Fire-escapes 
doped rarely 
Fixed. 
couple, he strikes the woman repeatedly round the 
eee ichthe husband's breeches, r to 
be fruitful, and to furnish him with heirs of his own 
body. In some places, a practice rese the bun- 
i of the Americans, is ssid. to aot in the 
to and among the peasantry inland, a 
cupudences the utmost kindness and hospitality. fie 
is always treated as the first person in the company, 
and every endeavour Is made to consult his taste and 
gratify his feelings. Even Bp oe be yr inhabi- 
tants of the towns, a strange rather startling mode 
of testifying satisfaction with a visitor, is practised by 
the ladies, who, as soon as the entertainment is conclu- 
ded, give him a slap upon the back when he is least 
ing it; and the more forcible the application of 
the ihe tangee ie he Slee good will. 
The peasants display great disinterestedness in their 
services to strangers, and can seldom be induced, with- 
out considerable importunity, to accept a pecumary 
remuneration for any occasional assistance, which they 
may have rendered. See Coxe's 7: ravels in Russia, §c. ; 
Acerbi’s Travels in Sweden, &c. ; Wraxal’s Tour round 
the Baltic; Swinton’s Travels into Norway, Sc. 3 Clarke’s 
Travels, vol. i. (9) 
FIRE-Eecarss are machines for enabling persons to 
descend from the windows of a house when it is on 
fire, and when the stair-case and are so filled 
with the flame or smoke, as pt geen a retreat by 
the ordinary avenues: Some of these machines are 
contrived to convey down valuable goods as well as 
le. 
ey ee who is awakened from a profi os 
by the flames of a fire, which has already made su 
progress as to cut off all retreat, has no other alterna- 
tive than leaping from a window, of great 
taaight, co peneieen hy, So Sane his is a situation 
so |, as to d every exertion of ingenuity, 
and every regulation of the which can contri~ 
bute to the relief of the Frequently as this 
y is repeated in London, every new instance 
a lively impression on the public mind, and 
fails to give rise to the invention of some new 
Jfrre-escape; yet still we do ergy apa adopted 
po mapege , as toremedy the evil. This may be owing, 
ei to the inefficiency of the a patie or to the 
lect of the istracy to provide a proper number. 
oT fachines for th P are of two different kinds, 
first, those which are mtended to operate from the 
street below, and can be quickly erected to communi- 
cate with any window : OF this kind are ladders, and 
poles with pullies and ropes to draw up_a_ basket, also 
a variety of curious and complicated machines or ele« 
yators ; of course all such machines must be kept at the 
public expence, for the service of a whole parish, in 
the same manner as fire-engines, and must be made 
to remove very readily. The other kinds of fire- 
escapes are those which can be fixed to a window, and 
allow the unfortunate sufferer to descend safely into 
the street. Machines of this kind are intended to be 
in the bed-rooms of the house; and each house 
must be provided with one at least, to render the con- 
trivance generally effective. Both kinds have their in- 
conveniences ; first, from the difficulty of con- 
veying them with dispatch from the places where they 
are deposited, to the situation where they are to act: 
This objection they have in common with fire-en- 
gives but it is here more sensibly felt, because the 
fire-escapes which have been made, are but very few 
in number; nor can it indeed be expected that they 
lice, 
ferer. 
FIRE-ESCAPES. 
will be unless parishes were 
obliged by law to keep fire-escapes as well as fire- < ~, 
sondh ton’ ; 7 
Oat to both. case the same regulations might be 
At nents fe eee towns, Fire-lad 
fire-ladders are kept in every church-yard, for the ser- ders. 
vice of any fire which may happen within a reasonable 
distance. This regulation is in a great measure render- 
ed useless from inattention in the keeping 
2a ee ee 
removed. is 
clerk of the parish ; but the nearest watchman, or every 
procure the key until too late. 
We have seen, some years ago, a long ladder, 
vided with a 5 adv hoeakaj witch arene takedial 
axletree a’ to the lower end of the ladder, with- 
in about three feet of the extremity. A weight was 
Re RE. RT ER NR 
muc its weight, t one man, by treading 
the lower end, could elevate it upon the axle of the 
wheels ; but when raised to about an 
grees, the end of the ladder touched the ground, 
and 
> therefore if it was elevated more than that, the wheels: 
were born off the 
port itself i 
This simple addition of wheels to a fire-ladder is 
great advantage, not less in conveying it to the 
in rearing it, which is always a work of mu 
bour, and those who are unused to it, of 
rea 
E 
difficulty. With the wheels, ing is more easy, the 
weight scshelennt json heosioleenioarade ane 
Le ee tor otaid aia cae 
at utmost, can walk qui Ww 
ing’ longer onthe shoulders fom the difiaiy 
ing exactly equal paces. The length of the 
ladder should be from 25 to 30 feet, according to the 
kinds of houses in the neighbourhood ee 
This simple contrivance to us of more 
utility than any other which we have seen: 
z 
i 
roposed, Amidst the number of ingenious, 
plicated machines, which have been rewarded and : 
t 
that a sufficient number of fire-ladders, thus mounted, 
and as the ladders now are in the church-yards, 
would be the most effective provision that could be 
made against accidents of this nature. As we are not’ 
al without hopes of seeing this arrangement 
adopted, we shall add a few words on the best and most. 
economical method of constructing such ine ; be- 
cause when great numbers are requi ee 
is an object of attention. The two spars of the r 
may be formed out of a clean piece of fir, such as i 
used for masts and oars. Each should be about 
inches by three at the lower end, and 
ing up to three by two at the other; now; 
are much weakened by the holes bared through 
for the rounds or steps, we propose to use 
pean and at yer ii the 
render them more strong, For this purpose, 
be divided fom the middle $9 within thres ox 4 
of each of its ends, by a saw-kerf, made in the 
cawok hi: 7 
i 
Hin 
; 
it 
: 
; 
tion. 
Pro- Ladder wi 
an wheels, 
ape ih = a te 
_ Construce 
4 
| 
: 
: 
Poe 
