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98 E Protection of Persons from Fire. 
rebuilt by the insurers, for em benefit of his heirs, alter this same 
house shall have become his to: 
Humane societies have eg formed in numerous places for the 
restoration of persons from drowning and suffocation, and premiums 
ave been awarded to those who have in such cases adventured bold- 
ly in defence of life; but how much more complete would be the sat- 
isfaction, if to the means of recovery used on those occasions could 
be added a new and more effectual safeguard against death by fire. 
With this hamane object in view, the author has declined any reeourse 
to the privileges of a patent, but cherishes the hope that his expedi- 
ents will be approved and adopted by all enlightened nations. 
The corps of firemen in France, (sapeurs-pompiers,) by the mili- 
tary precision of its organization and discipline, has furnished a model 
for that of Milan, Naples, Florence, Bologna and Pavia. At Rome 
they preserve the ancient name of Vigils, given to this corps by 
Augustus, who in the year 759 of the foundation of Rome, not satis- 
with the nocturnal triumvirs, whose principal duty from the time 
of the Republic had been to watch over conflagrations, created a co- 
hort especially destined to arrest the ravages of fire. 
It gives us much satisfaction to find, by the appendices to the volume, 
which contain several reports, from committees of learned societies, 
on the inventions of Chev. Aldini, as well as by direct information from 
our correspondents, that he has received flattering testinronials of ap- 
probation from various quarters; among which may be mentioned 
gold medals from the Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce 
of London, from the government of Milan, and from the court of 
Rome; and the Grand Duke of Tusceany, who has taken a particu- 
lar interest in these discoveries, presented the author with a rich snuft 
box of gold, with his cipher set in brilliants. But the most substan- . 
tial acknowledgment is from the Royal Institute of France, which 
decreed to him, on the 30th of May last, the Monthyon hse of 
eight thousand francs. 
Our author divides his book into twelve chapters. These we shall 
take up sertatim, and give an abstract of all their most useful contents: 
Cuap. I. is on the use of maille or mesh-work, of metallic gauze, 
and of substances which are non-conductors of electricity. 
The author cites various experiments demonstrative of that prop- 
erty of metallic gauze, discovered by Sir H. Davy, which causes it 
to resist the passage of heat and preserve from combustion the most 
