THE IONIC ON FIRE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 203, 21 May 1908, Page 7

THE IONIC ON FIRE.

THE EAX AGAIN. VESSEL ON THE POINT OF SAILINGv, About'll.2o a.m. yesterday tho men workirig in [tho No. 1 hold of tho-Shaw, Savill and Albion Company's liner lonic .became aware of strong bW^g;''sm^'a'.iliin,''pale blue smoko oozing up between tho closolystacliod hales of flax. The steamer was completing her loading for ■ London at tlie northern .berth of t-ho Glasgow Wharf, and yestorday afternoon would ", have -seen v all hatches 'closed down and thoiship "clea.nod '.up,".'..in view,of.her, projected^.'departure for : •London iMay. . ; inT tho' solid , bulk of flax : . tas : inferfbred with theso arrangements, and, instead of leaving • to-day, the passengers h'avo heen'oificially notified that the vessel cannot leave before noon' .to-morrow at .the. earliest. > BATTENED DOWN. As soon as it was seen (and smelt) that .beyond all doubt tho cargo was on fire, ,the •: officers gave -instruction's '.for -tho hatch' to be battened It was time ,they did so, for ovory .miiiuto' during whip)i' .aif\"cpuld find,its .way .bejow increased'ths danger,' and.riotlong after ,tho. hatches, were;on,' and the'canvas covering securely damped down, it .was seen ' how serious'a matter'it \vm; inward on the lonic.,aro''-IhreG,'.dccks'—'.'the mayi. .tho ifoc'slo deck, and the 'tween decks—the square ' of the hatch being continued down through tlie foc'slo- (where ;the- seamen .and stewards, are - 'located)^to tho.'tvveeu .'deck's, where hundreds -. of bales of flax have been packed away. All round tho .square of tho hatch'" (where .'.the men\wcro working .wjehr.the' ii.ro was . discovered) runs ( ail " alleyway giving access to the chew's quarters, , and belive'en the plank- •; ing and through invisible.'''apertures 1 tho ' smoke soon forced its,.way into the. foc'sle, ■tho atmosphere of.which becamo too .pungent to bo'pleasant. The stewards'.wero summoned for-duty, and formed a'lino 'below,'"ill 'the.. jsinoko; passing from hand to haild the strip- ' pings of -all tho blinks, which jivero carried 'down tho alley-way 'safety. .

SUPPRESSING THE OUTBREAK. Meanwhile tho liarbour Board officials ar-. , .rived pn'jtho scene .with twp small chemical •, 'engines.' They '.taken'jjtejS-jas-' \. gow ■ JVharf without any fuss orV flurry, wore •. hoisted aboard, .and were soon at work' forciiig . tho noxious carbonic acid gas into the hold from ( a corner in tho .hatchway.; Tho lonic:. •does'not.possess a Claytpn sulphur dioxido ' machine, but her holds'aro .reticulatqd. for tlie of' steam under .pressure• into any ' •;part' of; the vessel's holds'; ' .Unlike tho Tura T .kina'(the last.steamer.to,be on.fire iu Y,'el- ; .' lington), tlie No.'l hold is- sejftcbiitainpd'.jj'e-' , : :tvyebu buikhoails, so that the'fullforco of thoV > ; vcsel's steam pipes ond tho Harbour' Board's chemical engines; could fro.,cpncehtrated in. the, .'. •one hold-without any. danger .of .jbhq, -fiio .') .'.'running;''. At' first the-; hoses i.; ■' chemical'; engines' wero : inMrted turi'.' about' (one .would '.be in play whilst $he ■being 'iito .tho'Mriieir ! of j/hi ri h'dfcH, ' but -after/'a 'bit- it- ,was. thb'uglit .that "mncli : moro effective ':work could; do done by luring bole's,. through .th? foc'sle decli; playing moro directly on the probable seat'of tjfiio fire)' ,calculatctl fo'be on th'o. starboard. side of,tho , could.»bo -se.en, but''.in. .tlie.' ' murk: and fouiyair,„of ■ liehjw,.i^s]k'cguid bo <. h'card ilio -steady claiig-' as. tfio .. gang below'struck holes in. ■the jiinder 'deck. Jit' was not -«n -easyjjob, but at ■ length' an opening largo enough .to admit tho nozzlo of ,thp small gas hosewas ma(le. "'All rig'Rt,". pass hpspi?' .camo a. yoice' from a and-in a very short time tho gas was doing its work in tho smother below.*

