Wild FIRE

Wild FIRE, a kind of artificial or fictitious fire, which burns even under water, and that with greater violence than out of it.

It is composed of sulphur, naphtha, pitch, gum, and bitumen; and is only extinguishable by vinegar mixed with sand and urine, or by raw hides.

Its motion or tendency is said to be contrary to that of natural fire, and always follows the direction in which it is thrown; whether it be downwards, sideways, or otherwise. The French call it Greek fire, or feu Grecois, because first used by the Greeks, about the year 660: as is observed by the Jesuit Petavius, on the authority of Nicetas, Theophanes, Cedrenus, &c.

The inventor, according to the same Jesuit, was an engineer of Heliopolis, in Syria, named Callinicus, who first applied it in the sea-fight commanded by Constantine Pogonates, against the Saracens, near Cyzicus, in the Hellespont; and with such effect, that he burnt the whole fleet therewith wherein were 30,000 men. But others will have it of a much older date, and hold Marcus Graecchus the inventor: which opinion is supported by several passages both in the Greek and Roman writers, which shows it to have been anciently used by both these nations in their wars.

Constantine's successors used it on divers occasions with equal advantage as himself: and what is remarkable enough is, that they were so happy as to keep the secret of the composition to themselves, so that no other nation knew it in the year 960.

Hugh king of Burgundy, demanding ships of the emperor Leo, for the siege of Fresne, desired likewise the Greek fire.

F. Daniel gives a good description of the Greek fire, in his account of the siege of Damietta under St Louis. Every body, says that author, was astonished with the Greek fire, which the Turks then prepared; and the secret whereof is now lost. They threw it out of a kind of mortar; and sometimes shot it with an odd sort of cross-bow, which was strongly bent by means of a handle or winch, of much greater force than the mere arm. That thrown with the mortar sometimes appeared in the air of the size of a tun, with a long tail, and a noise like that of thunder. The French by degrees got the secret of extinguishing it, in which they succeeded several times.

Machine for preserving from FIRE. This machine Ann. Reg. consists of a pole, a rope, and a basket. The pole is ^{xviii. 117.} of fir, or a common scaffold pole, of any convenient length from 36 to 46 feet; the diameter at bottom, or greatest end, about five inches; and at the top, or smallest end, about three inches. At three feet from the top is a mortise through the pole, and a pulley fixed to it of nearly the same diameter with the pole in that part. The rope is about three quarters of an inch diameter, and twice the length of the pole, with a spring hook at one end, to pass through the ring in the handle of the basket when used: it is put through the mortise over the pulley, and then drawn tight on each side to near the bottom of the pole, and made fast there till wanted. The basket should be of strong wicker-work, three feet and a half long, two feet and a half wide, rounded off at the corner, and four feet deep, rounding every way at the bottom. To the top of the basket is fixed a strong iron curve or handle, with an eye or ring in the middle; and to one side of the basket, near the top, is fixed a small cord or guide-rope of about the length of the pole. When the pole is raised, and set against a house over the window from which any persons are to escape, the manner of using it is so plain and obvious, that it needs not be described. The most convenient distance from the house for the foot

of the pole to stand, where practicable, is about 12 or 14 feet. If two strong iron straps, about three feet long, rivetted to a bar across and spreading about 14 inches at the foot, were fixed at the bottom of the pole, this would prevent its turning round or slipping on the pavement. And if a strong iron hoop, or ferrule, rivetted (or welded) to a semicircular piece of iron spreading about 12 inches, and pointed at the ends, were fixed on at the top of the pole, it would prevent its sliding against the wall.

