sso] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1990. 
the cuftos brevium, and fome of 
them covered with fail-cloth pitch- 
ed; the fmoke-of one of the chim- 
nies is conveyed by a flight tin fun- 
nel, and, as well as the flues, are 
near the windows of Weftminfter- 
hall, of the towers, and of the court 
of exchequer. 
Next to St. Margaret’s-ftreet, and 
adjoining fouthward to the old brick 
building before- mentioned, is a 
building of the fame kind, contain- 
ing the tally office, being a depofi- 
tary for the tallies belonging to the 
exchequer. Adjoining fouthward 
thereto is the coach-houfe for the 
judges, a flight tumber-building, co- 
vered with tiles. 
The ftone building next St. Mar- 
garet-ftreet, comprizing commit- 
tee-rooms, and other apartments oc- 
cupied by officers of the houfe of 
commons, cuftos brevium of the court 
of king’s bench, and the exchequer 
bill office, is of recent date, and 
very fubftantial. Behind that build- 
ing, and contiguous to Weftmintter- 
hall, are the court of common pleas, 
judges chambers, and record office, 
which are in tolerably good condi- 
tion; to them are annexed fundry 
excrefcences, moftly of timber, which 
fhould be removed, as they increafe 
the danger of fire and its communi- 
cation. 
The court of requefts is m itfelf 
a fecure fubftantial building, buat 
communicates with, and isfurround- 
ed on the fouth and weft by, a va- 
ficty of houfes, which are private 
property, part of them timber; 
which muft very much endanger the 
whole as long as they remain. 
We beg leave to fubmit-to’ this 
bkonourable committee, that, from the 
very circumftantial detail we have 
entered into of the ftate of the va- 
rious parts of the buildings which 
the committee requefted we might 
examine, it is almoft fuperfluous and 
unneceflary to declare our unani- 
mous opinion, that the hazard they 
have been, and ftill are, expofed to 
from fire, are fo great, that we can- 
not help being aftonifhed at their 
having fo long and fo shappily 
efcaped (with but one late and for- 
tunate exception) from the moft 
imminent danger. Unprotected by 
walls of either brick or ftone, con- 
nected and joined together by board- 
ed or Jath and plaiftered partitions ; 
with iron bars to defend the win- 
dows of the moft confequential of- 
fices, which ferve to attraét the 
lightaing, to the deftruétion of their 
valuable contents, with funnels and 
chimnies running into old decayed 
piers, in the very bofom of thefe 
combuftible materials, in many of 
which fire from a negleéted chim- 
ney might confume the whole; with- 
out the poffibility of bringing fuf- 
ficient water to extinguifh the flames, 
fuch aid being hitherto overlooked, 
or deemed unneceflary, and not 
more than one engine kept near the 
moft effential offices in this king- 
dom. All which is hambly fub- 
mitted. 
Rost. ApamM, 
Geo. Dance, 
J. P. CockERELL, 
H. Hotianv, 
Joun YENN, 
Joun Soane, 
Rost. BROWNE, 
Tuo. TILDESLEY, 
Jounx Woo.re, Jun. 
R. Apam, for R. Myiwne. 
Tuos. FuLLinG, 
Cua. Avex. Crare, 
James WyYArr. 
goth July, 
1789: ; 
Particulars 
