purposes of these regulations be deemed to be one and the same storehouse, and the maximum amount of petroleum spirit prescribed in the foregoing regulation shall be the maximum to be kept in all such storehouses taken together. Where two or more storehouses in the same occupation are distant more than 20 feet from one another, the maximum amount shall apply to each storehouse.

(9) Any person who keeps petroleum spirit in a storehouse which is situated within 20 feet of any other building whether or not in his occupation, or of any timber stack or other inflammable goods not owned by him, shall give notice to the local authority under the Petroleum Acts for the district in which he is keeping such petroleum spirit, that he is so keeping petroleum spirit, and shall renew such notice in the month of January in each year during the continuance of such keeping, and shall permit any duly authorised officer of the local authority to inspect such petroleum spirit at any reasonable time. This regulation shall not apply to petroleum spirit kept under licence, nor to petroleum spirit kept in a tank forming part of a light locomotive.

(10) The filling or replenishing of a vessel with petroleum spirit shall not be carried on, nor shall the contents of any such vessel be exposed in the presence of fire or artificial light, except a light of such construction, position or character, as not to be liable to ignite any inflammable vapour arising from such spirit, and no artificial light shall be brought within dangerous proximity of the place where any vessel containing petroleum spirit is being kept.

(11) In the case of all petroleum spirit kept or conveyed for the purpose of or in connection with any light locomotive, (a) all due precautions shall be taken for the prevention of accidents by fire or explosion, and for the prevention of unauthorised persons having access to any petroleum spirit kept or conveyed, and to the vessels containing or intended to contain, or having actually contained the same; and (b) every person managing or employed on or in connection with any light locomotive shall abstain from every act whatever which tends to cause fire or explosion, and which is not reasonably necessary, and shall prevent any other person from committing such act.

(12) These regulations shall come into operation on the 15th day of May, 1900, from which date the regulations dated 3rd November, 1896, are hereby repealed.

M. W. RIDLEY,

One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.

Whitehall, S.W., 26th April, 1900.

APPENDIX X.

SPECIFICATIONS OF TANK DEPOTS AND SCREEN WALLS. (Proposed to be included in an Act of Parliament.)

GENERAL.

ANY tank which satisfies the following conditions shall be deemed to be a tank depôt for the purposes of this Act:

(1) It must be constructed of good metal.

(2) It must be properly tested before use, and seen to be perfectly tight and staunch.

(3) It must at all times while in use be so well fitted that the inflammable liquid contained in it cannot escape therefrom in the form of liquid, whether under the action of fire or otherwise.

(4) If it has a ventilating pipe, that pipe must be of suitable character and construction, and its orifice must be effectively protected by wire gauze.

(5) Every other opening in the tank, whether to be used as a manhole or for a pipe or other purpose, not being such a ventilating pipe as aforesaid, must have a neck whose length is at least equal to one-half of the diameter of the opening, and every such opening, when not in actual use, must be securely closed by an effective and properly secured cap, cover or tap.

(6) It must be further constructed as hereunder specified according as it is an underground or overground tank-that is to say:

I. UNDERGROUND TANKS.

A tank shall be deemed to be an underground tank which is wholly sunk in and surrounded by solid rock or earth, and the top of which is protected by a substantial covering of not less than nine inches of solid earth, sand, or concrete. There must be no opening in such top or covering, other than such manholes, pipes, pumps, or other connections as may be necessary.

Every underground tank must be constructed of strong iron or steel tank-plates well riveted together and thoroughly caulked. The tops and sides must be supported and strengthened by such

uprights, girders, angle-irons, and ties as, having regard to the capacity and situation of the tank, may be necessary to render the tank thoroughly substantial and effective.

The underground space in which the tank is enclosed must be of such construction and character that mineral oil cannot escape therefrom in the form of liquid, whether under the action of fire or otherwise, so as to reach either directly or indirectly any other place where inflammable liquid is kept, or any protected work, or any river, sewer, stream or drain.

II. OVERGROUND TANKS.

*

Every tank shall be deemed to be an overground tank which in respect of situation does not satisfy the conditions herein before specified for an underground tank.

If the tank is to be placed or fixed elsewhere in a building than on the basement, its position must be approved by the local authority.

(a) Every tank of a capacity not exceeding 60 gallons must be well constructed of galvanised iron of such strength, having regard to its size, and with seams so securely closed and fastened, as to form an effective receptacle for the inflammable liquid which it contains.

(6) Every tank of a capacity exceeding 60 but not exceeding 1000 gallons must be constructed of good galvanised iron plates of such thickness, and with rivets of such size, and at such distances apart (measured from centre to centre) as appear in the following scale:

If the tank has a capacity exceeding 60 but not exceeding 250 gallons, it must rest on the ground, or on brick or stone piers, or must be securely and adequately supported on strong girders.

If the tank has a capacity exceeding 250 but not exceeding 1000

*For definition of Protected Work see p. 164.

gallons, it must be properly stiffened with vertical angle-irons and cross-stays, and must rest on solid foundations of concrete, brick, or stone.

(c) Every tank of a capacity exceeding 1000 gallons must be cylindrical in shape, and must not exceed 26 feet in height or 35 feet in diameter. The top of the tank must be constructed of plates of a thickness of inch, riveted with inch rivets, not more than 1f inch apart, and supported by a sufficient number of strong and efficient angle-irons and ties, and where necessary by king posts.

The sides and bottom of the tank must be of best iron or steel tank plates of at least the following thicknesses:

Namely, within 10 feet from the top of the tank over 10 and within 20 feet from the top of

inch thick.

The plates must be riveted by inch best rivets driven hot, and not more than 17 inch apart measured from centre to centre, and all vertical seams must be double riveted.

Every such tank must be erected on good solid foundations, upon which the entire bottom surface shall have a fair bearing, and must be strengthened throughout by a sufficient number of strong and efficient angle-irons and cross-stays.

If the tank has a capacity of more than 15,000 gallons, it must be constructed as herein before described, and further, must be separately surrounded by a wall of such dimensions and substantial construction, or must be partially sunk in an excavation in such a manner that the total quantity of mineral oil capable of being contained in the tank could be altogether contained in the enclosure formed by such wall or excavation, and could not escape therefrom in the form of liquid, whether under the action of fire or otherwise; and the space formed by such wall or excavation, so far as not occupied by the tank, must be kept entirely free and unoccupied.

SPECIFICATION OF SCREEN WALL.

A screen wall must be substantially constructed of good hard bricks, or such good building stone, not being limestone, or such concrete as may be approved by the local authority, properly bonded, and solidly put together with good mortar or cement, on proper footings and foundations.

A screen wall must be of a thickness of not less than as follows:

Within 16 feet of the top of the wall, 13 inches.

Over 16 feet, and within 32 feet of the top of the wall, 17 inches.

and in like proportion for any greater height.

A screen wall must be strengthened by two or more transverse buttresses of similar construction to the wall. The buttresses must be carried up to the top of the wall and properly bonded thereto, and must not be more than 20 feet distant from each other. Each buttress must, at its base, project from each side of the wall not less than one-eighth the height of the wall, and at its top not less than nine inches. There must be no window, door, or other opening in a screen wall, other than such fire-proof doors as are necessary for the purposes of access to the premises, and are open only when required for the said purposes.