Protection of Historic Buildings Against Fire.
Page 14
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Dennis Fire-engines to Safeguard Lincoln Cathedral.
We take the following description of important tests from a. recent issue of our contemporary "The Architect," to which journal we acknowledge the record :— "An interesting series of trials with the fire-extinguishing appliances belonging to the Corporation of Lincoln has been made with a view to ascertaining the efficiency of the city apparatus if required to work on a fire at the Cathedral in case of the Cathedral's own apparatus being rendered useless by the electric power, which drives it from the city cables, being withdrawn. It is of great value to know that the experiments, which were severe, were entirely successful. They Were watched throughout with the most careful attention by the Dean, on behalf of the Cathedral authority. "The No. 2 motor engine, which was acquired a year last February, and is built by Messrs. Dennis, was employed, and the first trial was an assumption of fire on the summit of the Broad Tower, which has a height of 300 ft. to the ball below the weather vane on each pinnacle. The problem set was to obtain pressure through the 2f-in. hose on the level and then by the 3-in, rising main that runs up the top of the tower —the reverse of the usual order of going from a large diameter to a smaller. With a fin. nozzle affixed at the top a force was developed which lifted a jet well above the height of the pinnacle—probably as high again as the pinnacle itself stands above the tower— and the alteration to a t-in. jet and a fin, jet proved even more successful.
" The_next trial was to lift a jet from the ground direct over the ridge of the nave roof, a height of 120 ft. The branch fixed to the hose had a nozzle diameter of 1 in., and though on rising to the level of the ridge a stiff wind was encountered, it rose clear above the ridge and sprayed over on the north side. A fin, jet was also successful.
The engine was now moved to a point further westward, still on the south side, but between the western towers and the Broad Tower. Here came in another stiff proposition. The 2k-in. hose from the engine was attached, at the base of the walls, to the 4-in, rising main which at the triforium becomes a 3-in. main. The Object was to lift, with the firemen on the nave roof, at a height of about 84 ft., a, jet to the height of the Broad Tower, a rise of about 190 ft. further. For this, one of the Cathedral apparatus nozzles, in., was brought into play, and a gradual development up to 250-lb. pressure enabled a spray of water to be flung to the level of the open stonework. The top of the stonework was reached with this pressure. "The final experiment, with the men. on the top of the west front, 100 ft. from the ground, enabled a jet of water to be passed over the Exchequer Arch, again using the Cathedral fin. nozzle."