Fire
Fire is a serious threat to all ships, but to a ship made of wood, rope, and canvas, it was the greatest danger of all. Cooking fires in the galley were watched constantly, and put out instantly if the weather turned ugly, or an enemy ship appeared in the distance. Warships had an elaborate set of procedures for handling their gunpowder; the magazines were deep in the ship and the lanterns kept in another room, with a window between.
The introduction of steam power in the mid-19th century was attended by the use of "fire-engines" consisting of pumps and hoses. Even so, fire was fatal to a ship far more often than not.
Read more about this topic: Sailing Ship Accidents
Famous quotes containing the word fire:
“Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning,
One pain is lessened by another’s anguish.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“‘Tis the Last Judgment’s fire must cure this place,”
—Robert Browning (1812–1889)
“There is a slumbering subterranean fire in nature which never goes out, and which no cold can chill.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)