212 M. Aldini's Incombustible Dresses. 



leave between the two fabrics a certain distance ; because a close 

 contact renders the metallic gauze more injurious than useful. 

 Besides the garments of incombustible cloth and wire gauze, 

 M. Aldini employs with great success large shields of metallic 

 cloth. When these shields are presented by the firemen to a 

 rush of flame, they stop it in a wonderful manner, and per- 

 mit them to see their way and to climb up to places enveloped 

 in flames, and to perform their operations. They form an 

 useful supplement to the incombustible garments, and a defence 

 to firemen who are not provided with the other parts of the 

 apparatus. They occasion no embarrassment, but may be 

 thrown aside or taken up at pleasure. Frames of metallic 

 gauze, intended to intercept flame discharged at a door or any 

 other opening, will likewise be of great service ; but this is not 

 the place to enter into a detail of all the applications which M. 

 Aldini has made of the incombustible cloth and metallic gauze. 

 This ingenious philanthropist is at present engaged in the 

 preparation of a work, in which he will give an account of 

 their various applications, with the necessary instructions for 

 using them. 



Remarks by the Editor. 



In reference to the above essay, some objection may arise 

 from the supposed scarcity of amianthus, and its insufficiency 

 to answer the demand for such general use as is recommended. 

 It may therefore be interesting to know, that amianthus oc- 

 curs in a most remarkable quantity in the Island of Unst, one 

 of the Shetland groupe. In the possession of Dr Hibbert, 

 who first published an account of its great abundance in this 

 locality, are specimens of this substance of a beautiful white 

 colour, remarkable for the regularity and extent of its fibres, 

 which exceed a foot, while some far longer may be collected. 

 We are informed by him that it occurs in a very talcose ser- 

 pentine rock in the vicinity of Haroldswick and Balta Sound, 

 and in the diallage rock of Balta Island and other contiguous 

 places. 



