New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-08
FIREPROOF WOOD IN WARSHIPS.
FX-SECRETARY HERBERT TO NAME AN
ARGUMENT FOR 1.-THE MATERIAL
CONDEMNED RY NAVAL OFFICERS.


Washington. Noy (spcc.aD-An extraordinary
session OF the Naval Board on Construction mas
been called for tomorrow at the Navy Department
to listen TO arguments by Hilary A. Heroert' eS-
Secretary of the Navy, the subject OF hIoproehhs
wood. Mr. Herbert is 10 appear on this occasion
as the attorney for the company whose process mas
been In for treating all woodwork on lava! YES
sells for the las; two years and which is now TO ne
abandoned II the recommendations OF naval officers
count for anything The Board. which is an estab-
lished and permanent feature Of the Navy Depart
inent consists OF Admiral Mathews chief of yards
and docks. prcs,len,; Chief Naval Constructor
Hichhorn Engineering Chief Melville, Commodore
Bradford. chief Of equipment and Commodore
O'Ne.u, chief Of ordnance.
Mr. Herbert was Secretary OF the Navy when nre-
proof wood adopted, and It was only after thor
ough investigation OF various processes that the
one now used adopted. The idea OF rendering
the woodwork OF ships less innammable was an old
one in all nav!es, but the attention OF experts was
diverted from II long ago by the serious
dangers of having any woodwork In ships at all. no
matter how incombustlbe 1t could be made. and
efforts were directed abroad TO securing wood sub
s;tutcs. Of which cork paint gave most satSfac-
ton Il was not until the battle Of the Yaloo. in
the recent war between China ana Japan. that the
terrific effects OF spntcring woodwork In war yes
sells were fully realized. and Mr.. Herbert. I'm maya
zine article On the lesson OF that first OF modern
naval engagements. drawing freely official In
formation reaching the Navy Department; from Off
GERS on the Asadc station. demonstrated to his own
satisfaction that more Chinese were disabled or
killed by the dying woodwork OF their own ships
than by Japanese bullets
The great amount of time given by the Navy
Department to the consideration OF thls matter
incidental to the preparation OF the Secrctary's
article developed considerable enthusiasm on the
subject as a result Of which II was determined to
stop work at once on all vessels then building ~
order that at their decks and hukheads could
be properly protected from confasratlon. After
considerable delay. which WIS expensive both to
the shipbu'ldcrS and the Department. the system
Of concern which mprecut'ed various comousu-
Die materials with amm0niaral salts sur"'~Sfuiiy
so far as burning Wa concerned. was adopted. and
then work tho timber used IA the ships began
auspiclously and continued mcrrly. From decks
aud bulkhcads to other woodwork wa only a STEP
., f,tn,t,'.. ana r,u,,sfonls and IA f,ci ANYTHING
IN the slightest dctTcc inhammah.e. The ir9r'@'
or ~ a,nnopi,raI concern and al tho close Of
Ut i,,, no, ,',,uos,fton- ver.
ysrds The sailors clothing al naval writing paper
ana anything that might burn. except Uncle SANS
Nov NAT The fireIroofod wood has had a chance
To- see service and been seen In service. another
side ~ the story apWars tycTy ono sboati ~.
Objectionable qualities far exceed any p9tslhiyg
apparently splinter cts"r than untreated wool ana
T. therefore moro 10 De feared ~ battle IN tlmt oi
peace N g. not only % nuisance ana a Wchhr" 70
the health and efficiency of a." crew. but II wears
right out The Naval Inspection Board. cou-!si ius
q Captain Frederick Ho5cers. Lieutenant Nathan
Sargent Assistant Constructor Richard Watt and
chief Engineer charles Rocker, I'm 10 report ~
the inspection Of she Eurbott Newport at NrW-
York. dated Octohcr g. said; The hreprooi"a
deck plankug ahs0rhs m0istuT" 70 "a gr'ut extent
aud the Board considers nrcrroofcd wood as unhi
aud unnecessary for ships decks
Tho same BOaTd. with Nava t1nsiructor John
Uanscofn sub diluted for RiChnri Watt. Inspected
tho guuhoat Nashville about "a week before and re-
ported 90 Secretary Long october p a. follows
THE nrcprOof deck plauking, Tx" that IN oih"r
ships already reported upon. las been iound 10
wear rapidly, and 10 absorb moistur" 10 such de-
gree as 10 be- continually damp. For these reasons
consider II unit and unnecessary FOR deck
planklng."
There are said To b" other reports which show.
as was to De expected from sJnklng wood Ia such
dollQucsccnt salts that the material While appaT-
entity unn1urod ~ first. soon roi~ rom always re
malulng soaking Wet. that u f. weakened and gen
orally rendered useless quite "a serious a danger
is found In tho rapid corro~ion OF all metal coming
la contact with the saturated wood or receiving lls
saline dripings. and IL j. feared that irrcpnTabe
damage may occur 10 tho plating md power OF
ships from this cause at places whore II may not
be discovered before disaster onsues. such reports
from commanders OF ships. which are considered
confidential. ana from inspection boards cannot be
altogether suppressed. and IL Is known that they
have cau@cd genuine alarm IN the entire naval Cs-
iahllshmcni In thiT emergency the contractors
he discontinued. and at thelr request The former
Secretary OF the Navy. who authorized the wood
PROBING is 20 appear to make an appeal FOR FUR
ih.r trial OF tho system WITH two exceptions the
members Of the Board en- CONSTRUCTION A. nt pres
cnt constituted were appointed under the last Ad-
ninisiraiion by Mr.. Herbert. and supported him In
Inc adoption OF the process which they are now
called TO reconsider.