306 LETTEES ON NATURAL MAGIC. 



power. The Chevalier Aldini conceived the idea 

 of applying the same material, in combination 

 with other badly conducting substances, as a 

 protection against fire. The incombustible pieces 

 of dress which he uses for the body, arms, and 

 legs, are formed out of strong cloth, which has 

 been steeped in a solution of alum, while those 

 for the head, hands, and feet, are made of cloth 

 of asbestos or amianthus. The head-dress is a 

 large cap which envelops the whole head down 

 to the neck, having suitable perforations for the 

 eyes, nose, and mouth. The stockings and cap 

 are single, but the gloves are made of double 

 amianthus cloth, to enable the fireman to take 

 into his hand burning or red hot bodies. The 

 piece of ancient asbestos cloth preserved in the 

 Vatican was formed, we believe, by mixing the 

 asbestos with other fibrous substances ; but M. 

 Aldini has executed a piece of nearly the same 

 size, nine feet five inches long and five feet three 

 inches wide, which is much stronger than the 

 ancient piece, and possesses superior qualities, in 

 consequence of having been woven without the 

 introduction of any foreign substance. In this 

 manufacture the fibres are prevented from break- 

 ing by the action of steam, the cloth is made 

 loose in its fabric, and the threads are about the 

 fiftieth of an inch in diameter. 



The metallic dress which is superadded to these 

 means of defence consists of five principal pieces, 

 viz. a casque or cap, with a mask large enough to 

 leave a proper space between it and the asbestos 

 cap ; a cuirass with its brassets ; a piece of armour 

 for the trunk and thighs ; a pair of boots of double 

 wire-gauze ; and an oval shield 5 feet long by 2* 



