Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1934-12-02

-OR 5000 years men who have built and
operated ships sought to unlock the
secret of keeping passengers and crews
safe from the horror of fire at sea. The
PhoenicanS, whose daring SeamanShlp
brought the first ocean-borne traffic
into existence 900 years before the birth OF
Christ would have exchanged galleys laden with
gold for the cherished formula. So often they
sent forth their many-oared galeys, gay WIN
sails and pennants-only to have them returned
by the ironic waves, charred hulkS burned 10
the waters edge, giving mute testimony OF the
disaster that had overwhelmed the human
cargoes.
First they attempted to prevent occurrences
of the disasters through placating their gods
with votive offerings; then discovering that the
gods helped those who helped themselves, they
established organization aboard their ships TO
extinguish the flames, necessity compelling them
to build the vessels of wood. The marltlme nre-
fighting organization has been passed down
through the ages, with such improvements as
science slowly evolved.
The fire-fghting system was so successfully
worked out that in late years man seemed as
safe af1oat as ashore. Loss Of life on shipboard
through fire hazard became rarer and rarer
The hot menace seemed permanently under
control Then, with cataclysmic suddenness
events transpired to confound the optimistS:
THE motorship Georges Phillipar was de-
stroyed by fire in the North Sea with
loss of Al lives.
The liner Atlantique burned in the English
Channel, II dying.
The Moro Castle became the pyre of 1872
persons when it burned within sight Of thou
sands at Asbury Park, N. ].
The smoke of these three disasters wrote
boldly the answer to the great riddle Of the sea.
The first two fires forced the conclusion
among shipbuilders that the superstructure Of
the modern vessel-the part where public rooms
and passengers quarters are provided-is the
spot most vulnerable to flames.
The Moro Castle tragedy underscored the
conclusion and provided the clinching evidence:
"Only ships that cannot burn are safe from
fire at sea-"
That is why naval engineers and architects
are devoting all efforts to conducting the
necessary laboratory and tank experiments to
develop new ship design-one that will permit
the use of fre-resistant materials heretofore
considered impractical for ship construction.
And President Roosevelt has declared his
purpose to press for legislation requiring that
the passenger vessels built in the future be as
freproof as modern science and materials can
make them.
That the freproof ship Is really something
more than an architects dream and actually
will get beyond the drawing board stage Is re-
vealed by the specifications announced Tor the
French liner Normandie now under construc-
ton at st. Nazaire. When the giant vessel
enters service next May, she win be model Of
safety according to the plans.
Walls of all cabins will b composed Of .
sheet Of duralumin between Rsers OF asbestos,
covered with fireproof paint Mus automatically
combining any flames to the cabin In which they
start And In addition to having the most mod
ern fre-detecting appartus, hW crew viii be
atAa nv NJ