j ' 'ON DECK. |. While tho steam-and gas were, being forced quietly into the hold, tho seeno on deck such;, as i on<j; would imagine ifc 1 to circvimst3nccs. .Tho'captaiii walked tlio deck placidly,, even' if •he 'wore an, anxious look. Engineers lounged about, a policeman looked on vacuously, and a few people trom .tho shore stood about with their hands in 'their /pockets, '(Jisgusteii ' at tlio lack of' spectacle.'y ..Mr;' Munrp' Six. plaridgo .(^^Wt'yh^^^) , attending til itHe chemical fenjr;ics; jvere. Kept., prettybusy. V" charging ■", fe'e'ir .gun's?',. but; there; no;/ .flurry,' v iKoiigh, all knew tho libii.' > It' was ■ faioinatlngs to' watch-tiio maim- • factum of '.'tlie cai'bbnic. dciil.gas.. .'On tho' pxhaiisti'oii .'of., ;the jar of acid is ■ lifted . out, 1 'about' six pounds; of. carbonato. of ;soda ,is emptied, into . •the'- cist;6ni[ whicli is then nearly. tilled.with water. .- Then a metal jar' of 'sulphuric acic'i ,on a swivel is fitted in and screwcd dowi;

with a ' threaded .litting. "\VitjiouC any fupc ; ? iher. loss ~ of, .time, .a ' screwV'which , I dojvn' through the . fitting,: is ; relieyod, 'caus-. V ling, thqi-jiii- ito itipturn' it's contents into tha 'i water; .and the'; result 'is immodiaj.ely seen / \ 'oil a' diil 'which records the preS'suf.e," which 'goes up as liigli as '901b. to tho'square inch. • Cai'boiiic . acid gas' is heavier ' thin"; air, 1 ' so that when "it' is ejected into tlio bold it at. ' once..sacks,.the_lowest strata' possible.'*':; - : V> FIRE BRIGADE AND STEAM TUG. f Shortly aftqr noon, -Mr. : pJßyiei)/ Acting • Superintendent.of, tlift Fire .Brigiulo,'. paid a•• ; visit to. tlio..ship,-- and after .'a- coiisultation with'. Captain. Evaus, superintendeji!;; .hero for the v §haw, ,Sayjll," aiid Albibn ?,C!oihp_anyj lie ordered .'down tho brigado's big ;'steahier. She. took up; a ppsit.ioli near-, the /entrance to the GlasgoyvW'harfj. dropped a, 9-incli pipe . iiito the harbour,' and. throw out tljreo or-four-Iqads of libso 'to the "ship, and stood hissing at' attention' ''in' caso; of epioisehcy;'' ' •; , , ~ ' . At-.'S pini.' it was thought , that all real "danger was ovW. Tho thermometer had ' been lowered into the hold at . .different points, and in .110 caSe did it recprd'a tomperaturo' higher' than '126; degrpqsj, yliich ■' was estimated' to- lie merely the effect, of flip': sfecl-penned''" stefim.' It was, howwpr.: jiot. considered; wiso to take jtjio slightestrisk, ajill- at"'3-.o'cl.ock the "TJhipij.. Qqiiijiaiiy's powerful' .tug, Terawiiiti drew ajongsido 'witl>. her greafc.'jO-iiicli pipes,' pj-epare^". to do '■ their, best "were : flpqdiiig v jippqssary...' |}y 'iiflie- ; fispd- -up' n' ' carbonic ' iicid ' gas; ,p.oiincctioii,, a svipply ! 'of • •jvhich in cast-iron, cylinders was kept on board;for such, emergencies;. / ";• : V/EARING^OUT THE FIRE—QUESTION ' ; -or insura'no^.; J . Before midday smoke was fijidiiig 1 its way out .of: a 'couplq-of "ports on, the j),ort ; side, '* but ap hciir, later nothing was jssuitig but gasobus steain; Tho danger point liad evidently been passed. At 2.30. p.m. Captain Carter, of the lonic; Captain Bendall, Lloyd's Surveyor, and Mr. O'Brien, wero all .. confident that tho worst was over.Those who believe in the number thirteon ; ' being unlucky will have their . belief strengthened by the fire on the lonic, whick steamer is now on tho thirteenth voyago round the world. A well-known insurance manager said that tho cargo was bound to be covcred bj m surance. Sometimes tho 'flax was 'covered in its raw state at tho mill, but his method" was to issue cover from the mill-door. V Ho ■ could not say what the amount of insurincn was—that was something that nobody would know until they knew precisely what + h<j cargo was and where it was shipped. v WHAT IS THE CAUSE?

