POINTS OP THE PILES BURNED remarkable case of spontaneous ig mitlon recently noted A remarkable case of spontaneous ignition that recently occurred in erecting the walls of the new hotter dam quay Is related by the rams had been in use there for some time which by or strokes per minute caused a steady advance of the piles the foundation was such that the pillars had to be driven through the quicksand down to the solid ground on withdrawing some piles the points of the latter were found owing to the enormous friction to have been charred entirely and heated to such a point as to begin burning spontaneously on coming in contact with the air nor could iron shoes prevent this spontaneous when leaving the piles in the ground this ignition would not result in any damage the charring remain ing confined to the surface and the heat being rapidly carried away in the moist surroundings