10 



of smoke, it is advisable to go on the 

 hands and knees, as there, will nearly 

 always be a current of pure air close 

 to the floor, and as far as practicable 

 the man who goes first should have 

 both hands free, and the second man 

 should be the one to carry the branch ; 

 and here it may be well to add, that 

 under ordinary circumstances, no man 

 should ever proceed alone into a room 

 on Fire or full of smoke. 



Having approached the Fire and 

 seen what is actually burning, the 

 next thing will be to pour on the 

 water in a sustained and steady 

 stream, and with the utmost possible 

 force. The resistance of the atmos- 

 phere to a stream of water passing 

 through it being very considerable, 

 it is obvious that this object will be 

 most effectually attained by carrying 

 the branch as near as possible to the 

 Fire, and thus diminishing the length of 

 the stream exposed to this obstruction. 



Fire is extinguished by water, only 

 when the latter is poured on so 

 rapidly and in such abundant quanti- 

 ties as to form a coating or layer over 

 the burning materials, and thus ex- 

 clude the supply of fresh air, without 

 which Fire cannot exist ; and, if the 

 stream be not sufficiently sustained 

 and rapid to effect this purpose, it 

 will be of little avail in attaining the 

 desired object, that of extinguishing 

 the Fire. It must therefore always 

 be remembered that the branches 

 should be advanced as far as possible, 

 in order that the water should strike 

 the burning mass with the greatest 

 possible force. 



