Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus in jurare verba magistri. THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1870.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 15, Issue 770, 17 March 1870, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addictus in jurare verba magistri. THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1870.

The question of the possible spontaneous combustion of the prepared Phormium tenax —New Zealand flax, so called—is, in view of the interest of the community in this rapidly increasing branch of industry, one of the utmost importance; and the question has of late attracted much attention, not only from the supposed possible loss of one or two ships fiom this cause, but also from the destruction of two extensive stores in Sydney, where it was known that the article in question was stored in considerable quantity. In this latter case it has transpired in evidence before the Coroner that in that particular part of the store in which the fire originated there was stored together witli, and beside, a quantity of wool in 27 bales, some 300 bales of New Zealand flax, which latter had been in the store since October last. There is not, indeed, any evidence to connect the fire with the flax directly, and so far nothing has been proved against it; but, as we have said, it has strongly directed public attention to the matter.

Amongst the evidence given at the Coroner's inquest is that of Mr Alfred Hook, one of the leasees of the store. He said "he had some knowledge of New Zealand flax—had carried it four times to .England while a seafaring man; the cargoes took fire on two of the voyages." "He could not say that the flax that took fire had been shipped green;" "he believed the cargoes took fire from spontaneous combustion." In order to obtain scientific evidence as to spontaneous combustion, the Coro ner adjourned the enquiry, and on its being resumed Mr J. T. Nome, analytical chemist, gave evidence. He said, —" When Zealand or other flax was laid in heaps, and in contact with oily substances, it very often absorbed, oxygen the temperature rose, and it burst into flames, when extended over a large surface, and of course it was then called spontaneous combustion." " Flax not properly prepared would induce moisture, evolve heat, and men-ease the liability." " Moisture, oil and grease, in contact with vegetable fibres, would produce heat, and especially so with flax." " All vegetable substances were liable to spontaneous combustion under certain circumstances."

In the particular; case under review it did not appear probable lhat the fire originated with, the flax, Mr Norrie having opened one bale which, was taken front the burning building itself, burnt on the outside and saturated with water. There were no marks of fire in the middle of the bale, and nothing in its general appearance to deduce any infor mation from. He thought also that if it originated in flax, stored damp and green in, October last, it would have occurred at an earlier date*,

' A. lettter on the subject of the spontaneous combustion of flax has been published by Mr C. J. Pownall in the Evening Post, and copied into several contemporaries. Mr Pownall i considersthe spontaneous combustion , of flax an impossibility, and that it i can only result from the grease contained in animal fibre. We cannot agree entirely with this statement, for though the presence ot oil or grease —animal or vegetable—will tend to greatly increase the tendency to, and accelerate the process of spontaneous combustion in vegetable fibres, no chemist will deny that oxygen may be absorbed and heat developed sufficient to cause combustion under circumstances where neither oils nor fats, animal or vegetable, have place. Even finely divided carbon can be so prepared that it will take fire on being shaken from the mouth of a phial on to a piece of common writing paper; combustion in this and analogous canes taking place from the rapid absorption of moisture from the atmosphere and its decomposition. We would be the last to say one word to retard the growth of the important local industry of flax preparation, nor do we do this in any way by what we have already said. In the preparation of the flax it is essential that all saline and soluble matters which may attract moisture from the atmosphere should be removed by thorough washing, and in stowing, whether on shore or shipboard, be kept from contact with wool or other oily substance. These conditions fulfilled, there need be little or no fear of the spontaneous combustion of the New Zealand flax.