,Ab. to tho causo of tho,fire, who can sav anything' that - has not - already bpen said rogardmg,,piitbrenks. m -flax ' careobs P The majority of peoplo'iliold that such fires arc

caused by spontaneous combustion, while,a , v few hold that fires might' easily bo caused ... 'by jnatchcs or . burning tobacco carelessly, v.- dropped by men when handling or among v . tho bales of-hemp. _A-casual question put to DlUcors and others interested in yesterday's . ' . firo elicited nothing now: Most of them .attributed tho outbreak to" spontancous : combustion, and ono said—-"What about the V-' match, theory ?" Experiments to get' heate'd flex-to ignito have been, tried arid failod, J;'/;;;; and., yot: serious -outbreaks continue—not -at' .1' infrequent, intervals. ■ I -,-■ That tho outbreak did occur while tho ves- . Bel was in port was providential. "Of what may have occurred : had the lonic been a couplo of weeks out betv/een Wellington and . the Horn, who can say? .< ,7." / * t THE POSITION AT.MIDNIGHT. / . - .. At. midnight the operations in progress / n'ore precisely tho same as during tho after- •••-'. • noon. Tho two chemical, engines of ; tho. Harbour Board wero still boinu charged'and discharged with monotonous regularity, and ■■■'■■ the calm air of the'witching 1 hour was tainted with tlio odour of tho, foreign/gases . aris r , ing / from,/ tho. / fircrsuppressing,, operations, -w- a 'At 10.50 p.m. the thermometer gavo a .read-, ing.of 142 degrees, but though this was higher than any secured ' during the; day it • was not considered to/; bo more-than the - / offect of 'continued, saturation, of. tho .air . ■ below with steam, which had been projected into "the hold without cessation since .tho out-. ■■■/- break of tlio/ fire.' Tho gas was' also being ■■■;. ■ spurted into the hold at midnight.. 'It was decidcd to. continue ;as -they were , going iip . till, this morning, when an investigation will he made- in order to see if .it is advisablo -i, ; - -,to,lift-.the hatches.-.lt-is expected that .this .will -bb - possible by : 8 o'clock' this .morning, - and if those: expectations -are; realised, .and ■ :>all".danger of a further outbreak is at an end,'a. start will bo mado at onoo'to dis- ' . charge tho cargo in tho-affected hold. THE CARGO. ; J"'' This'.-''consists.'of .about .1806. bales'/of/,flax (000 of which were shipped in.Wellington-a /'-'''. fortnight ago), ,360 casks of tallow,: 320 bales of wool,-and some pelts. As'llo water has been 'admitted to the hold so far\for ! iircsuppression, it as.not' expectqd.that ago will be very'great,jowing-. to tho prompt .- .- . action, taken after the. 'liscovory of-the .firo; ' but'.'any bstimate, in that direction must or lieccssity- be guess-work.- '■.-.-/. ' .' HOMEWARD PASSENGERS. . ■ ? x Tho names of ■ tlio -passengers who have booked by the lonic are as follow First ' saloonFYom Wcllington-7-Misses Fitzgerald, M. and L. Johnstone, Izard, Mesdames L. ; Bamberger, Johnstone,, "Maunsell,/Macdonaellj- CajHuiin! 0. .Etchs, Messrs. E.. (5. Burdekin, P. Jepson, R. Johnstone, G. F. : iiuttreU, Maansell. (4), Dr. J. A. Macdqnell, St.-Manr, A, Smith, J. . Strang,, Masters ' 1 ' • Strang (3).; From Napier—Misses M.' p.; : Barker,' Crosse, (4), Mrs.. Cr'ossb, Messrs. ' Crosso (2), Master'H. Crosse. From Clirist- ; .'.-/'//church—Misses' AV; Fleming, A. Hay,. Jones (5), E.. M.-' Nelson;: Manning," B. and, F. ''•;';v- Nurse;. Mesdames; 'Hay/ Jones, . Wigram, , Messrs; ,T. O.'