, has corrected this statement by
declaring the decks Of the Brooklyn are
not Of noninfammable wood. but that
they are Sthoroughly sound and tho
roughly durable and in every respectup
to the mark. The decks of the Brooklyn
are of Oregon pine. The gunboat Helena
is fitted with a deck made of fircprool
wood, and the board Of bureau chiefs Is
: to make a close inspection of the ma
. terial and its effect upon the ship and
report upon the advisability of its use
in the future. The only large vessel in
the navy the decks Of which are bull
with the fireproof wood is the battle
ship Iowa.
y y The subject of noninflammable WOOD
= was discussed at much length by th'
international congress Of naval archi
70 tects and marine engineers. Charles =
5 Ellis. describing the process Of making
. wood noncombustible. said that IL in
creased the weight from eight to ffteei
per cent. and that the ;s;fi cTits FOR III
u use rested upon two grounds only. e.
because it is nonin1ammable and be
n cause, by reason Of its low conductivit,
o of heat it may be employed in substi
tuition for material of greater conduct
r i've power. Others spoke favorably of th.
{, material. It's chief drawbacks werl
's represented to be its weight and cost
Prof. Biles suggested that the effect o
Ie weather on the wood might be nunifie'
= if the decks were washed with a solu
IS tion Of the chemicals used in the fire
proofng process. The system is reall.
/ an American invention, and so muc'
n discussion was given the subject by tn
"a congress that the British admiralt
/ has ordered a series OF experiments T.
be made at the Chatham doclSyard 4
E. order to obtain additional and valuabl
Y information of the advantages or dis
advantages of the fireproof wood.-N
M