The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-24 00:00:00

Metropolitan Fires.

The official report of the fires that have occurred
in London in the year 1864 has just been published.
Such a document must always be interesting, and
would be useful, were the warningsit conveys better
heeded ; but, except for a short period after every
great conflagration, the ever present peril amid
which we live in this vast city is generally forgotten,
and the precautions suggested by experience and
even by common sense are neglected. At this
moment the rapid destruction of the Edinburgh
Theatre, and the death of Mr. Lorimer, is producing
scores of these suggestions, and hundreds are ready
to point out how easily the catastrophe might have
been prevented. That fire also recalls the memory of
the great fire at Fenning's wharf, and the manner in
which Mr. Braidwood lost his life. It is probable,
therefore, that the report of the present able Supe-
rintendent of the London Fire-engine Establishment
for the past year will attract more attention than
usual, from the accident of appearing while the pub-
lic is under the influence of such a reminder.

The mere statistics of the subject are very brief,
and not satisfactory, as the number of fires during
the year 1864 exceeded those of the previous year
by 83, and, compared with the average of such
casualties for the last 31 years, the increase is 646.
The inference drawn by Capt. Shaw is that our fires
increase in an undue ratio to the increase in the num-
ber of houses and population. Thus, in a period of
25 years, the population of London has increased at
the rate of 55 per cent. and houses at 47 per cent.
But the annual number of fires in the same period
has more than doubled. This is not a pleasing an-
nouncement ; but there is a gleam of consolation
in the fact that the ratio of increase seems to have
reached its limit. The number of London fires used
to be doubled in every period of 18 years. Since
1840 it has required 22 years to produce the same
increase, " and at that point they seem for the pre-
sent to have taken their stand."

The services of the Fire Brigade were required
during the past year at 1,715 fires. Of these 101
were false alarms, 127 were " chimney alarms," and
1,487 were " fires " within the official definition of
the accident. But these are again subdivided. The
cases of total destruction or serious damage were 402
—the term " slightly damaged " applies to the larger
number of 1,085. But these returns by no means
represent the whole of the danger London passed
through in 1864. There is a " usual average " of
accidents which the Fire Brigade treats with in-
difference, though the estimated number is rather
alarming to more sensitive nerves. These are the
fires "of which no exact record is kept," as they
were too trifling to require the attendance of the
firemen. But, as some of these small fires might
have been fed into large ones, we suppose we ought
to congratulate ourselves on having escaped so well,
as there was no less than 4,000 of them, which we
are told is the " usual average." To these must be
added more than 6,000 chimneys on fire, and wehave
10,000 cases of this class of accident in the year which
by good luck had no consequences worth special
notice. Taking the year through, the services of the
establishment are called for once every five hours.

The organisation of the Fire Brigade has been
much improved within the last few years. The
steam-engine has incontestably proved its supe-
riority over the hard-worked machine. Capt. Shaw
states that it is no longer advisable to maintain
horses to draw the old engines, which might as
well be drawn, as they must be worked, by hand.
The horse-power should be applied to the transport
of light steam machines, and the hand-engine em-

ployed as auxiliary to its modern rival. The means
of communication by telegraph with all the docks
have been completed, and the special lines will soon
be extended to the great railways, wharves, and
warehouses, in which vastquantities of property are
deposited. By the aid of the telegraph the firemen
at each station can now be informed of the locality
of a fire with much greater certainty than formerly.
By means of fixed compasses at each observatory
" cross bearings are taken from distant points," and
the result sent to the central station in Watling-
street. 'The exact locality is then ascertained by
observing on a map the spot at which the lines con-
verge. The process is " simply the reverse of that
by which a ship's position is ascertained at sea," and
can be easily accomplished in the three minutes oc-
cupied in turning out an engine. Captain Shaw
also proposes to employ portable telegraphs to com-
municate between the locality of a fire and the
nearest station, and between the man at the branch
and the man at the engine. This will do away with
the confusion produced by "shouting" the orders.
It is important to preserve silence at a fire, and to
keep off the crowd that always flocks to the spec-
tacle. The City Police have lately adopted a mode
of keeping the mob off by stretched wire ropes.
And, as they are not now so much employed to
work the engines, they are more under control, and
the firemen act quietly in a space cleared and kept
clear for their exertions.

All the eligines and apparatus of the establish-
ment are in thorough good order, but with every
improvement that can be made it is doubtful if the
means of extinguishing fires can be relied on as a
sufficient protection. Much more must be done to
preirent their occurrence. Captain Shaw cautions
the public against a too confident trust in what are
called " fire-proof" buildings. As to risk of fire,
the contents of a building are of much more impor-
tance than the structure itself. In a real fire-
proof warehouse the contents of any one com-
partment might be consumed without communi-
cating the fire through any partition, perpendicular
or horizontal. Few London warehouses could stand
this test under all conditions. The building acts
are full of errors and omissions, which weaken their
operation, and they can be extensively evaded.
Stone staircases, it is asserted, do not deserve the
confidence the law reposes in them as a security.
Captain Shaw, speaking from experience, says that
—" Stone is in no sense fire-proof ; on the contrary
it yields to fire sooner than almost any other build-
ing material, and much more rapidly than wood."
Stone is brittle, expands with heat, and splits. The
employment of stone for staircases, therefore, should
not be made compulsory. Capt. Shaw declares him-
self strongly against it. The law assumes that stone'
has the same qualities as brick, which it certainly
does not possess. Among the modern causes of the
increase of fires are the employment of steam-power,
and, in dwelling-houses, the use of large, close
cooking ranges generally connected with the old
flues. In the construction of theatres and other
places of public resort there is need of great improve-
ment. Theatres ought to be divided into two" dis-
tinct risks," the stage being in one, and the audience
in another. A party wall should be carried across
the whole edifice, leaving open only the space for the
curtain, which could be closed on any alarm by a
revolving iron shutter, cutting off all communication
between the stage and scenery and body of the house.
Every door of exit should open outwards, which is
not always the case at present. It will surprise the
public to hear that the water companies still employ
the old imperfect plug, or hydrant, prescribed by
law in 1774, when no better form Niv as known. A
rough wooden tube, tapered at the end, and stuck
into holes in the iron pipe, is still tolerated, though
other ei#ida Lace lotig adopted those of modern con-
struction. But we are not surprised at this, when it
is explained that by some singular provision of the
law this old " wooden plug" arrangement can be
changed only by the consent of the churchwardens.
The water companies have no power in this matter.
In London this reads like an extreme illustration of
parochial conservatism.

Naval and Military Intelligence.
4.-

On Thursday morning the troops at Aldershott,
under the command of Lieut.-Gen. Sir J. L. Penne-
father, K.C.8., carried out a preconcerted plan of
route marching,the several brigades proceeding bydif -
ferent roads converging upon Farnham, and arriving
in that town between 11 and 12 o'clock. The bri-
gades marched from their parade-grounds towards
the general rendezvous about 9 o'clock in the follow-
ing order :—The cavalry, with the D battery, Royal
Artillery attached, proceeded bythe Farnham-road,
turning to the right by the road over Bricksbury-
hill, past Heath-house, into Crondall, and thence
by the lower road to Farnham. They arrived at
the Market-house at 11 15. The 3d Brigade, with
F battery, Royal Artillery attached, proceeded by
the same route as that ordered for the cavalry as
far as the Lawday-house, and thence down into
Farnham by the road, passing the Castle. They
arrived at the Market-house at 11 30. The 2d
Brigade proceeded through Aldershott to Tongham,
and thence by the Guildford and Tongham road,
turning to the left by the road over Crooksbury-
hill, past Waverley Abbey and Farnham Railway
Station. They arrived at the Market-house at 1145.
The Ist Brigade, with E battery, Royal Artillery
attached, proceeded through the village of Wey-
bourne, crossed the Guildford-road at the Bourne,
turned into Moor Park grounds, and entered the
south suburbs of Farnham by the railway station.
It then continued its route to Wrecclesham by the
road running parallel to the railway and across the
river Wey, taking the Portsmouth-road from Wrec-
clesham to Farnham, and entering the town by the
south-west extremity at 12 o'clock. The Lieut.-
General and his Staff, having taken up a position
facing the market-house, the troops defiled before
him in the following order :—The Cavalry Brigade
passed by in sections of threes, Major-Gen. Hodge,
C.B. ; Col. Wardlaw and Royal Dragoons ; Capt.
Ravenhill andD battery Royal Horse Artillery; Col.
Darby Griffith, C. 8., and Scots Greys ; Lieut.-Col.
Thompson and 14th Hussars. The 3d Brigade
marched past in fours, Major-Gen. Russell, C.B. ;
Lieut.-Col. Gordon and 75th Regiment ; Capt. Pitt
and F Battery, Royal Artillery ; Majorkßates and
83d Regiment ; Major Leckie and 39th Regiment.
The 2d Brigade :—Major-Gen. Bates, Col. Ingall,
C. 8., and 62d Regiment ; Col. Budd, and Ist Bat-
talion 14th Regiment; Col. Palmer, C. 8., and 2d
Battalion 60th Rifles. The Ist Brigade :—Col.
Grey (85th Regiment), brigadier ; Lieut.-Col Eager
and 31st Regiment ; Capt. Steward and E battery
Royal Artillery ; Major Appleyard and 85th Regi-
ment ; Major Romer and 59th Regiment. Detach-
ments of the Military Train accompanied the Bri-
gades.the The last of the division had
point:at a quarter-past 12, and the troobpapsusstreaeidpch.med.
quarters bythe direct road to Aldershoti a embraced
The march was rather a long one,thhaev
plan
p of traced
possession distance of about 12 miles ; embraced
campaigning
possession of a point by the whole ainVailable troops
at a given time illustrated a
which was regarded with considerable interest by
non-military spectators.
the Staff and division at
Aldershot have just taThe following changesk
in
en place : —Major and Bre-
vet-Col. the Hon.igh Clifford, unattached, to be
Ils
tuer- Gen. at headquarters, vice
Assist
and .-Quarter-3Brevet-Col. E. F. Pocklington, ap-
pointed a mem
Majorber
of the Council of Military Edu-
Varren, 78th Highlanders,
cation; Capt. A. E.
having joined, on appointment, as Aide-de-Camp to
Major-General Russell, C. 8., is taking on the
strength of the division ; Brevet-Maj or R. C. Stewart
having ceased to perform the duties of Aide-de-Camp
to Major-Gen. Russell, C. 8., is struck off the
strength of the division.
The Secretary of State for War has, with the con-
currence of the FieldMarshalCommanding-in-Chief,
decided that the proportions of subaltern officers to

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prescribe the rank or proportion of ~,, -mg"
)t-leoffieenrsuedantod
non-commissioned officers who shall accompany the
working purposes of discipline, a ques-
tion whichpaisrtlieli fotthr
the direction of the
general or
h erofficer in command. The rates of working
ot
pay previously prescribed are to be continued. '''
By her Majesty's command, the rates of personal
allowance for officers of the army travelling on duty
without troops have been fixed as follows :----For
general officers 20s. a day, for field officers 15s. a
day, and for captains and subalterns 10s. a day.

The Commander-in-Chief, with the concurrence
of the Secretary of State for India, has decided that,
on the recommendation of the local Government of
India, and with the sanction of his Royal Highness,
exchanges may be permitted between officers of the
Staff Corps under the substantive rank of field.
officer and properly qualified regimental officers of
the same rank, without reference to the station on
which the regiment of the exchanging officer may
be serving.
The following depots, with their officers, are under
orders to leave Colchester :—Depot 2d Battalion,
Ist Regiment, Capt. White, Capt. Low, Lieut.
Steuart, Lieut. Wheeler, Lieut. Thorburn, and En-
sign Morison will proceed to Fermoy on the 26th of
January ; depot Ist Battalion, sth Regiment, Capt.
Pendar, Capt. Newbolt, Lieut. Bradshaw, Lieut.
Knox, Ensign
Bingham, and Ensign Drew, will
proceed to Woolwich on the 31st of January to
join head-quarters; depot 2d Battalion sth Regi-
ment, Capt. Pocklington, Capt. Kekewich,
Lieut. Richards, Lieut. Graeme, Lieut. Legge,
and Ensign Carleton will proceed to Warner
on the 25th of January ; depot Ist Battalion,
6th Regiment, Capt. Mosse, Capt. Powell,
Lieut. Giffarn, Lieut. Howley, Lieut. Bowers, and
Ensign Lanyon, will proceed to Tilbury for embar-
cation to Devonport on the 28th of January to
join head quarters; depot 64th Regiment, Brevet-
Major Barker, Lieut. Daniels, Lieut. Brooks, Lieut.
Aglen, Lieut. Foster, and Ensign Carleton, will
proceed to Tilbury on the Ist of February for em-
barcation to Portsmouth to join head quarters
depot 73d Regiment, Capt. Gibaut, Capt. Pigott,
Lieut. Armstrong, Lieut. Benson, Lieut. Lacon, and
Ensign Parker, will proceed to Shorncliffe Camp on -
the 31st of January to join head quarters ; depot
88th Regiment, Capt. Hopton, Lieut. Burke, Lieut.
Wooodward, Ensign Maffet, and Ensign Dalrymple,
will leave for Fermoy on the 31st- of January ; and
depot 90th Regiment, Capt. Goodriche, Capt.
Rennie, Lieut. Agnew, Lieut. Murray, and Ensign
Lawrence, will proceed to Preston on the 31st of

January.
An order has been received at Chatham from
Colonel Chapman, C. 8., Deputy, Adjt. -Gen. Royal
Engineers, directing Col. Harness, C. 8., Director
of the Royal Engineer establishment, to augment
the Bth company of Royal Engineers, which has re-
cently arrived at Chatham garrison from China, to
its full complement by the transfer of the requisite
number of non-commissioned officers and men from
the depot companies at head-quarters. In con-
sequence of most of the companies of the corps
being now at their full strength, an order has also
been received at Chatham directing that the recruit-
ing parties for the Royal Engineers are to enlist
only smiths, carpenters* bricklayers, and masons
for that corps.
The 23d (Capt. R. G. Thorold's) company of
Royal Engineers has been placed under orders to
proceed from head quarters, Chatham, to the
Mauritius, during the ensuing month, to relieve
one of the companies there stationed.
Intelligence has been received at the head-quar-
ters of the Royal Engineer establishment, Chatham,
of the death of Lieut.-Col. Patrick Stewart, C. 8.,
Royal Engineers, which occurred at Constantinople
on the 15th inst. The deceased officer was engaged
in laying down the electric telegraph, overland, from
Constantinople, through Persia and Affghanistan,
to India. Only .a few months ago he left Chatham

in charge of a party of Royal Engineers, selected to
be employed in that operation. Unfortimately the
climate proved trying, and the duties to be per-
formed too laborious for his constitution, and he
succumbed at the early age of 32.
The paddlewheel sloop Virago, 6, 1,059 tons, 300

horse power, Commander W. G. H. Johnstone,
which arrived at Plymouth on Friday from Ber-
muda, as stated in The Sun of yesterday, is to be
paid out of commission at Sheerness. Her bulk-
heads and internal fittings are not to be disturbed,
and her rigging, boats, and other stores are to be
returned and preserved in such order as that they
may again and at once be available for the same
ship if required. The Virago, when paid off will
be placed in the first instead of the third division of
the Sheerness Steam Reserve, and will be kept in
such a state of forwardness that she can speedily be
brought forward for recommission when needed.

The screw steam corvette Cadmus, 21, Capt. A.
C. Gordon, left Plymouth Sound on Sunday for the
North American and West Indian station.
The ships of war on the Australian station at
the date of the last advices were—The Harrier,
17, Acting Commander Swan, at New Zealand ;
the Miranda, 14, Captain Jenkins, at Sydney ;
the Eclipse, 4, Commander Fremantle, at New
Zealand; the Curagoa, 23, Commodore Sir W.
Wiseman, at New Zealand; the Esk, 21, Captain
Lucie, at Sydney ; the Falcon, 17, Commander
Parkin, at New Zealand; and the Salamander, 4,
Commander the Hon. J. Carnegie, at Sydney.

DEBATES OF THE REICHSRATH.

VIENNA, Jan. 20.

At the sitting of the Lower House of the Reichs-
rath, yesterday, in a debate upon financial matters,
Herr von Plener made a speech which created con-
siderable sensation in the House. The Minister
said :

"We have now come to the end of the motions. These
, are the resolutions at which the House has arrived, and will
still pass upon motions of the committee for the control of
the national debt. I have now to remark that these reso-
lutions, after all, are only passed by a portion of the Reichs-
rath, that is to say, by one of the Houses of that assembly.
It is therefore quite possible that the other House may pass
a different resolution upon the same subject. Even, how-
ever, should both Houses agree upon one or other of they
resolutions, the Government, in so far as it has not directly
committed itself in one direction or the other, will take
such resolutions into its serious consideration, as itha:
xhphe
eel
The
nfphoatollit
joutifto expectsa I)
a whichte
ei
is
have
entitled
er t
bhl i
been
easa
always done with any wishes, requests, and resolutions f
the House. But it cannot admit to those resolutions any
further governing effect. (Sensation.)
" Deputy SKENF,--After so interesting and important S.
declaration I move the close of the sittingi
demand for ex-
cessation the President read the following
t, signed by Dr.
ic The close of the sitting was carried,.bu previous to its
planation at the hands of the Govenrna
sage
affairs
rs the i
n draftthe
mmber of Deputies de -
Giskra, and 78 members :---‘ The C.
asirddres.etoss creafllerartitnegnttioontht,so,eit
have rendered
by the constitution, o
jkinestgyd'soraof GovernmentGalicia rhfe
the
grounds which
tiaosnaasnodo
fparttheialresucoltsntinwuhat
however,
,refrain, from
may speedily cease."
ex-
pressing the strong desire that these measures, even if
aenxcehiceeeepsvgateiodryntahtlhemreeeiliPu. imposition
cannot,
otoneeveeesr after the statements of thTehMisinTsstsearsgeuwpoans
agreedhithert
it
hc. 13ofstatements thesee
the
patent satis-
fied s
of
this subject in the debate upon the address, thereby show-
ing that the house did not
guaranteednte
weeksedto considerbyhave
see thoseelapsed
Ffieedb.th26e ri,lgBh6tls.
Several
re-
solution of the house. It was informed some time ago that
his Majesty had been graciously pleased to
dress of the Lower House, and
nothing has yet been done
upon the part of the Government to comply with that just
expression of the wish of the members. Even after the re-
assembly of the Reichsrath those exceptional measures,with
their prejudicial effect upon the legal status and public life
of that country, still continue to prevail, together with the
special burden thereby entailed upon the finances of the
empire, without any visible reason, after tho insurrection
in the kingdom of Poland is stifled, the prisons in Galicia
mostly emptied by the sentences that have been passed,
after trade and commerce have returned into their former
channels, and the conditions of normal activity have been
restored to the courts and tribunals for the public safety of
the country. The undersigned, therefore, beg to ask the
Government-1. When does the Government of the Em-
peror, in conformity with sec. 13 of the imperial patent of
Feb. 26, 1861, intend to lay before the assembled Reichs-
rath the reasons and results of the state of siege ordered in
Galicia ? 2. What are the reasons for which the Emperor's
Government still continues to impose the state of siege in
Galicia, and the exceptional measures connected there.
with ?"

THE p ALL-MALL GAZETTE.
A o Evening Newspaper and Review.
It is difficul ft to des ribe the plan oi an enterprise like the
PALL- SAL L GAZ ETTE without seeming, to boast, or to
decry the efforts of others. But we are unwilling to lose the
advantage oi a few words of exp'anation, and we therefore
trust the can tdour of the reader for a just interpretation of
our meaning,
The PAL-I GAZ ETTE will contain all the news
proper to ao• E vening journal. But, addressed as it will be
to educated me and women, the space of the paper will not
be occupied by trifling chronicles, nor by hat excess of words
which adds no thing to the interest of newspaper records,
while it destroy s their significance. Literary considerations
alone would det ermine us to have our News Reports written
IA plain Englist t ; bat beyond these there is the fact that the
lessons to be hound in many an accident of human life or
so,ial polity are lost in the turgid language in.which they are
Commonly narra 'ed.
Events made '.known by the Morning papers may be dis-
cussed in the PALL-MALL GAZETTE of the same day,
but they will not be reported anew. Trustworthy advices
from the Money Market will be included in the news of the
Lay.
The rest of the paper tby far the greater part) will be made
np of original ,rticles. upon the many things which engage
the tho,,ghts, o r employ the energies, or amuse the leisure of
mankind. Put lie Affairs, Literature, the Arts, and all the
influences whic stren _then or dissipate z,cciety, will be
cussed by men 'whose independence and authority are equally
unquestionable , and who are arcustord to regard the public
ex, ression of .opinion as a serious t tug. This is the (hie
aim of the PA_LL-MALL GAZETTE: to bring into daily
f
journalism that; full measure of thought and culture which is
now, found only! in Re.
At the same time, we by no means intend to make the
paper pedantic or solemn. Humour is too powerful, as well
bs too pleasant, to be left out of the design; which will lose
none of the attv. antages of occasional trifling. if a thing can
be said better =verse than in prose, it will be said in verse.
Epigram, but not spite—burlesque, but not vulgarity—will
be readily admitted into its columns ; and since a joke is
often as illustrative as an argument, good jokes will be wel-
come too.
It will be understo,xl that this advertisement is rather
proclamation of idea and of effort than of promise. But
the proclamation is not made before a large number of able
writers have accepted the idea, and pledged themselves to
the effort.
Office of the "Pall-Mall Gazette,"
It, Salisbury-street, Strand, W.C.

ITER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.
Sole Manager and Director, Mr. W. Harrison.
THIS EVENING, FAUST. Mesdames Anna Hiles,
rovrington, Cotterell ; Messrs. Swift, Forbes, H. Corri, and
3iarpLesl.

Conductor, Signor ARDITL
Followed by the Grand Christmas Pantomime, THE
LION AND THE UNICORN.
MORNING PERFORMANCE on:SATURDAY, at Two.

--------
ROYAL ENGLISH OPERA, COVENT-
GARDEN.
(Opera Company, Limited.)
CONTINUED SUCCESS OF CINDEREL
DONATE LA AND THE
WONDERFUL
THIS EVENING, 2nd time, a new Op( ra, the music by
F. Clay the words by T. W. Robertson, entitled
CON STAN CE.
Mdlle. Martorelle, Bliss Thirlwall, Messrs. H. Core, A. Cook,
C. Lyall, and Henry Haigh.
Conductor, Mr. A. MELLON.
Alter which, at a quarter-past 8, the Grand and highly
Faceessful Pantomime, CINDERELLA '
thet magnificent
sc,,nery and gorgeous accessories. In Harlequinad.
bettor Donato will perform his celebrated and astonishing
Dance avec Manteau.
Commen:e at Seven.

THEATRE-ROYAL, DRURY-LANE,
Managers, Messrs. E. Falconer and F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, and during the week, A YOUNG
LAD FROM THE COUNTRY.
After which, the Grand Christmas PalltollllMe, HOP O'MY
THUMB AND HIS ELEVEN BROTHERS; or, Harlequin
and the Ogre of the Seven-League Boots : Messrs. G. .Bel-
more, Torn Jiattliews, G. Weston, Master Percy Roselle, ko,
inisses Lydia Thompson- R. Lcciercq, Atc. ; Messrs. Boleno
C. Lauri, W. A. Barnes., T. Morris, Cormack, Saville ; Mduie:
Boleno, the Misses Gunnies, and Signor Tescano.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee. Mr. Buckatone.
'Ems EVENING, Jan. 21, DAVID GARRICK. Messrs.
Chippendale, Sothern, Buckstone, Rogers, Clark, Coe, Wea-
oersby, dzo. ; Mesdames Moore, Snowdon, Fitzwilliam, Le.
After which, LORD DUNDREARY MARRIED AND
DONE FOR. Messrs. Sothern, Bnckstone, Braid, Gordon,
Clark, White, Coe, Weathersby, ; Mesdames Snowdon,
Mill, &C.
With PRINCESS SPRINGTIME. Mr. Compton, Miss L.
And MRS. WHITE.