+Cotton Cargo.+ The danger to fire when loading a cotton cargo is great and every precaution should be taken. Smoking, which should never be permitted in the holds or about the hatches at any time, should be specially guarded against when loading cotton.
Care should be taken that no sparks from the funnels, from passing or nearby tugboats, or from steam boilers on the wharf, find their way into the hatches. Have the fire lines connected up at all times and have the steam on the smothering lines.
Steam is the best agent for smothering a cotton fire. If a fire starts do not wet down the decks or side plating. This may get very hot, but do not play cold water on it. Strains would be set up in the plating or deck that might seriously injure it.
Keep all oil cans, oily waste, paint, paint pots or paint rags and brushes away from the cotton.
Keep all ventilator cowls closed, to prevent sparks finding their way into the cargo.
When hatches are closed down at night, or when battening down for sea, the Chief Mate should have an officer make certain that no fire is present in the holds.
All electrical conduits through the holds and 'tween decks should be carefully inspected before loading a cotton cargo.
+Smoke Helmets.+ The smoke helmets should be handy and in order.
+Frozen Cargo.+ Vessels carrying frozen cargo are lined and insulated in the holds prepared for this sort of stowage. All steel work should be covered, on account of the high conductivity of the metal. The insulating materials are usually granulated cork, charcoal, silicate cotton, or sawdust. Felt and cow hair is also used. Dead air, if properly confined, is an excellent insulating medium.
Care should be taken to avoid and detect fire in the insulating material, due to spontaneous combustion.
The Chief Mate should be familiar with the system of refrigeration used—cold-air—dry-air—ammonia—carbonic-anhydride—etc.
In some systems the air is chilled in the holds by piping, in others the air is drawn from the holds to a chilling chamber and pumped back with the required degree of cold.
+Chilled Beef.+ Chilled beef is usually shipped in quarters, and must be suspended from the deck above by chains and hooks.
+Frozen Mutton.+ Mutton is usually shipped in carcases, frozen stiff and stowed one on top of another. Being hollow, the interstices provide space for the circulation of cold air. About 15 degrees Fahrenheit should be maintained in the hold.