. Hayj ,E.. .Jones,. Hon.- H. 'F. 'j:.-' \ -Wigram, Master E.";J6ries.' :-. From Timar'u— Miss Grants Mrs. Grant;/Messrs.; Grant (2),- '/ ' Master Grant. ~From.,-Duriediri--Misses E. ; and M. Hallenstein, M.';, M'Neill,, Iv. G. . . Thompson; Mesdames Hallenstbin/.M'Kean, A. ' Sinclair Thompson, Messrs. E. Hallenstein, . . j - Rev; W. G. M'Kean, G. A. Thompson,-Mas : ■ ■ters F. Hallenstein, J. Thompson. • From • ,M: Robson,- Mrs.'Robson,' Dr. J. Robson. SecSnd saloon: From Weli . Imgton—Misses M., Allen, TBI.' Dempster, C.- . r i Gaby, M. E. Hastwell, Hume, ::M. Hume,; D.' i. lloskruge, V. Tomple-Frere, I. M: Wilson, Mesdames ADen, J;. L; Pempst'er, Gaby, -•••/-. Hume,'Staples, Teinple-Frero, Master W. G. ' • ' Humo, - Mes3rs. F. 'Ailen, F. E. Allen, ;G. ■ ■ ■ W. iUlen,'H. Gaby, 'C. ■ G. Huirie, S. B, Staples, Temple-Frere, J. Wilson, -J. C. Allpass, W. A-' .Fuller, G., Johnston, R. 8., B. Wilsoiu .From Napier—Mesdames Bull,', ', Egginton,' Messrs.' Bull,-' Eggiritbn.,, ' From ■\ ' Holmes, . ifesrs. Boydell, < . Griffiths, Kjrk, ' Travis, -A. H. Ferguson. - -I'Vom CSiristcburch—Messrs. J. W. Capstock, , H. L.NDptnall, G. W. ,Glonny,'L. Preston, J. Suckling, J. W. Wood.. Ffo'm,. Wanganui —Sir. J. Cornfpot. From Sydney—Mrs. E. ■■■■•• I- Strathern, Mr. D. .M'Farlane. , ' From .New , Plymouth—Mr. G. Sole. From . .Wellington—Miss 'AV ' Brooker, 'Mesdames -Aiigus,/M. Brooker, F. E., Garland; Huggins, Snedloy, Caniell, Messrs. C.,-, J. ' Aplin, S. ] I3robker, C.;Gl3rko, J. Condef| M: Flynn, F. F. Heers, G. Bfirst,/A. -Huggins, A. Jones, R. ; Nicholson, 0. Nicholson, ■ S.' H.Russell," (A. : • Snedley, R- Smith, L. 'P. Walker, J!: War-: rsngtori, E.' Camell, 1 Doylo) Gallagher, ,Turr 1 pis, R. 11. Henry, E." J. Newton, G. W. 1 .''' Cockburn, : S. Godfrey, T. Ycbmans, F. 'Mill- ■' ward, Kingsland,'Nicol, Masters : Arigus,.'fl. ; . Garland, Camell. From Ghristchurch—Misses L. Marsh, Moffatt, Mesdames Alexander, 1 E. 1 Ar Counsel, L. Jones, Marsh, L. S. Wilson, • . Messrs. J. J. ,-Alexander, J. Crawford,- 1 J. ' Fraher, C; G'ass, W.-Eemp, H. L. Loxton, • ; D..;Gy-Marsh, M'Phail, .J.^\Moffatt, ;E. Mor-, 1 , ; rison, H. L. Smith,' Master A. Alexander.. 1 From- Auckland—Misses Hedley, D C> John- : Bon,';Mesdames Ashworth, B. Devon,' Hodge, i ~ Ingham, J. Mackio, M'Cune,. Silcocks, Trice, r >[essrs.' Ashworth,"'L.' Blood, W. M..Clark, i •: : Gr'eerismith,%. -Hawkes,,lrighain, G. Knight, 1 -. Jlarr,;T. M'Cunp, H. Silcocks, W. .Snell, 1 ■ 11. TattorsA.ll, I{-'. Thornton, E. iTrice. . From Tmiaru—Mesdames Bain, Crompton, Messrs: ' ' P- Bain, T. R. 'Crompton, W. Haynian;' C: 1 f-v, ilavman. ' From ,' Dunedin—Miss . Martin, ; ;Meidames : ,S<jrploss, Dickie", Crombie,..Messrs. A. : Cas3ie, G.W. Cross, G. P. Cross, Dicliio," . - C. King, ,J. Lawrie, J.-Milrio, W. Mortimer, T. .Pophr.m,. J.,'Serpl'ess ) D. f\Vylic, ;Crombie.' From Wanganui—Mrs. Miirr'ay, r Messrs/ C. ' .Casey/' J>l'ahey, t J.' Mitrray,' Dr. Pearinain.. v. Frorii New Plymouth—Mrs'. Hill; Messrs. W. Hill,' L. Mettari', J.'Pascoo, Master D. Hill. From Napier—Miss Malonej'', Jtrs.- S.' Sharp; , Walsh, Master 1 R. ; H.'AValsh. From - Westpqr't—Mr. E. -Wheelei'.' •■/> From Invercargill—Mr.''F. Metzen.' ;' From Blenheim—Mr. J. M'Gowan. From Oamaru : —/Mr. W. Nimmo. ; From Sydney—Mr. 'R; C. Robertson. From Melboiulne—Messrs. R. . K.'Thompson, H.' P. Ballard. From Ade- . Vide—Mr. H. S. Harris. • „. '