Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-03
FIRE FIGHTING At SEA
Methods Of Extinguishing Flames
on Board Ships.
RIGID DISCIPLINE THE RULE.

When the Alarm Is Sounded Every
Member of the Crew Has His Station
and Carries Out the Particular Duty
Entrusted to Him. .
u OF all disasters that can befall a
ship none IS more dreaded by the
mariner than a fire at sea. Indeed, the
annals of Lloyd's record few greater
ocean tragedies and, be It said, no
more conspicuous instances of gall
lantry and heroic effort than those con-
nected with ships afire. IN
No wonder, then, in view Of the
dreadful possibilities Of an outbreak
of fire on board, that a thorough knoWl-
edge Of the proper steps to be taken
in extinguishing the flames at the out
set or at least holding them in check
is expected of every officer from the
captain downward. \.
4 Most vessels are nowadays fitted
with hydrants, several on each deck,
and in the case of large liners hose
Is kept In handy places, ready to be
attached to- the hydrants at a mo-
ment's notice Moreover, every large
passenger boat carries a number Of
portable extinguishers which can be
strapped on a mans back. The spray
from these is, of course, thin, but very
effective in subduing small outbreaks
where the fire has not secured too firm
hold. a.
Fire drill forms weekly feature In
the routine on every ocean liner. Ev-
cry member Of the crew literally, from
captain to cabin boy, has his Sire
station allotted to him, at which.
when the signal is given, he takes his
position and carries out the particular
duty intrusted to him.
When an actual outbreak occurs the
fire alarm Is Ii possible avoided, SO as
to prevent panic among the passengers.
Word is passed quietly around, the pas
sengers being kept in ignorance as
long as possible. In fact, more than
one fire at sea has been extinguished
without any suspicion on the part Of
| the passengers that the outbreak was
| other than an imaginary one engineer
ed by the officers to give the passengers
4 chance of seeing what could be done
in the event of the real thing occurring.
| In many cases, Of course, the passen-
gers have to be Informed, but the news
| is always broken as lightly as possible,
and some special entertainments con-
cert, a dance, theatricals, and SO on-is
got up to allay any natural feeling of
/ nervous anxiety. OF course IL the fire
shows signs of becoming unmanages
able the boats are got ready and swung
out III case it appears necessary to
! abandon the ship. @
Every boat on large liners is kept
fully provisfoned, food sufficient for
several days being contained In air and
water tight tanks.
The worst fires at sea are those
which cannot easily be got at. These
usually occur amid the cargo in the
| lower holds and are often spontaneous
/ In their origin In such cases it is
highly dangerous to open the matches
The fire, which may have been smol
dering for days, viii naturally burst
/ into blaze as soon as the air Is ad
nitted.
i The proper course Is to exclude the
air in every possible way; consequently
| even the ventilators are stopped up
1 If the holds are fitted with steam
pipes, the steam Is at once turned on
otherwise holes are cut in the deck
i just large enough to admit the nozzle
Of the fire hose, and water is vigorous
Il " pumped into the hold,
In one form of extinguishing az
paratus, instead Of steam or water
!. sulphurous fumes are injected int
the hold. the fumes being generate
In a machine specially fitted for tina
purpose. This Injection method
highly effective and rarely fails If th
pipes are properly placed in each hole
The steam or fumes are turned o
from the upper deck.
IL fire breaks out in the hold an
"a assumes such dimensions that steal
4 injection is powerless to check 1t, th
vessel is, when possible, got into sha
low water and, If necessary, beache,
n In any case the sea cocks Of the pa
a ticular hold are opened and the hol
4 allowed to fill with water. This ca
"a usually be done with very little fes