68 TECHNOLOGY. 
boiler; c, the cinder-box: in order to produce a rapid combustion, a blow- 
ing apparatus is contained in the box n, which may be worked either by 
the engine or by hand; m is the boiler-pump; w, the mercurial gauge ; 
u, the escape-pipe; wv is the coke-box, serving also as a platform for the fire- 
man. ‘The steam-cylinder has 7 inches diameter, the length of stroke is 
16 inches, and the number of strokes 35 to 45 per minute. The parts 
belonging to the fire-engine proper are the air-chamber 7, connected by the 
pipe s with the cylinder of the pump g, of 6% inches diameter: g is a 
suction-pipe or hose which supplies water from a reservoir; or if water 
cannot be procured in that way, it is supplied by other engines to the water- 
box. This engine can throw four streams at once, if required. In Berlin 
there is one of the kind described, with 10-inch double-acting cylinders and 
15 horse-power. 
Having treated at length of fire-engines, this may be the proper place to 
add a few words on other means and apparatus employed to save persons 
and property in case of fire. 
In all large cities there are regularly organized fire-companies, who are 
always ready to act when the alarm is given. In France the corps of fire- 
men have a military organization under the name of Sappeurs Pomprers. 
One third of each company is always on duty, while another third is in 
reserve, and only the remaining third is off duty. Those on duty are 
engaged in patrolling through their districts, to give the alarm in case of 
fire. Their dress uniform is very tasteful; 1, L, mM, and n (pl. 14, jig. 28) 
are parts of the accoutrement of a pompier; x is the hat of an officer. The 
working-dress of course is very different; one of the main pieces is the 
casque, H (jig. 29), which protects the head against falling bodies. 72g. 27 
represents a fireman in a safety-dress of leather, with a thick glass-plate 
before the face, by which he is enabled to enter burning rooms, the dress 
being well wetted before. 
Among the apparatus used by firemen we notice the hook-ladders, a 
( figs. 28 and 29), by means of which the upper stories of buildings can be 
reached when the stairs are already on fire, the ladders being hooked 
successively on the window-sills of the several stories. It requires some art 
and practice to scale these ladders, which of course are nearly in a vertical 
position, and persons who are to be saved from the higher stories cannot be 
expected to descend by them; for such the fireman carries with him a long 
bag of leather or strong twill, 8, which reaches to the ground and is held 
away from the house at the lower end by several persons; through this 
persons are sent down, sliding rapidly down the inclined bag, and are 
caught up below in a horizontal position. The hose, p, accompanies the 
fireman everywhere ; a short folding ladder, 5, an axe, eg, and a bucket, F, 
also belong to his equipment. Among the larger apparatus designed for 
rescuing persons and property from burning houses one of the best is that 
represented in pl. 14, jig. 25 being a side view, and jig. 26 a front view; 
the former represents the machine when entirely raised, the latter while it 
is partially elevated. Like all other machines of the kind, it can only be 
used in cases where time and room admit of it, as it can be raised but 
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