Exploding Boilers

Steam power was very much in demand throughout the nineteenth century, while at times the technological safety was lacking. Boilers were increasingly used across Europe, though the spread of steam engines in the countries under survey was very uneven. According to some data it has been estimated that the steam engines in operation in 1900 were able to provide 13.7 million horsepower in UK, 8.08 in Germany, 5.92 in France and only 1.52 in Italy and 1.2 million horsepower in Spain. One of the reasons for the lack of greater expansion or steam power in Italy and in Spain was the lack of abundant quantities of coal at affordable prices.

What is particularly strange is that this is an example where there are practically no recorded cases, i.e. instances where a victim sues a defendant for the harm suffered. The reasons for this are explored a little below. In England, a Select Committee of 1871 estimated that there were about 50 explosions per annum – that is around one for every 2,000 boilers in the country. Between 1865 and 1882, some 1,051 persons were killed in Britain in boiler explosions, and another 1,519 injured (we may assume, seriously).