[TO TEE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—Weather boarding is doubtless a most artistic and com- fortable covering, but, as an architect, I cannot agree that a cottage covered with it would be fireproof because the building is plastered inside. It is true that fires usually begin inside, but common plastering will not stop them, and if a village is built of wood it may be wholly destroyed if one house catches fire on a windy day. The attempt to find a convenient sub- stitute for brickwork is to be admired, but the adoption of boarding would merely invite the holocausts of Russia and Japan. The view of the insurance companies is shown by the premium quoted as 5s. It ought not to exceed 2s. 6d.—I am,
[There are thousands of wooden cottages throughout England. The fire premium was erroneously stated. It is 4s. 6d., i.e., 3s. per cent. The high rate is, we believe, due to the fact that if a fire took place the combustion would be complete, not to the belief that it would catch fire more easily. No doubt if "wood outside, plaster• inside," became commoner the insurance rate would come down—En. Spectator.]
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