New-York tribune., 1900-07-02
SAFEGUARDING LIFE FROM FIRE.

Disasters much less appalling than that of
Saturday have often raised the question
whether or not they could have been prevented
by human ingenuity. Progress is largely
achieved through blunders and by the develop
ment of unforeseen possibilities of peril. Rail-
way collisions have pointed out the value of
double tracks and block signalling, and ensuing
confagrations have brought about reforms in
methods of heating and lighting cars In like
manner accidents at have led to the con-
struction of double bottoms, the introduction of
electrically closed buIkhead doors and the hold
ing Of frequent and elaborate boat drills among
the crews of the great liners. The HOboken
calamity was unique in more respects than one.
But the proverb about lightning never striking
twice in the same place long ago proved untrue.
And even IL the particular combination of cir
cumstances which resulted so horribly on Sat
urday should not occur again in a century,
something equally unexpected and fearful and
not so different Is sure to happen tomorrow.
Man has been waging intermittent war on flame
for thousands of years; and yet, after having
won countless victories and accomplished in
Vulnerable improvements in his ways of fight
ing, he is to-day liable at any moment to be
outwitted and overcome.
In view of the rapidity with which the de-
stroyer swept through ship after ship on Satur
day, steamship companies and constructors may
we'll ask how much further it is practicable to
go in the use of fireproof material in the mer-
chant marine. The battle of the Yalu five or six
years ago, forced this question on the attention
of naval experts. The easy ignition and swift
destruction of the finest part of the Chinese
fleet by fire. in consequence of the explosion of
we'll directed Japanese shells. taught the world
a startling lesson. Immediately there was a
in of
in naval vessels, and treating that material
with chemicals in order to render it freprOOf
The United States and British governments
had given this matter consideration before the
battle of the Yalu, but that event cQnSpicuously
fastened the adoption of the policy here indi-
Gated by the leading nations of the civilized
world. HOboken points the same moral in re-
gard to ships engaged in the peaceful pursuits
of commerce.
Again, the spread of the flames last Saturday
would have been less rapid. and the chance of
suppressng them before serious loss had re-
suited would have been enhanced. If it had
been practicable promptly to close all the
matches. During the last few years inventors
have been experimenting with apparatus for
quickly shutting bulkhead doors when a big
hole is punched in a vessels bottom, in order
to confine the inrushing water to a single COM
Bowles, described in The Tribune yesterday
puts it in the power of an officer on the bridge
to close a score of such doors inside of five
minutes simply by pressing several electric but
tons Why cannot that system be applied to
ships hatches?
Attention must also be concentrated upon the
problem of fire escapes shipboard 1t may
not be necessary to resort to legislative COM
pulson, as has been done in the case Of hotels
and factories. 1t is not unlikely that competi-
tion between rival transatlantic lines will lead
to the adoption of suitable methods as soon as
they be devised. But marine architects
will urgently ask themselves by what
means people who are imprisoned in a burning
ship can best be liberated Cannot the port
holes be safely enlarged? If not. what other
emergency exits can he provided without sac
rifcing security in other respects? More diff
cult problems have been solved. How long will
1t be before this one is, too?