52 
NOTES ON FIRE INSURANCE MARKS. 
they were and are actually in possession of part of that building for 
their Offices. The device of the Greyhound on the summit of the 
building, the Badge of the King’s messengers, the gazehound as it 
would have been called then, keen of sight and discrimination, 
silent of tongue (no Greyhound utters a sound when out on 
business) a very embodiment of speed, possibly a delicate hint of 
the quick settlement of claims. 
The second Norwich Union Plate has much interest which 
largely disappears in a plain commercialism of later issues ; the 
central idea of justice, the Victor’s Wreath of bay leaves, the firm 
hand grip of friendship between, I suppose, the Insurers and the 
Insured, the Cornucopias ready to satisy all claims, and the 
circular form of the device signifying that here are no loose ends. 
The details of design in many other plates are an extremely 
interesting study. 
A progressive economy of lead is noticeable in each succeeding 
issue. As the Offices became better known there was less need to 
advertise so conspicuously. An early Scottish Fire Mark weighed 
g lbs. 
The Officers of the earlier Companies were specially protected 
from compulsory service to the State. There is a Crown Charter 
in the British Museum dated 1708 in which it states,“Care will be 
taken to obtain protections of the Government to keep the 
Exchange house men from being impressed or otherwise molested 
in their business.” 
Now, as to the uses of these Fire Marks : 
First, the Companies originally each had their own Fire Brigade, 
and their services were confined to property insured in their own 
Office ; consequently, in the event of a fire, upon a Brigade's 
arrival on the scene if they did not see their own Mark on the 
building involved, and there appeared no chance of the fire spread¬ 
ing to any building in which they were interested, they just went 
home again. 
The Firemen and Watermen employed by each Company wore 
Badges on their arm, both to shew their right to act for that 
Company and for protection against the Press Gang. Further, 
before the existence of the present day Survey Department, the 
messenger or fireman of the Company who affixed the Mark would 
be able to verify the statements of the assured, and ascertain more 
certainly that the building proposed for Insurance was actually 
there ; and the Regulations of the early Companies stated that “to 
