290 Of securing houses and their inhabitants from fire, 
Arr. V.—Of securing houses and their inhabitants from fire, and 
of obtaining supplies of water and of warm air. 
INTRODUCTORY LETTER TO PROF. SILLIMAN. 
Sir—The respectable person to whom the following letter and 
postscript have been anonymously addressed, having, through a com- 
mon friend, assented to the transmission of them to you, in order to 
be placed in the American Journal of Science and Arts, of which 
you are the Editor; they are now forwarded for that purpose, nearly 
in their original dress, except as to a few verbal alterations. An 
addition, however, has been made, of some amount, under the name 
of a supplement; which, from want of opportunity, has not been 
submitted to the same critical inspection; but which, nevertheless, L 
feel authorized to annex, after having made this statement on, the 
su ject. I am, sir, yours respectfully, ——_ ———. 
Hon. W. J. Duane, Setaty of the Treasury, Washington. 
July 31, 1833. 
Sir—Having noticed the accounts given to the public respecting 
the conflagration which lately took place in a portion of the buildings 
at Washington assigned to. yourself, officially, as Secretary of the 
Treasury for the United States, various reflections have since occur- 
red to me, on the subject of the conflagration of buildings which are 
inhabited, and on other connected circumstances. I presume, Sir, to 
submit some of these reflections to your consideration, through the 
medium of a friend, in the form of a letter. Should any statements 
or suggestions seem to require explanation, the use of the same chan- 
nel will produce areply. As I am anxious to live as a retired per- 
son, my friend is desired not to name me to you, a request with which 
he will doubtless comply. 
My letter will first touch upon some peneral points, whish respect 
the securing of inhabited buildings from fire, and will then proceed 
to some mncelins eous remarks; and be followed by a postscript, con- 
taining some incidental matters, which could not conveniently be in- 
troduced in the body of the letter. 
1. For the prevention of injury by fire among houses, I may re- 
late, that when I was once sitting alone with Dr. Franklin, over the 
embers of his hearth, he took occasion to remark upon the great 
