U ILLINOI S UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Brittle Books Project, 2010. 614 1 G796r FOR OFFICIAL USE. REPORTS ON FIRES WHICH OCCURRED OR WERE REPORTED ON BRITISH SHIPS DURING THE PERIOD 1ST AUGUST 1919 AND 31s"T JULY 1920. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY HIS MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OFFICE. To be purchased through any Bookseller or directly from H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE at the following addresses: IMPERIAL HOUSE, KINGSWAY, LONDON, W.C.2, and 28, ABINGDON STREET, LONDON, S.W.1; 37, PETER STREET, MANCHESTER; 1, ST. ANDREW'S CRESCENT, CARDIFF; 23, FORTH STREET, EDINBURGH; or from E. PONSONBY, LTD., 116, GRAFTON STREET, DUBLIN. 1921. Price 6s. Net. INTRODUCTION. In the Autumn of 1919, attention was directed to the number of serious fires which were occurring on ships, and discussions took place on 5th and 18th November at the Board of Trade with representatives of the Liverpool Under- writers' Association and Lloyd's. It was decided, at these meetings, that special arrangements should be made for Board of Trade surveyors to investigate as closely as possible every case that came within their reach. Surveyors' reports of 114 cases have now been received, and are printed here, together with a tabular statement of all the cases which occurred from 1st August 1919 to 31st July 1920. Some of the vessels concerned have not since been to the United Kingdom while others have been lost abroad, and in these cases reports may not be obtained. The protest by the master of the "Nembe," the reports by the British Consul-General at Dakar, and the deposi- tion of the master in the "Ashanti" case and the report by the Receiver of Wreck at Barbados in that of the "Tennyson " have been included, as surveyors' reports will not be available in these cases. An analysis of these cases by the Board's Engineer Surveyor in Chief is given in an appendix to these reports. COPYRIGHT NOTIFICATION In Public Domain. Published prior to 1923. This digital copy was made from the printed version held by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was made in compliance with copyright law. Prepared for the Brittle Books Project, Main Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign by Northern Micrographics Brookhaven Bindery La Crosse, Wisconsin 2010 i . 3 REPORTS OF FIRES WHICH OCCURRED OR WERE REPORTED ON BRITISH SHIPS. List of Vessels on which Fires have occurred from 1st August 1919 to 31st July 1920. Name of Vessel, Nature of Coal in Bunkers, Port of Registry, and Voyage and Cargo. where Shipped, and Particulars of Casualty. Official Number. Ventilation. "Alban." In dock at Buenos Fire broke out in dock on 13th Liverpool. Aires with maize, January 1920 amongst sawdust 135600. oats, bales of and dunnage wood on starboard hair, &c. side of tank top. Fire soon extinguished. No damage to vessel. Cargo slightly damaged. Cause not stated. "Ambassador." In dock at West On 11th September, while in dock at Newcastle. Hartlepool for W. Hartlepool for repairs, a fire 106618. repairs. broke out in the boiler-room casing. The Board of Trade surveyor re- ported that a candle oi lamp, which had not been extinguished, fell down from the boiler top, and set fire to the wood screen bulkhead at the after end of the boilers. The only man on board at night was a watch- man. Two-thirds of screen bulkhead renewed. See Surveyor's Report, No. 26. "Anchoria." In Tilbury Dock - - In dock on 13th October 1919 while Glasgow. discharging jute from No. 4 deep 129598. tank; one sling containing 6 bales of jute fouled the electric light cable, breaking same and setting fire to the jute in the sling. Bales were charred. SAnglesea." Rosario to Hull, Yorkshire coal. Bun- On 9th August 1919, in North Basin, Cardiff. with linseed in kers are ventilated Buenos Ayres, a portion of vessel's 139625. bags. with two 12-inch venti- bunker coal in starboard bridge lators to 'tween decks deck bunker was found to be con- with 9-inch vent tubes siderably overheated, smoke and to lower parts. gases rising from several parts. Damage equivalent to 5 tons of coal. Cause unknown. "Arabian Prince." New Yorkto Aden Ship bunkered at Hull On 7th September 1919, when in Gib- Newcastle. and Chiina with in June 1919, and re- raltar Bay, fire occurred in cross- 142824. general. plenished at New York bunker. There was a dividing in July. Bulk of coal bulkhead of .wood, kerosene being remaining when Gib- stowed in fore part. Ship was raltar reached was pro- flooded and beached. Part of cargo bably American. damaged. Cause unknown. " Ashanti." New York to Dakar Freshly wrought coal, Vessel