When these two last mentioned irons are fixed on, they give the pole all the steadiness of a ladder; and because it is not easy, except to persons who have been used to it, to raise and set upright a pole of 40 feet or more in length, it will be convenient to have two small poles or spars of about two inches diameter, fixed to the sides of the great pole at about two or three feet above the middle of it, by iron eyes rivetted to two plates so as to turn every way; the lower end of these spars to reach within a foot of the bottom of the great pole, and to have ferrules and short spikes to prevent sliding on the pavement, when used occasionally to support the great pole like a tripod. There should be two strong ash trundles let through the pole, one at four feet and one at five feet from the bottom, to stand out about eight inches on each side, and to serve as handles, or to twist the rope round in lowering a very heavy weight. If a block and pulley were fixed at about the middle of the rope, above the other pulley, and the other part of the rope made to run double, it would diminish any weight in the basket nearly one half, and be very useful in drawing any person, up, to the assistance of those in the chambers, or for removing any effects out of a chamber, which it might be dangerous to attempt by the stairs.

It has been proved by repeated trials, that such a pole as we have been speaking of can be raised from the ground, and two or three persons taken out of the upper windows of a house, and set down safely in the street, in the space of 35 seconds, or a little more than half a minute. Sick and infirm persons, women, children, and many others, who cannot make use of a ladder, may be safely and easily brought down from any of the windows of a house on fire by this machine, and, by putting a short pole through the handles of the basket, may be removed to any distance without being taken out of the basket. The pole must always have the rope ready fixed to it, and may be conveniently laid up upon two or three iron hooks under any shade or gateway, and the basket should be kept at the watch-house. When the pole is laid up, the two spars should always be turned towards the head of it. The basket should be made of peeled rods, and the pole and spars painted of a light stone colour, to render it more visible when used in the night.

Machines for extinguishing FIRE. In the year 1734, the state of Sweden offered a premium of 20,000 crowns for the best method of stopping the progress of accidental fires; when one Mr Fuches, a German physician, made a preparation for that end, and the experiment was made on a house built on purpose of dry fir, at Legard island. In the building were placed several tubs of tar and pitch, and a great quantity of chips, all which were set on fire; flames issuing through the

top of the house, windows, &c. when he threw in one of the barrels containing the preparation, which immediately quenched the flames; a second barrel entirely cleared the smoke away; and the whole was executed to the satisfaction of the spectators, and to the no small satisfaction of the inventor, who was about to return home, when unexpectedly the flames broke out again, supposed to be occasioned by a small quantity of combustible matter being introduced and set on fire secretly by some malicious person. Upon this the wrong-headed mob fell upon Mr Fuches, and beat him most unmercifully, so that he narrowly escaped with his life. He soon after left the country, and never could be prevailed on (though strongly persuaded by some of the most eminent citizens) to return. It is said, another experiment of the same kind was tried in the year 1761 in Holland; but rendered abortive through the perverisness of the populace.

Attempts of a similar nature have met with a better reception in England. Of these the most successful was that of Mr Godfrey, whose contrivance is thus described by Mr Ambrose Godfrey, grandson to the inventor. "The machine to be employed consists of a small portion of gunpowder closely confined; which, when animated by fire, acts by its elastic force upon a proper medium, and not only divideth it into the minutest atoms, but dispereth it also in every direction, so as immediately to extinguish any fire within a certain distance. This medium is a liquor strongly impregnated with a preparation of antiphlogistic principles, which by their action upon burning materials extinguish the flames and reduce them in general to the state of a black coal; and, by its opposite nature to fire, hinders the remaining sparks, notwithstanding the admission of the air, from kindling the flames afresh. By this means, the great point is obtained, in giving sufficient time for totally extinguishing any remains of fire.

"They who presume that water only will perform this will find themselves greatly mistaken, as the draught of air will certainly rekindle the neighbouring materials, which are very fit to receive a fresh flame, the fire not being extinguished by the quantity of water, but rather by the expansion and rarefaction of its particles. There are several sizes of these machines, from five to fifty pounds weight, in a portable and rather small compass, and may generally be carried to any place where a man can go himself.

