1. A FIRE-RETARDANT TAPE FOR APPLICATION TO A HEAT-SENSITIVE SURFACE-TO-BE-PROTECTED, CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A BACKING MATERIAL FROM SUBSTANTIALLY 0.5 TO 50 MILS IN THICKNESS, CAPABLE OF CHARRING BUT INFUSIBLE AND DIMENSIONALLY STABLE BELOW THE CHARRING TEMPERATURE, A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM INTUMESCENT COATING OF FROM SUBSTANTIALLY 1 TO 30 MILS IN THICKNESS, BONDED UPON ONE SURFACE OF THE BACKING MATERIAL, THE COATING HAVING AN INCIPIENT INTUMESCING TEMPERATURE BELOW THE SAID CHARRING TEMPERATURE, AND AN ADHESIVE DISPOSED UPON THE OTHER SURFACE OF THE BACKING MATERIAL, THE ADHESIVE BEING TEMPERATURESTABLE AT LEAST UP TO THE SAID INCIPIENT INTUMESCING TEMPERATURE AND ADAPTED TO AFFIX THE TAPE TO SAID SURFACE-TOBE-PROTECTED.