TESTIMONIALS.

143

until decomposition; anoperation which wouldrequire a much longercontinuance of heat thanthe destruction of themost substantial house-property would occasion.This fact has been estab-lished beyond all doubt,by the result of manyexperiments, attested bypersons of the highestrespectability, and in every trial to which theReliance Safe has been subjected, whether accidentalor for the purpose of testing its qualities, has provedit to be perfectly secure against the action of fire.*The simple principle of steam-generation is heredescribed in mystical and ambiguous language.Why not have stated simply that the “ chemicalsalts ” when merely fusing at a high temperature—1000°—and becoming decomposed, part with thewater of crystallization in the shape of steam orvapour, and that the temperature of the latter is212 deg., and that this temperature cannot, “ in themost powerful fire, be increased ” so long as thegeneration of steam can he kept up.

It must be observed that the annexed testimonialstates that although “ the chest had been subjectedto a much more severe heat than it could possibly

* Copied from John Tann’s Circular.

in the chest. An offer was thenmade by the representatives ofthe patentees to subject the chestto a further test, but the ma-jority were of opinion that itwas unnecessary, and that thechest had been subjected to amuch more severe heat thanever it could possibly meet within any accidental fire.

“ The foregoing facts arecertified by the signatures ofupwards of seventy witnesses.”