28S On extinguishing of Fires in Buildings. 



moisture, and thereby fall to powder. This, after sifting and 

 being mixed with water, when thrown on fire will be found almost 

 instantly to extinguish the flame. Indeed it has come under my 

 notice more than once, that water impregnated with only the 

 quantity of lime that it is capable of holding in solution, always 

 had a very increased effect in extinguishing fire ; for, at a fire 

 that recently occurred, it was observed, that if any burning piece 

 of wood was extinguished thereby, it would not rekindle. Since 

 such was the effect of lime-water, which contains so small a 

 quantity of lime, will it not immediately put out flame, when 

 the lime is thrown in a larger body with the water? and will not 

 each engine be enabled to throw its water a much greater distance, 

 as its density will be much increased by the mixture of either of 

 the foregoing substances ? 



If the dust of the turnpike roads was collected, and sifted 

 from its grosser particles and kept for use, it would be found of 

 great benefit ; because, most stones that are used on the roads 

 being of a limestone nature, the dust of them when thrown on 

 the fire will become lime, and consequently have much the same 

 effect. There is moreover a considerable advantage in the ease 

 with which it may be procured*. 



To show the utility of mixing something uninflammable with 

 the water, I need only mention, that, at a fire at which I once 

 assisted, it was observed, that one of the engines operated much 

 more powerfully than either of the others ; and wherever it* 

 water came, the flames appeared to be almost instantaneously 

 subdued, whilst the other engines often seemed rather to be in- 

 creasing than diminishing them. Upon inquiry I found that this 

 efficient engine was supplied with the waste water that was spilled 

 in the street, which vvas afterwards taken up in buckets, water 

 and dirt together, and thrown into this engine. Is it not there- 

 fore reasonable to conclude, that the superiority of it was from 

 the mud being for the most part uninflammable ? 



Besides making each engine carry a reasonable quantity of 

 clay, &c. it might be adviseable, that each watch-house or other 

 convenient places should be provided with a sack or two. Were 

 this done, no fire could possibly take place in any part of a city, 

 without some clay, &c. being at hand, always in a state fit for 

 usef. I s™j ^'c. 



Bristol, Feb. 21, 1818. JoHN MooRE. 



• Where lime forms the principal ingredient in the materials employed 

 for makiig and repairing the highways j the road-dust, as suggested by the 

 author, night answer very well ; but where siliceous ingred.ents form a 

 portion of the materials, such dust would grind the pump-work of the en- 

 gitees to pieces in a very short time. Edit. 



f Mr. Moore's communicatioa also contcuned some hints for extinguish- 



XLIX. On 



