a Public Institution. 747 



When we consider that arts and manufactures of 

 every kind depend, directly or indirectly, on operations 

 in which fire is employed, and that almost every com- 

 fort and convenience which man by his ingenuity pro- 

 cures for himself, is obtained by its assistance, we cannot 

 doubt of its utility; and when we recollect that the 

 fuel consumed in these kingdoms costs annually more 

 than ten millions sterling, the great importance of every 

 improvement that can be made in the management of 

 fire must be quite evident. 



To me, who am perfectly persuaded that much more 

 than half the fuel that is consumed might ver^^ easily 

 be saved, the subject must of necessity appear very 

 interesting ; and on that ground I hope to be excused 

 if I have dwelt upon it too long. 



It may perhaps be not altogether uninteresting to 

 those to whom I now more particularly address my- 

 self, to be made acquainted with the history of these 

 Proposals, and of the causes which gave rise to 

 them. 



Having long been in a habit of considering all useful 

 improvements as being purely mechanical, or as depend- 

 ing on the perfection of machinery, and address in the 

 management of it, and of considering profit (which 

 depends much on the perfection of machinery) as the 

 only incitement to industry, I was naturally led to med- 

 itate on the means that might be employed with advan- 

 tage to diffuse the knowledge, and facilitate the general 

 introduction, of such improvements ; and the plan which 

 is now submitted to the public was the result of these 

 investigations. 



In the beginning of the year 1796 I gave a faint 

 sketch of this plan in my second Essay ; but, being 



