Years. From 1st Showing the number of Fires which have occurred in each Year since the Establishment of the Fire-engine Corps. The total loss this year was a boat builder's shed on the banks of the Canal. The total loss this year was a wright's shop, built of wood, value, with contents, under L.50. The total loss here stated was a smith's shop, built of wood, which, with contents, did not exceeed L.30 in value. In examining the above Table, it will be observed, that serious fires decrease as the number of alarms increase. The cause of so many alarms in 1828-29 was, that a considerable number of fires having been observed to arise from foul chimneys, the firemen were sent to every one from which the slightest danger was apprehended. The number of houses, shops, and assessable places, within the bounds of Police, is 29,000, including every place which pays a separate rent, although there are sometimes several of these under one roof. The average of fires for the above five years is about 105, inclusive of such cases of foul chimneys as have been considered dangerous; being one fire to each 276 houses. In Paris, from an average of 20 years, it is found that 540 fires happen annually, and as the number of houses is supposed to be 26,000, this gives rather more than 2 fires per 100 houses. Owing, however, to the promptitude and efficiency of the corps of Sappeurs Pompiers, the amount of loss is computed to be so small as 1-23,000 of the whole, or about the value of one house burned out of 500 which catch fire. Observations. 1 The following extract, from a letter of Sir Patrick Walker's in the Scots Magazine of 1814, No 9, is inserted to show, that the necessity for an organised fire-engine establishment has been long felt here it contains, moreover, many judicious remarks on the bad consequences which arise from the imperfect way in which engines and firemen are generally brought forward on occasions of fire in most towns in this country: "I happened to be one of those who took an active part in endeavouring to arrest the progress of the late destructive fire at Bishop's Land, High Street, a circumstance I mention merely, as it enabled me to remark the misfortune attending a total absence of combined and connected aid, which must often render abortive all exertions, or at least expend unnecessarily the labour of many individuals, whose anxious and philanthropic zeal leads them, on such occasions, to exert themselves freely, not without danger. "Under this impression, allow me to state a general view of the chief defects to which I have been a witness, in the means of assistance used in cases of fire, with a few hints at their improvement, for the consideration of those better qualified to judge than I can pretend to be. "The first and chief one originates in having Company Engines, which creates a degree of jealousy among the men who work them, that, I lament to say, seems, for most part, to increase with the fury of the flames; and at the moment when all success depends upon a union of their efforts, then are they the most discordant. The other night exemplified the truth of this in a most marked degree. A premium, no doubt, adds to the inducement to hasten forward the engines; but that is a small part of the business, for you have soon many more engines than you require, or have water for; and in place of two or three well supplied, according to the circumstances of the case, you have a whole dozen of them running counter to, and depriving each other of the requisite supply of water, much of which is not only consequently wasted, but perhaps also no engine has a sufficient supply to enable it to work with effect; of course, the exertion of all is diminished, and the character of a good engine too often lost. "The most effectual remedy is to abolish all names, or marks, that distinguish company engines, and form the whole into one body upon military principles a regiment, as it were, would be formed of firemen, and the men, as in companies, would be attched to the different engines, which would be, like them, numbered. The men of each company, or engine, classed according to their individual qualifications under intelligent men as non-commissioned officers, so as to form a regular gradation and chain of responsibility, from the highest to the lowest, would enable you to work an engine with all the regularity of a piece of artillery, and men could be easily detached on particular services, such as to strengthen the operations of a particular engine, &c. as occasion might require: thus a great and combined effect would at once be given to the whole, in a way that must ensure success, and prevent accidents. "The second evil is the waste of water occasioned by hand-carrying, which of itself creates a great confusion. If the remedy above suggested is adopted, this will, as a subordinate part of it, be at the same time remedied; for the combined interest of the whole will lead the firemen to join their united pipes to the fire-cock, which is often beyond the reach of those of any individual engine, and, of consequence, a more regular supply of water will, without waste or confusion, be brought to the point of action, and be distributed, under the direction of the superintending officer, to such engines as he may judge most serviceable, either from superiority in their equipment or their position." List of Articles belonging to the Edinburgh Fire-Engine Establishment, January, 1830. THREE 7-inch barrel-engines, something similar to but larger than the one shown in plates 1, 2, 3, and 4. Four 5-inch barrel-engines, with their carriages, as in plate 5. One 24-inch ditto, used as a proving-pump for leather hose. Six Hand-engines, (these are of no use at fires.) Two large water-carts. Eight tanks, as in plate 7, figs. 1 and 2. Three suction-tubs with carriages, see These are seldom wanted since the number of fire cocks has been augmented. plate 7, figs. 3 and 4. One spare pair of wheels for 5-inch barrel-engines. Eleven distributors, see plate 6, fig. 2. Sixteen directors or jet-pipes, see plate 4, fig. 2. Two spare nozzles. 155 canvass buckets. Eight tin ditto. Eight 8-feet ladders. Two 14-feet ditto. One triangle, as in plate 8, fig. 2. Twenty keys for fire-cock doors, see plate 6, fig. 3. Twelve pickers for ditto, see plate 6, fig. 4. Thirteen pair of wrenches for coupling-joints of hose, plate 4, figs. 3 and 4. Six crow-bars. Six turn-screws. One steel cross-bow. Two wooden cones, with eight cords and bullets. Eight 80-feet lines. Four 50-feet ditto. One 4-inch rope, 130 feet. 1860 lineal feet of rivetted hose, in 47 coils or lengths. Forty feet ditto of sewed ditto, in 1 ditto ditto. Forty-eight feet of suction-pipe, in 8 lengths. Fifty-six pair of coupling-joints, attached to the above, plate 4, fig. 4. Twenty-two pair of spare ditto. Twenty-five rolls of sheep-skins. Smiths' vice, hammers, saws, and tools of different descriptions for repairing the above; also a greasing table, stove, gymnastic ropes, poles, tackle for drying hose, &c. Two silver-mounted helmets for Master of Fire-engines. Eighty brass-mounted helmets for firemen, plate 6, fig. 5. 134 pair trowsers for ditto. Eighty waist-belts with brass buckles. 76 21-inch fire-cocks, see plate 6, fig. 1. 56 2-inch ditto. 30 14-inch ditto. 1 1-inch ditto. 163 in all, attached to the Water Company's mains, with iron doors, covers, &c. Two spare fire-cocks for repairs. Four spare firecock doors with cast-iron frames. |