New-York tribune., 1907-06-24
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
CoRROSION OF STEEL STRUCTURES.
Adequate Steps Not Taken to Prevent DAM
age-Chinese Ahead of Americans.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
An article appearing in your issue of the 18th IN
connection with defects In structural steel have
read with great deal OF interest. and am much
surprised that this question has not been taken up
more seriously. Many OF absolutely
satisfied when we know that structures. whether
buildings. bridges or vessels. are composed
OF steel Their very appearance gives feeling of
soidity and security that is gratifying and re-
assuring, and we point to these examples Of mod
Up-to-date construction almost as II we were
personally concerned. This article takes up only
single phase of a question that in reality has
many phases. each being a serious. actual menace
not only to property. but also involves the lives
of mutitudes, Owing to the high price and scare
ity Of lumber and. inability meet modern re-
quiremeuts are as rapidly possible eliminating
this element from all forms of permanent con-
struction Danger of fire. inability to stand shocks.
such caused by collisions etc, factors caus-
Ing such elimination. Steel entering into our every
day affairs in such magnitude should receive our
careful attention. There being at present no SUD-
stitute for 1t, content ourselves with the mar
VellOuS results OF honest tests OF the InaterltA
when and In perfect condition. get remarkable
tensile, tOrsOnal and other results. and, being aD-
sorbed in our own affairs, we are satisfied.
Let examine into conditions that follow the
completion Of the beams. girders or frames aIter
they have been placed in actual performance or
their respective duties. When steel or iron has
received it's final form shape 1t is placed in the
painting yard ready for the painters 10 place the
O
they are not painted There Is always d tillh Scde
left these articles which, unless the atmosphere
is extremely dry. turns to rust Even the steel or
iron itself becomes coated with rust aIhost I'M
mediately. Only the hardest kind or scruDbhS
with wire brushes will clean of this hlm and rust
hut cannot do SO In the creVtces and corners
Cleaning of this sort IS even done theoretl-
caIy, let alone practically. and We have the steel
iron already attacked by rust Ihe only way
the action of be arrested IS by thoroughly
cleaning the surface and Immediately covering II
and protecting it from the atmosphere This Is never
done. Paint IS applied, and some form OF req 4ea9
is the usual medium employed Inns Is cheap si i
at the same time we place on the iron or steer steer
the very thing that will aid rapid deterloratloh-
Architectural Art says:
Now it is claimed that red lead Is an excellent
material for protecting iron from rust and elecrl-
cal action. Unfortunately, however, red lead Is
more electro-negative to iron than either copper
or lead. Hence should moisture by any chaLlce
cat hatyven the red lead and the iron the destruc-
ton by rust is more rapid than when iron Is In
contact with copper lead. This electro-chemical
action IS at the same time strengthened by the
purely chemical action between the red lead anu
the carbonc acid always present IN tne ar, an
action which converts the red lead into ceruse'
whereby a additional quantity OF nascent oxygen
IS set the iron. 1t is also highly prop
able that the carbonic acid has an independents
action upon the iron, thereby much facilitating us
oxidation. 1t must not be forgotten that every
porous place and still every crack In the
paint becomes sooner or later an entrance 1Or
water and carbOnc acid
Let US examine steel cars. All We have said IN
regard to structural steel and iron applies also 10
this class or construction, ana IN duu4lIOl VIC nov
deterioration caused by acids. such as are caused
by coal and water ashes from engine and water
and all these exerting their best Efforts IN the O4-
rectlon OF eating into the metal
We can now take up vessels Steel hulls. com
position propeIlers tail shaft sleeves. etc. In COM
pnation with water cause galvaniC action 70 arise
which attacks the hull plates and rapidly eats
them up. Lining propeIIers first may be remedy
but the appearance of the plates on the hull does
not show it, as then the corrosion is serious.
Managers OF vessels order every year thelr IA'OAL'o
anti-fouling solution placed on these huIls- AS
these anti-fouling solutions contain copperas ana
other ingredients that cause ga4vallc currents
when IN connection with iron OF steel and water
they first coat the vessels hull with an anti-cor-
rosve paint whose principal ingredient IS lead
Vessels costing q million more are treated IN
similar manner. Galvanic action and rust from tile
outside assisted by paints that contain elements
whose tendency is 70 assist such corrosion; acldS
from the coal bunkers or from the ashes under the
boilers assisted by lead paints in the tnteTior-a
quietly but absolutely and reInorselessy attack aio
away at the very heart and entrtills OF th1s
costly fabric, simply because We have not given
this matter the attention II deserves Eectrolytlc
action is a modern danger-one that is caused oy
mo radiation Of electric currents from many
electric devices flowing rails and wires, as the
return currents passing from New York TO Brook-
Iyn and wireless telegraph and telephones-and
each day sees additional currents turned loose me
moist climate OF New York IS especially favorable
to such escaping currents Bridges are attacked
and endangered; gas pipes gas TANKS arc coH-
stantly being corrOded. and form a menace tfat
cannot be appreciated. Costly water pipes are de-
terioratinG with remarkable rapidlty, and even the
trolley slots COnduits and supports do not last.
with our boasted improvements and modern prog
ress we have neglected OF the gravest dangers
Of the present day-d danger that the Chinese have
rot only foreseeu but conquered. They q
pigment or paint that IS not only q non-conductor
OF galvanlc electric currents but also prevents
corrosion not only from atmospheric conditions out
many common acids we'll 1t has the appear
ance of a black lacquer enamel and apparently
fuldls the requirements. I came across some time
ago q somewhat similar product III this country,
but l cannot recall the name or where II was man
ufaCtUred. HUICHlSON SCO41-
New York June 20. 1901.