"But though these machines will prevent great fires by a timely application, they will not extinguish them after they have reached a frightful height, and several houses, perhaps near a whole street, are in flames. The floors must be standing, and access to the building safe, otherwise no person can be supposed to approach near enough to apply them in a proper manner. Every fire has its beginning for the most part in some apartment; and, as soon as discovered, the family, instead of losing all presence of mind, should immediately apply one or more of these machines, which will then fully answer the intention. The proper time of applying them, supposes that they are ready at hand. It will be in vain to think of fetching them from any considerable distance, as it will then be too late for them to perform any important service; except indeed being the probable means of saving some adjacent house, by extinguishing

Fire. extinguishing the flames as often as they break out, till the building first on fire is totally consumed, and, by falling into ruins, leaves the other in perfect safety."

On the 19th of May 1761, at noon, Mr Godfrey's experiment for extinguishing fire, was tried in a house erected for that purpose, near Mary-le-bone. Their royal highnesses, the duke of York, Prince William Henry, Prince Henry Frederick, a great number of persons of rank and distinction, and many of the learned world, gave their attendance on this singular occasion. The house, which was of brick, consisted of three rooms one above another, a staircase, chimney, lath and plaster ceilings, and a kind of wainscoting round the rooms, of rough deal. Exactly at 12 o'clock the ground room, and that up one pair of stairs, were set on fire by lighting the faggots and shavings laid in there for that purpose: in about 15 minutes the wainscoting of the under room was thought to be sufficiently in flames, and three of the machines were thrown in; which, by almost immediate and sudden explosions, instantaneously extinguished the flames, and the very smoke in that apartment in a few minutes totally disappeared. By this time, the firemen, &c. who had the care of throwing in the machines, gave an alarm that the staircase had taken fire, and that it was necessary directly to go to work upon the next room; which was accordingly done, and with the same effect. The experiment, however, hitherto did not universally satisfy: in the last instance especially it was thought to be too hastily put in execution; and the populace without side the paling, who were supposed to amount to near 20,000, and whose curiosity, from the very nature of their situation, remained much dissatisfied, began to grow rather riotous, and talked of a second bottle conjuror. For the sake of the experiment, therefore, and to remove all manner of doubt, Mr Godfrey consented to a third experiment in the upper room, which was entirely of wood. The flames were now suffered to get to a considerable height, and even the window frames destroyed, before the machines were thrown in: which, however, answered exactly as the former had done; and, being quite in sight of the out-standers, met with universal approbation.

These machines of Mr Godfrey's, it is evident, would be of great use in extinguishing fires on shipboard; and might be considered as a no less necessary part of a ship's lading, than her stores or ammunition.

The hint of these machines is said to have been taken by Mr Godfrey from the invention of one Zachary Greyl, who exhibited machines similar to those of Mr Godfrey, before persons of the first rank, but without meeting with any encouragement. His machines were made of wood, and the liquor employed was only water, and consequently inferior to Mr Godfrey's in its power of extinguishing fire. The latter is said to have mixed his water with a certain quantity of oil of vitriol, or with sal ammoniac. These machines, however, as already observed, are found to be only serviceable in the beginning of a fire. When the roof had fallen in, they had no effect.

Composition for extinguishing FIRE. For this purpose the following has been invented by M. Von Aken, of which the account is taken from Nicholson's Journal, vol. ii. 410.

With 40 measures of this mixture an artificial fire was extinguished under the direction of the inventor by three persons, which would have required the labour of 20 men and 1500 measures of common water. Sig. Fabbroni was commissioned to examine the value of this invention, and found in his comparative trials with engines of equal power, worked by the same number of men, that the mixture extinguished the materials in combustion in one-sixth part less time, and three-eighths less of fluid, than when common water was used. He observed, as might indeed have been imagined from the nature of the material, that the flame disappeared wherever the mixture fell, and that the saline, metallic, and earthy matters formed an impenetrable lute round the hot combustible matter, which prevented the access of the air, and consequently the renewal of the destructive process.

