Mr. Braidwood, in his evidence before a Committee of the
House of Lords in 1846, stated that it was his belief that by long
exposure to heat, not much exceeding that of boiling, water, or
212?°, timber is brought into such a condition that it will fire
without the application of a light. The time during which this
process of desiccation goes on, until it ends in spontaneous
combustion, is, he thinks, from eight to ten years--_so that a fire
might be hatching in a man's premises during the whole of his lease
without making any sign!_
Under the heads "Incendiarism," "Doubtful," and "Unknown," are
included all the cases of wilful firing. The return Incendiarism is
never made unless there has been a conviction, which rarely takes
place, as the offices are only anxious to protect themselves against
fraud, and do not like the trouble or bad odor of being prosecutors on
public grounds. If the evidence of wilful firing, however, is
conclusive, the insured, when he applies for his money, is
significantly informed by the secretary, that unless he leaves the
office, _he will hang him_.
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