Similar mischief has been noticed in boilers covered with sand, as shown in the sketches Figs. 62 and 63, which represent an instance of corrosion after eight years' working; although nothing forms a better covering than sand for preventing loss of heat by radiation. In both these examples it will be seen that the corrosion has continued until the thickness of the plate has been so eaten away that a hole has been burst out at SS. A very good covering is formed by brickwork in cement; or various cements made for the purpose, which adhere to the surface of the plate and yet show leakage; or such materials as sacking or felt; or sheet-iron casing, leaving about 6 inches of air space all round the boiler. But all these have the great objection that they hide the boiler from inspection, except by the expensive process of removing the covering; and in this way dangers that have caused explosion have remained hidden from observation. Explosions have also taken place from general corrosion of the surface of the boilers in the flues. A new boiler which was set on sidewalls built upon a foundation of porous rock was found to have become corroded all along the bottom in less than two years, owing to the dampness which rose from the foundations causing a constant presence of vapour. The corrosion was peculiar, and more like that found on old iron left for a long time in a damp place; for the iron plate fell to pieces when touched, and large flakes could be raised from the surface, and the greater part of the thickness of the plate could be removed with the fingers. Somewhat similar corrosion had taken place in a boiler which exploded at Loughborough in 1863; the bottom of the shell became rent at the corroded part, and as the fracture continued spirally round the boiler several times, nearly all the shell was peeled off in the curious manner shown in Fig. 64. The explosion shown in Fig. 65, which occurred at Leeds in 1866, also arose from corrosion of the bottom of the boiler. [Illustration: _Fig. 64._] [Illustration: _Fig. 65._] [Illustration: _Fig. 66._]