and of obtaining supplies of water and of warm air. 293 
under the consideration of Mr. Bulfinch, the late national architect, 
with this view.—This resource, however, in order to be complete, 
should be accompanied with some very large syringes, for throwing 
water with precision, force and dispatch, into every quarter where 
water shall be requisite in case of fire.—It will be advisable also to 
attach, permanently, to every large edifice a very small fire-engine 3 
and Mr. S. V. Merrick, of Philadelphia, has furnished such for only 
one hundred dollars each; a hundred feet of hose, (of a proportion- 
ate small diameter,) being added ata separate, but moderate, ex- 
pense. One of these little engines has, under my own eye, been 
found to be particularly useful, as being quickly brought forth for 
use, and very readily managed ; and it serves both for extinguishing 
fires at their earliest commencement, and also for keeping buildings 
wetted on their outsides, when exposed to the action of flames raging 
in a neighboring building. ‘The small size and small weight of this 
engine will admit also of its being carried into court-yards, alleys 
and lower rooms; and it may even be hoisted into any of the win- 
dows of an upper floor, properly prepared beforehand for receiving 
it. In all cases, the use of one of these little engines will prevent 
the breaking up of the lines of persons who are occupied in handing 
buckets for the supply of the larger fire-engines, which ought to be 
occupied at great fires on more serious objects.*—More will be said 
in the postscript on the subject of cisterns and reservoirs for holding 
water to be used for the above purpose, particularly as derived from 
rain, (whether collected from the roofs of buildings or otherwise.) 
* The following addition pit: be considered as a note, in this place, to the original 
communication. 
vasagip amma ia of various kinds have been made for supplying fire-engines with 
water. Sometimes, for example, pipes filled with water are laid under the pave- 
ment of the aii and in mountainous countries open aqueducts are provided, 
fi ich, at fires, little pools of water are for in the streets; each engine 
cisterns from rain water, placed in the upper part of a building, be always to be 
despised, whether as regards economy or convenience. 