It is scarcely probable that this practice in the large way, with an engine throwing upwards of 200 gallons (value about 31. 10s.) each minute, would be thought of or adopted, or that a sufficient store of the materials would be kept in readiness; since at this rate the expenditure for an hour would demand a provision to the amount of 2101. sterling. But in country places the process, or some variation of it, might be applied with sufficient profit in the result; more especially if it be considered that common salt or alum, or such saline matter as can be had and mixed with the water, together with clay, chalk, or lime, ochreous earth or common mud, or even these last without any salt, may answer the purpose of the lute with more or less effect, and extinguish an accidental fire with much greater speed and certainty than clear water would do.

Water-Engine for extinguishing FIRE. See HYDROSTATICS.

In using this machine we have the following improvement by Dr Hoffman, which promises to be of great efficacy. As soon as the engine is in readiness to work, stir into the water that immediately is to be discharged, seven or eight pounds of pearl ashes in powder, and continue to add it in this manner as occasion requires; taking care that it be directed against the timber or wainscot, &c. just beginning to burn, and not wasted against the brick-work: or, where time will admit, dissolve any quantity of pearl ashes in a copper with water, and as fast as it dissolves, which will be in few minutes, mix a pailful with the water in the engine, pretty often; and whatever burning wood it is played upon, will be extinguished as if it was dipped in water, and will not burn afresh in the part extinguished.

Easy Method of Extinguishing FIRE in Chimneys. It is well known, that the inner parts of chimneys easily take fire; the foot that kindles therein emits a greater flame, according as the tunnel is more elevated, because the inferior air feeds the fire. If this air could therefore be suppressed, the fire would soon be extinguished. In order to this, some discharge a pistol into the chimney, which produces no effect; others lay

under the chimney a copper full of water; but the vapours that rise from it, far from extinguishing the fire, seem to give it new force. Water thrown into the chimney at top is equally of no effect, because it comes down through the middle of the tunnel, and not along the sides. It would be more advisable to stop with dung the upper orifices of the tunnel for quenching the fire. But the surest and readiest method is, to take a little gunpowder, and having humectated it with spittle for binding it, to form it into small masses, and so throw it into the heart of the chimney. When it is burnt, and has produced a considerable vapour, a second, afterwards a third, are thrown, and so on, as much as is necessary. In a little time the fire is extinguished, and, as it were, choked by this vapour; and cakes of inflamed foot are seen to fall from the tunnel, till at last not the least vestige of fire appears.

Securing buildings against FIRE. Dr Hales proposes to check the progress of fires by covering the floors of the adjoining houses with earth. The proposal is founded on an experiment which he made with a fir board half an inch thick, part of which he covered with an inch depth of damp garden mould, and then lighted a fire on the surface of the mould; though the fire was kept up by blowing, it was two hours before the board was burnt through, and the earth prevented it from flaming. The thicker the earth is laid on the floors, the better; however, Dr Hales apprehends that the depth of an inch will generally be sufficient; and he recommends to lay a deeper covering on the stairs, because the fire commonly ascends by them with the greatest velocity.

Mr Hartley made several trials in the years 1775 and 1776, in order to evince the efficacy of a method which he had invented for restraining the spread of fire in buildings. For this purpose thin iron plates are well nailed to the tops of the joists, &c. the edges of the sides and ends being lapped over, folded together, and hammered close. Partitions, stairs, and floors, may be defended in the same manner; and plates applied to one side have been found sufficient. The plates are so thin as not to prevent the floor from being nailed on the joists, in the same manner as if this preventive were not used: they are kept from rust by being painted or varnished with oil and turpentine. The expence of this addition, when extending through a whole building, is estimated at about five per cent. Mr Hartley has a patent for this invention, and parliament has voted a sum of money towards defraying the expence of his numerous experiments. The same preventive may also be applied to ships, furniture, &c.

