The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-07
FIREPROOF WOOD IN SHIPS.
CHIEF CONSTRUCTOR HICHBORN ON
WARSHIIS OF THE FUTURE

tnin Any I~ntnmmnble Mnteria1-How the
Wood Is Made Fireproof - Tho Chief
Lesson of the Great Santiago Fight.
WARRINGTON. Aug. -"our fighting ships
have got to be made freproot." said Chief Naval
Constructor Hichborn to-day. THAT has been
demonstrated by the sea fight of Santiago. in
which the destruction OF the Spanish cruisers
seems to have been wrought mainly by tho
burning OF thoir own woodwork. The fires
could not be extinEuishcd. partly owing to tho
cutting OF the water pipes by our shells, and
there was nothing to do but to run the vessels
ashore. Flames and smoke actually drove the
men from their guns.
Evidently It will not do to put any infam-
moble material into our own warships in fu-
ture. 1t is not practicable to make everything
OF metal, but where wood is used II must be
rendered freproof. Fortunately. a satisiacto-
ry method for accomplishing this is already
known, and wood thus treated has been em-
ployed exclusively in the Annapolis. Whining
ton. Marietta. Helena, Nashville. Wheeling,
Newport and VicksburR. Simply described, the
process consists in withdrawing all sap and
moisture from the lumber in n vacuum and
then filling the pores with phosphate OF ammo
mia. This mineralizcd wood cannot be set
afire. A flame from n blowpipe will only char II.
Chips thrown into fire will not ignite.
III it is worth while to make buildings fire.
proof. how vastly more important is II to adopt
a like precaution in the case of a vessel. Moth
ing is so terrible as fire on shipboard. because
there Is no escape. The very cry OF fire carries
terror to the %stoutest heart under such circum-
stances. Smoke is az bad as fire: one breath
of smoke-laden air will disable a man. Expe-
rience Of sea fights under modern conditions
has proved that fire is an imminent peril. Ex-
ploding shells set fire TO every bit of woodwork
within range OF the flying fragments. and TO
put out the flames is exceedingly difficult under
such circumstances. 1t follows. therefore. that
everything possible ought to be done to elimi-
nate this danger in maritime warfare.
An American officer on one OF the Chinese
vessels In the famous battle Of the Yalu River
said aftcrward that the shells from the Japan
csc guns first split up the woodwork into kind
ling wood and then set fire to it. The same
! effect was observed on the japanese ships as a
result Of the Chinese g~un-fire. On Oct. II.
1894, the Bureau Of Ordnance of the navy SUBJ
mitted a statement showing that In the sea
fight referred to five Chinese ships and one
Japanese vessel had been set on fire by explo-
sive shells. owing to the presence Of bulkheads
and other structures Of wood. This was the
first lesson afforded to naval experts on this
subject, and it resulted in the adoption by this
department of a requirement that all ships at
that time building should be fitted with fire.
proof wood throughout.
From the herceness OF the flames which
destroyed the vessels. OF the Spanish squadron
on Santiago It would appear that q great deal
t 1t wo IN the ma sba nese of n Seay Ts 6al H tneiF o22e on. oSe
or two fires, you will remember. started on our
9yn ships. caused by the, explosion Of shells.
easy to. imagine that disaster might have fol-
lowed other and better directed shots. es-
war vessels Of equal strength. one OF them hay-
is likely that the former would wiq. being in one
respect invulnerable as compared with her an
ut needed this experience at Santiago to
convince naval experts Of the necessity Of using
freproof wood or some equivalent. The lesson
niflcance unrealized, a board Of naval officers
appointed to consider the subject reported in
tinuing the useof fireproof wood. Among the
objections alleged against IT was that 1t was
d{tflcult to work. that it was less strong. that it
had a tendency to absorb and retain moisture,
wear us we'll as ordinary wood, and that it had
4 corrosive effect upon metals in contact with
ingredients spoiled. the clothing of officers
which was contained in drawers made Of it.
ING nay fafe m the best ei possible os $ a reasons for know know
True, the firePr2ot wood does cost more than
to q few thousand dollars in a battleship or
cruiser-a matter OF no importance worth mem
tioning where b the safety q such q craft. worth
There is no serious difficulty In working it
when proper tools are employed. Wood thus
al 10 uStu tAtlllSlNtIS Ill JHb construction
Of number of the finest buildings in New York
city, and this, would not be, the case II paint
other objections. such as those named. OF
course, city buildings are not exposed, to sea
evidence has been offered to show that the
wood on shipboard possesses to any serious
extent the disadvantages claimed.
one very important advantage OF the fire.
proof wood is that it does not shrink, This
quality alone would warrant is substitution
You know what trouble is caused by the shrink
Ing OF wood that enters into the construction Of
only more serious. A, deck made of the most
thoroughly seasoned lumber soon parts at the
calkinG. The, freproonng process prevents
TINS. because the particles Of mineral material
solid; 1 ought to say that the increase in the
weight Of the wood is OF no consequence at all.
all. comparatively little woodwork is used in a
modern Warship: while in a torpedo boat there
80 far as practicable wood is eliminated
on board OF a m3dern fighting vessel but for
terial for furniture. ladders. shelving, the lining
a Th st0reroomm ns and for some Of the bulkhe@dst
isuump, When SsSS decks K al are S iaid d SRystfp oven oven stSei
shin, even Il there be only slight :" danger mRero OF It's
deed, but Especially during a battle. "' 'i"o'
has t desi fG a s nS@f Oh bIo SSqtt to- &C. t IL my 9P af q.
naval officers who reported a short time ago In
favor of abandoning the use Of 1reprOof wood.
l was a member Of that board. and l submitted
question. Ny expectation Is that In the future
we shall, put no wood into our wal vessels that
new departure In naval construction e%ncount-
ers earnest opposition, Iron ships came into
iGan was built in 1916, It's efficiency was
demo9strated yet more than two decades
accepted as superior to those OF wood. Objec-
ton was made to them on the ground that they
had to be locked and painted at frequent inter-
walls, yet, in spite of this disadvantage. most
naval and merchant ships are now bu%iltofmetal.
1t was the same way with armor for naval yes
sells. which made its way very slowly. Armor was
heavy cost much, money, and interfered with
speed. Nevertheless, all nations now build
nrmored vessels and look to them to decide
naval battles"
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