The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-03-01
EXPLOSIONS DISCUSSED
ihe @.ln- ID -~-ter-Speculations on Many
Iu>-tI,Ie 1~u-S- Spontaneous omhu
tip,-Iiich Explosive. Mysterious Tx
piostun>-Ih- Las of the Ruyal George
Baltimore. February %.

I<4ENOA -ANSSNA--S~"
The recent disaster which befel our
| warslip, Maine. a. Havana. wherein
! there wa probably a greater loss Of
life thar wou.d have occurred in a
heavy naval engagement. has stirred
the whole civilized world and called
quarters.
With most OF the expert opinion on
| the sid Of an accidental cause there
are some N n cling to the theory OF
design on the part Of some one and
that with no apparent reason. 1t is
most likely that those who actually
| were in a position to know most ABOUT
the matter We're killed by the eXplos-
ion and We may never know the cause
Of it. Its mysterious nature has led
| several leading newspapers TO publish
accounts Of similar explosions on board
ships with more or less loss OF life,
| and Of other disasters at sea, not eX-
| blossoms, with great casualties.
The greatest Of all such calamities
occurred 20 a British war vessel, while
lying at anchor, and has not been men,
toned in this connection. / refer 10 the
sinking of the Royal George and the
| loss of 900 lives. A condensed account
| Oh lie dCGlltIEl NOdu pIoA1bAs
many of your readers and would not
be out of place here.
! The Royal George was the principal
vessel Of Lord Howe's fleet, and while
she was undergoing repairs near the
keel, she was too much keeIed over, so
that the water rushing through n
| port holes Of the depressed side Speedl-
ly tilted her and she sunk with all on
board, including the admiral,
r. - = - q - ron n ND
| about 300 women and children, who
| happened to be on board at the time
| LOO in all. OF these, however, 700
were saved; but a small vessel, which
| happened to be anchored near, was
| drawn into the vortex OccaSioned by the
| Royal Georges descent, and sWal-
lowed up. Other vessels were also
placed in imminent danger. Captain
who escaped, was suisse
uuently tried by court martial for neg
| ligence and caralessnesS in the careen-
| ing operation, but was acquitted. This
| caIamitOus event has been celebrated
! in an eulOgy by COwper. Many or the
| guns were fished UP soon afterwards
| and several schemes We're projected for
| raising the ship bodily, but without
| success, until, in 1899, the mass was
blown to pieces by the explosion OF
large metal cases filled with gun pow
| der. Most Of the valuables which had
| been in the ship were brought up and
| the brass guns which were
! sufficed to pay the cost of the opera
tion.
| This accident occurred on the 18th
| of August, 1892, and the wreck was
! blown up fifty-seVen years later, when
! it's oak timbers were found to he per
| fectly sound, though almost black in
color. Much of it was worked up into
| and some pieces found their
way into the United States.
That the explosion on the Maine may
have occurred from some half a dozen
| causes. might be readily shown by any
| student we'll acquainted with modern
| phvsics and chemistry. NapOrS ariS-
ing from several Of the h~ydrUcarbon
| oils. when mixed with the proper"
| amount Of air, will explode violently,
( if ignited. Any ~inflaTnmable matter,
| when in a condition of fine powder or
| dust. may explode. FIGURING mills
| nave suffered from such accidents and
| a building was demolished, sonH years
! ago, in Cincinnati, by tire explosion of
/ starch dust.
| Finely powdered coal dust may be
| easily caused to explode and a recent
| form of engine proposes to use sucn
| material as a Ource Of power. 1t is
| claimed that coal dust. when exploded
| in a proper engine, promises to form
| one OF the Clpd ptSI ~buICtS u pDN
| known. At present the invention is
| not perfected.
| Spontaneous combustion % coal, in
| the bankers. has frequently been al
| luded TO in this connection. This PINE
! nomenon which occasionally manifests
| itself in both mineral and organic sub
/ stances is but little known TO the gen
| eral reader. Indeed a discussion Of the
| chemical reactions involved in the
l 1rar;,rrr Sl1hC-anpS ivr ufnj6FV ~EVInf4na-
| GUS combustion is liable to take place.
would not be readily understood by
any one 10 a chemist. But the fact
| that il does Occur under a variety OF
circumstances is pertinent
The spontaneous ignitiJn q Goals.
especially those which contain a CON
. siderable per cent Of sulphur in the
form Of iron pyrftes or sulpnide OF
form Of iOn pyrseS OF suIphide Of
likely To take plas,e when tae coal IS
stored damp and in a confined space.
with no circulation of air. The coal
bunkers Of modern vessels form an
ideal place in which these conditions
may be realized. The heat generated
in the beginning Of the process has no
chance to esca pc, buf remains in the
mass and 50 h4stens the fra ignition.
That they do ignite and sometimes lourn
quite d while before discovery. Is a well
known fact.
Outside Of these mineral matters liza
BILE - spontaneous combustion. there
are numerous organic substances
which undergo a process 81 heating or
fermentation, which may result in ig-
nition. Among them those most fire.
quantity known to ignite Spontaneously
ara hay. jute. hemp. tow, fax, Gotten
ard wooden waste Oh rags This latter
especially when more OF less impreg-
mated with oil, are peculiarly subjecr
TO spontaneous ignition. Even san
dust under the like conditions. has
been known 70 ignite spontaneously.
II is doubtful il such organic matter
as damp grain or seeds Of any kline
ever ignite spontaneously though they
Will develop considerable heat wher
stored in bulk- In the out before tn;
manufacture Of cotton seed oil becam,
general. il was customary for tn,
planters 10 utilize theIr surplus cottCT
seed as a manure. These they woulC
put intO heaps, covered lightly witt
earth. until the heating Of the mas: