The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-12 00:00:00

Annual Return of Fires and Lives Saved.

On Saturday Captain Shaw and Mr. Sampson
Low, of the Royal Society for the Protection of
Life from Fire, produced their annual reports,
which were laid before the committees of the Lon-
don Fire Brigade, and also the Royal Society.
Each report is very voluminous, but the following
may be taken as a summary of the two institu-
tions, clearly showing that both have been of great
good to the public, not only in extinguishing fires,
but also in saving lives. Captain Shaw states that
the total number of calls received during the year
1863 had been 1,624. Of that number 81 were false
1 alarms. 139 proved to be only chimney alarms, and
11,404 were fires, of which 39 resulted in total de-
struction of building, &c,, 310 serious damage, and
1,055 in slight damage. The fires of 1863, com-
pared
with those of 1862, show an increase of 101 ;
and compared with the average of the previous 30
years, the increase is 582. The totally destroyed
list, 39, compared with that of 1862, shows an in-
crease in number of 6; but compared with the
average proportion of the previous 30 years
there is a decrease of 9. Of the buildings de-
stroyed, 4 were over 2 miles from the nearest
station, 7 were over 3 miles, 1 over 5 miles,
2 over 6, 2 over 7, 1 over 8, 1 over 11, and 1
over 12 miles. Of the 39, 18 were completely
alight, and 16 others burned down before the
arrival of the engines; but the losses are for the
most part trifling compared with the fires of former
years. During the past year the telegraph has
been extended froi the foremen's stations to those
in their respective districts, thus completing the
communication throughout the establishment, from
the chief station to those most remote in Ratcliff,
Baker-street, Westminster, and Rotherhithe respec-
tively. Every line is complete in itself, with a dial
or alphabetical instrument at each end ; thus a stop-
page or break in any one line does not interfere with
the several communications, which would be the
case if several stations were on one current. From
Watling-street, at any moment (Capt. Shaw says),
he can be placed in direct communication with any
station, thus avoiding the delay caused by repeat-
ing messages at an intermediate point. A saving
is thus effected in the time and labour of the
men, as compared with the old system of running
to the calls, and stops from station to station.
The land steam engines continua to render valuable
aid at all fires, large or small. These machines
have been considerably improved during the past
year, and are now adapted to throw jets of water
of every size, from a quarter of an inch to an inch
and a half. The property saved by those machines
has been upwards of a thousand per cent. Notwith-
standing the number of fires, wholly unparalleled
either here or elsewhere, the labours of all ranks in
the establishment, however severe, have since the
adoption of steam and telegraph communication,
become decidedly less arduous than in former years,
when the number of fires was less. Notwithstand-
ing the greatly-increased number of fires, the list of
casualties for 1863 is five less than of the previous
year. The remainder of the captain's return gives
an alphabetical list of the trades carried on by
various tradesmen, but they differ little from the
report of former years.
Mr. Sampson Low, the secretary of the Royal
Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, in his
return, stated that during the quarter ending the
31st March, 194 fires were attended by the escapes
and conductors, and the lives of 10 persons were
rescued. During the quarter ending June 30, 143
fires were attended, and the lives of 7 persons res-
cued. During the quarter ending Sept. 30, 155 fires
were attended, and the lives of 16 persons rescued.
During the quarter ending December 31, 178
fires were attended, and the lives of 41 persons
rescued. The entire number of fires thus attended
by the Royal Society's fire escapes and conductors
during the year 1863, was 670; a number that may
be considered as representing tho whole of the Lon-
don fires of the year, as the society's stations have
been so augmented as to maintain one for every
square of a quarter of a mile (with now very few
intervening localities) throughout the metropolis;
and the number of lives saved by the exertions of
' the conductors at these fires was 74. The society's
new stations established during the year are at
Pentonville-road, St. John's-wood, Maidashill, and
High-street, Shadwell. These additions make the
number of the society's stations 84. The fire-escape
brigade consists of 84 conductors on full pay, 6
supernumeraries, and 4 inspectors; the whole force
being in a state of great efficiency, and the men are
practised in their duties in rescuing lives from
danger.

MARKETS—This Day.

HAY MARKZTS.

SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 108 Od ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 10s Od ; and straw, £1 Ss to £1 10s par load.
Trade slow.

CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4 lOs Od ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 10s Od ; and straw, £1 5s to £1 108 per load.
A slow demand.

WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow hay, £3 Os to £4los Od ; clover,
£4 Os to £5 108 Od ; and straw, £1 5s to £1 lOs per load.
Trade inactive.