anchored at Dakar on 18th Liverpool. and other West supplied by the Penn- August 1919, and directly after- 106847. African ports with sylvania Coal Co. wards dense smoke was seen arising general. (Pardee), to steamer from the bunker hatches and venti- at New York. Venti- lators, fore part of the bridge and lated by two cowl aft part of the saloon, and just after ventilators to upper crew left heavy explosions occurred. deck and bunker and Vessel became a total loss. trimming hatches. See Report of Master, &c. (with Surveyors' Reports), No. 4. Schooner Guadeloupe to In North Atlantic on 12 September. " B. L. Rafuse." Bordeaux with Fire started in engine-room for La Have, N.S. rum. hoisting sails, &c., and spread 141134. rapidly over the ship, which had to be abandoned. "Barima." Lisbon to London On 5th November 1919, when at S _ . A ._ 6outhampton. with wine and1 Morocco Wharf, Wapping, River 135673. brandy. Thames, during discharge of No. 1 lower hold, a small fire occurred in hold (after part) amongst casks of brandy and pipes of wine-some casks slightly charred-no damage to ship. a [10.5.21] (37)15235(10199) Wt 9170-307 500 7/21 E&S A 602294 4' Name of Vessel, Nature of Coal in Bunkers, Port of Registry, and Voyage and Cargo. where Shipped, and Particulars of Casualty. Official Number. Ventilation. The Board of Trade Surveyor re- ported that probable cause of fire was the introduction of naked lights into a space partly full of wine and spirits. One cask of brandy had been recently spilled and the spirit leaking. Probably some person broaching the cask had been using matches or other naked lights. See Surveyor's Report, No. 36. " Bassano." Singapore to Lon- The bunkers were ven- On 20th June 1919, in the Red Sea. Hull. don. tilated by 10-inch ven- Slight fire in bunkers. 50 tons 129250. tilators, and by short of coal moved on to deck. No hatch on fiddley top. damage to ship. Cause is said to Bunker coal had been be spontaneous combustion. shipped in Japan and at Colombo. "Baysarnia." In dock at Rotter- There was no coal on Vessel was in Rotterdam dry dock London. I dam. board. Ventilated by on 14th October 1919, when a fire 139182. open hatch. broke out in the port bunker, owing to the old insulation becoming ignited. One lead soil pipe de- stroyed. "Benalder." Port Said to Ant- On 11th November 1919, while Leith. werp with general. discharging cargo at Antwerp, a 129546. fire occurred in copra on port side of after end of bridge space. On November 12th fires broke out simultaneously in after hold amonst bags of copra, afterwards spreading to deep tank where copra was stowed. This was apparently subdued, but later there was a further outbreak on a small scale. Extensive damage was done to ships' 'tween decks, &c., and about 900 tons of cargo (mostly copra) were damaged by fire and water. The Board of Trade Surveyor reported that the master could not state cause of fire ; the copra was loaded at Colombo and was of a drier nature than he had been in the habit of carrying. The Sur- veyor could not state cause, but from master's description of the fire it would appear that something in the nature of an inflammable gas emanates from copra, and, if this is so, the fire might have been caused either by spontaneous combustion or a light accidentally dropped. Cargo was loaded in fine weather and the bags were in excellent con- dition when being discharged. See Surveyor's Report, No. 39. 'Berwick Castle." London to Kilindini Durban Navigation, On 16th October 1919, when at London. with general. Natal Navigation Kilindini, British East Africa, 114822. Cambrian, Hlobane, fire occurred in permanent bunker Wallsend, Avon, In- caused by spontaneous combus- yati, S. African, col- tion. The steamer was gutted, lieries. Bunkers ven- but was repaired. tilated by ventilators and hatchways-coal shipped in fine weather, and was not stacked before shipment. "Betty Hanson.' Town Docks, Hull, While lying alongside Keighley's Oil Lighter No. 20. to Keighley's Oil Mill, Hull, on 15th December 1919, Hull. Mill, . Hull, with a slight fire broke out in four 132220. rice meal. bags of rice meal from an un- known cause. Name of Vessel, Nature of Coal in Bunkers, Port of Registry, and Voyage and Cargo. where Shipped, and Particulars of Casualty. Official Number. Ventilation. "Boonah." Loading at No. 1 On 15th December 1919, in Royal London. shed Royal Al- Albert Dock Basin, a fire started 139007. bert Dock Basin, in No. 4 lower hold, spreading to London, for Aus- No. 5 hold, and caused extensive tralian Ports. damage. The Board of Trade Surveyor states that No. 4 and 5 holds were insulated and separated by a wooden bulkhead; but both were burnt out.