Lord Mahon has also discovered and published a very simple and effectual method of securing every kind of building against all danger of fire. This method he has divided into three parts, viz. under-flooring, extralathing, and inter-securing.

The method of under-flooring, is either single or double. In single under-flooring, a common strong lath of oak or fir, about one-fourth of an inch thick, should be nailed against each side of every joist, and of every main timber, supporting the floor which is to be secured. Other similar laths are then to be nailed along the whole length of the joists, with their ends butting against each other. The top of each of these laths

or fillets ought to be at $1\backslash frac\{1\}\{4\}$ inch below the top of the joists or timbers against which they are nailed; and they will thus form a sort of small ledge on each side of all the joists. These fillets are to be well bedded in a rough plaster hereafter mentioned, when they are nailed on, so that there may be no interval between them and the joists: and the same plaster ought to be spread with a trowel upon the tops of all the fillets, and along the sides of that part of the joists which is between the top of the fillets and the upper edge of the joists. In order to fill up the intervals between the joists that support the floor, short pieces of common laths, whose length is equal to the width of these intervals should be laid in the contrary direction to the joists, and close together in a row, so as to touch one another: their ends must rest upon the fillets, and they ought to be well bedded in the rough plaster, but are not to be fastened with nails. They must then be covered with one thick coat of the rough plaster, which is to be spread over them to the level of the tops of the joists: and in a day or two this plaster should be trowelled over close to the sides of the joists, without covering the tops of the joists with it.

In the method of double flooring, the fillets and short pieces of laths are applied in the manner already described; but the coat of rough plaster ought to be little more than half as thick as that in the former method. Whilst this rough plaster is laid on, some more of the short pieces of laths above mentioned must be laid in the intervals between the joists upon the first coat, and be dipped deep in it. They should be laid as close as possible to each other, and in the same direction with the first layer of short laths. Over this second layer of short laths there must be spread another coat of rough plaster, which should be trowelled level with the tops of the joists without rising above them. The rough plaster may be made of coarse lime and hair; or, instead of hair, hay chopped to about three inches in length may be substituted with advantage. One measure of common rough sand, two measures of slaked lime, and three measures of chopped hay, will form in general a very good proportion, when sufficiently beat up together in the manner of common mortar. The hay should be put in after the two other ingredients are well beat up together with water. This plaster should be made stiff; and when the flooring boards are required to be laid down very soon, a fourth or fifth part of quicklime in powder, formed by dropping a small quantity of water on the limestone a little while before it is used, and well mixed with this rough plaster, will cause it to dry very fast. If any cracks appear in the rough plaster work near the joists when it is thoroughly dry, they ought to be closed by washing them over with a brush wet with mortar wash: this wash may be prepared by putting two measures of quicklime and one of common sand in a pail, and stirring the mixture with water till it becomes of the consistence of a thin jelly.

Before the flooring boards are laid, a small quantity of very dry common sand should be screwed over the plaster work, and struck smooth with a hollow rule, moved in the direction of the joists, so that it may lie rounding between each pair of joists. The plaster work and sand should be perfectly dry before the boards are laid, for fear of the dry rot. The method of

Fire. of under-flooring may be successfully applied to a wooden staircase; but no sand is to be laid upon the rough plaster work. The method of extra-lathing may be applied to ceiling joists, to sloping roofs, and to wooden partitions.

The third method, which is that of inter-securing, is very similar to that of under-flooring; but no sand is afterwards to be laid upon it. Inter-securing is applicable to the same parts of a building as the method of extra-lathing, but is seldom necessary.

Lord Mahon has made several experiments in order to demonstrate the efficacy of these methods. In most houses it is only necessary to secure the floors; and the extra expence of under-flooring, including all materials, is only about ninepence per square yard, and with the use of quicklime a little more. The extra expence of extra-lathing is no more than sixpence per square yard for the timber side walls and partitions; but for the ceiling about ninepence per square yard. But in most houses no extra-lathing is necessary.