Electric Fire Alarms. 55 



perhaps, than I have explained it ; although it may appear 

 complicated, those conversant with circuits will perceive that 

 it is not so. The advantages it may possess are economy of 

 construction, automatic action, avoidance of mechanism, and 

 facility of communicating through the boxes to district stations 

 on the same line. The close circuit system also possesses an 

 advantage of giving an alarm at once should either the lines, 

 batteries, &c, be out of order. I may state that the plan of 

 breaking the glass in the alarm box appears to meet with 

 favour in places where it has been tried; it avoids the delay 

 of seeking for a key. There is little liability of false alarms 

 being given; few people out of mischief would break the glass, 

 as it could scarcely be done without attracting notice. The 

 subject of fire alarms and the necessity of adopting them is 

 engaging the attention of most places that are not already pro- 

 vided with a system. Organisations for the extinction of fires 

 are either a necessity or otherwise. Few people doubt the 

 necessity; hence the establishment of fire brigades in all parts 

 of the world. Having, then, admitted that we require fire 

 brigades, is it not reasonable to ask that they shall be in as 

 perfect a state as possible for the extinction of fires ? 



Many years ago, before the water-supply system existed in 

 Melbourne, water-carts were employed to bring water to a 

 fire. Would such a course be tolerated at the present time ? 

 and why not ? Simply because the present means enable the 

 brigades to obtain a supply of water quickly and in quantity, 

 and thus they are enabled to prevent a large amount of 

 property being destroyed. But the early intimation of a fire 

 to the fire station is a matter of as much importance as the 

 water supply. I believe most authorities agree that the 

 first few moments at the outbreak of a fire are the most 

 important. Yet, how is such intimation given in Melbourne ? 

 Either by cab or messenger, or by the man in the look-out 

 tower, but who cannot be aware of it until after it has actually 

 broken through the building. As before mentioned, America 

 possesses the most perfect system in the world. They were 

 the first to grasp the great aid that the telegraph lines 

 afforded them for this purpose. Fire alarms have been in 

 use there for over twenty years. In New York alone there 

 are nine hundred fire-alarm boxes ; whilst every small town, 

 of even five thousand inhabitants, has established a system 

 of some kind. Other countries soon followed America's 

 example ; but it is only within the last couple of years that 

 England saw the necessity of their use, and they are only 

 now in an experimental stage. 



