1816.] 



Means of promptly exiinguhhing Fires. 



niomcut to the lower classes of the com- 

 munity, jour correspondents, M'ho are 

 learmid in such matters, are requested 

 to favour the public with their opinions, 

 through the medium of the Monthly 

 Magazine : a case having lately occur- 

 red in which a clergyman, although evi- 

 dence as above was adduced, persisting 

 in performing the mairiage ceremony. 

 W. P. 



To the Editor of the Monthhj 3Iagazine. 



SIR, 



YOUR correspondent AY. N. has 

 properly observed, that accidental 

 fires are particularly dreadful in great 

 and opulent cities; and that the slightest 

 hint which might tend to their preven- 

 tion, or speedy extinction, ought to be 

 listened to by the public with candor 

 and attention. The destruction of opn- 

 lent wareiiouses, however, and expen- 

 sive furniture, is not uppermost in my 

 mind, when I think on such calamitous 

 «vents. How often, of late, have hu- 

 man creatures been victims of the flames. 

 Who, in particular, that has heard of 

 the miserable fate of Mr. Slack, of 

 Kentish-Town, will ever be able to erase 

 it from their memory ? 



In their active endeavours to extin- 

 guish fires, neither W. N. nor Mr. Red- 

 grave imputes to the firemen the fault 

 of delay, (see Monthly Mag. for Jan. 

 and Feb.) The speed with which men, 

 horses, and engines, are brought toge- 

 ther and forwarded to their destination, 

 is as much to be admired, as the delay 

 generally experienced in procuring 

 water is unaccountable: although (as 

 water is always at hand,) it ought never 

 to be a difficult or tedious operation. 

 An investigation of this grievance ought 

 immediately to take place by a com- 

 mittee from tiie several fire-offices, and 

 some more easy methods of access to 

 the water, and of its more speedy intro- 

 duction to the engines, should be de- 

 vised. That there may be no time 

 spent in searching for turncocks, the fire- 

 men shoulil bring instruments along 

 with them to open the conduits, and be 

 instructed and practised at leisure times 

 liow to use them with dexterity, and 

 where, without hesitation, to find the 

 openings. The engines, too, should be 

 so constructed as to be always filled 

 with water, which, with the assistance 

 of the neighljourhood, would prevent 

 the smallest delay till the usual supplies 

 are procured. I would advise, also, 

 that, on the engine he fi.\cd, u couple 



19 



of ladders, capable of being instantly 

 jointed together, which, on some occa- 

 sions, may assist the engineer to direct 

 the water to the particular corner wliere 

 the fire rages. A gnatuity of five shil- 

 lings to each of the men who first cause 

 their engine to play, and half-a-crown 

 to the second, would be a prodigious 

 stimulus to exertion. 



But, notwithstanding the utmost pos- 

 sible celeiitj', so many various opera- 

 tions cannot be accomplished in less 

 time than twenty minutes,- — a space suffi- 

 cient for the fire so to establish itself, as 

 for the most part to decide, at Icrst, 

 the fate of the building where it oiigi- 

 nated. During this precious interval, 

 the neighbourhood should exert them- 

 selves to retard, or to crush, the infant 

 flame. If approachable, a small degree 

 of personal effort will, at the beghmiiig, 

 be more efficacious than the most pow- 

 erful machinery a few minutes after- 

 wards. W. N. properly reprobates the 

 infatuation of the Londoners in ima- 

 gining, that nothing can be done with- 

 out the engines. A fire lately took place 

 in the house of a friend of mine, in the 

 Haekney-road, among a parcel of cloaf ha 

 m the bottom of a cupboard. Amid 

 the confusion and alarm, and screaming 

 of women, he could think of nothing 

 better than to save his effects. In the 

 mean time, he was soon surrounded 

 widi an idle gaping mob, whose only 

 use was to encumber him, as their only 

 intention appeared to be to gratify them- 

 selves with a spectacle. A waggoner 

 fiom the next public-house was seen 

 pushing forward among the crowd with 

 a couple of pails of water; he called out 

 to follow him with more, and, by the 

 opportune and proper application of a 

 few pails of water, the half-smothered 

 fljimc was subdued before it had seized 

 the larger timbers, and the whole build- 

 ing rescued from inevitable destruction. 

 The engines were soon henrd rattling 

 along, some in a quarter, others in an 

 half hour, but the fortunate interposition 

 of the countryman m as of more value 

 than them all. In the metropolis, we 

 j)ay dearly for our security against fire ; 

 a sum is annually drawn from us fortius 

 purpose four times greater *"'an all the 

 damages which it occasions. Every 

 project, therefore, which promises to be 

 useful, ought, without scruple, to he 

 adopted. If Cajitain Maiiby's antiphlo- 

 gislic fluid be not very expensive, every 

 engine should be loaded with it ; and, if 

 directed to the proper place, and not 

 i) 3 tlirovrn 



