The Sun.
London, England, 1840-07-09 00:00:00

POLICE

GENCE.

MANSION-HOUSE.
FIRES IN LONDON.—Amongst the vast number of
communications made to the Loyd Mayor on the sub-
ject of the fires which take place in London, anti the
means of preventing the destruction of life and pro-
perty, his Lordship thought the following, which refers
to Captain Manby's plan, particularly deserving of no-
tice. His Lordship observed that the account of a
fresh calamity, from the neighbourhood of Exeter, in-
creased the painful interest of the subject ; and he
trusted that the active energies of the public would bo
immediately called forth. His Lordship expressed a
fervent wish that publicity should be given to some of
the communications, in the hope that Parliament, to
whom Captain Manby intended to send a petition, would
be induced to interfere

" 5, Chester-terrace, Borough-road,
" 19th June, 1840.

" My Lord Mayer,—The great impOrtance of the
subject, and the kind attention you have shown to sug-
gestions for averting the dreadful consequences of fire,
must plead my apology for this intrusion on your notice.
" I beg to submit to your Lordship's perusal some
extracts from a communication which I addressed to D.
W. Harvey, Esq., Chief Commissioner of Police in your
city, on the 29th May last, when fires were so rife as at
present, and just one week previously to the sad cala-
mity in Ivy-lane, Grey House, which we all deplore.
" On the 17th instant I received an acknowledgment
of the receipt of my communication, and an intimation
that my suggestions were not at present likely to be
entertained by the city authorities.'
" Having for the last twenty years practically studied
the subject more closely and intimately than any man 1
living (not a fireman), I cannot help feeling some sur-
prise that such an answer should be returned, especially
as it is generally understood that the Court of Common
Council is likely to be moved in the matter.
" Never was more striking need for some protective
measure being adopted than at present,' and I should
be most happy to assist in any way that may be in my
power so great a public benefit.
" I beg to assure your Lordship that I have ;no per-
sonal interest in the matter, my exertions being pro botw
publico.
"1 have taken the liberty of enclosing for your Lord-
ship's perusal a report of London fires for 1839, similar
reports having been communicated by me to the Me-
chanics' Magazine for some years past.
" With much respect, I have the honour to be,
" My Lord Mayor, your most obedient servant,
" W. BADDELEY."

Extracts from a communication addressed to D. .
Harvey, Esq., May 29, 1840, by William Baddeley :
" Well knowing the deep interest you take in the
welfare of the corps under your command, I have taken
the liberty of addressing you on a subject of considcra-
able importance, and one relating to a branch of the
service which is, I trust, susceptible of increased effi-
ciency.

" Most of the City parishes are provided with fire-
engines, but partly from the antiquity of the machines
themselves, and partly from being in charge to incom-
petent or inadequately remunerated persons, their in-
utility has long been notorious. The idea which first
occurred to me on the formation of the new City
Police was, to suggest that the whole of these engines
should, either by alteration or exchange, be made uni-
form in power and equipment, and attached to the
police force.
" I foresaw, however, several objections to this
plan, nor do I now think it either necessary or expe-
dient to convert this force into a regular fire police. I
flatter myself more good can be achieved by simple
means.

" The first thing to be attended to by the police
in case of fire, is the preservation of life, and secondly,
the preservation of property. To do all that human
efforts can accomplish, it is only necessary that they
have at hand some convenient and ready means of
making a communication with the persons in danger.
The portable fire ladder, employed by the London
Fire-engine Establishments, was extensively adopted
throughout the metropolis ; and in most pro-
vincial towns, surpass every other contrivance for
this purpose ; forming the simplest, the best,
and most promptly applied fire escape that can
be employed. They are so forcible as to be of univer-
sal application. Each set consists of six ladders, each
six feet and a half high, all of which fit one into the
other until any required height is attained. To the
top joint a pair of light wheels is affixed, to facilitate
the raising of the ladders, by clearing projecting cor-
nices, window-cills, &c., as well as to give the ladders
a broader and better bearing against the walls. From
the axle of those wheels, a small pulley is suspended by
an universal joint, through which a rope passes, at-
tached to a strong leather belt, by means of which sick
persons, females, or persons in stupor, or other helpless
states, may be rapidly and safely lowered.
" The apparatus, therefore, in proper hands, offers the
means of accomplishing the rescue of life wherever
human agency can avail. It is not, however, one fire in
twenty were a fire escape is required ; it is expedient,
therefore, to consider how the most effectual assistance
can be rendered at the remaining nineteen. This, Ido
not hesitate to assert, can be best accomplished by Cap-
tain Manby's highly ingenious invention, consisting of
portable vessels charged with an anti-phlogistic fluid.
This vessel is of copper, holding about four gallons, pre-
cisely similar in form to those used in conveying the
portable gas. Their use is as follows :—Three gallons
of water, holding in solution a quantity of pearl-ash or
other alkaline salt is turned into the vessel, the remain-
ing space is filled with highly condensed air, a pipe de-
scends within the vessel to the bottom, furnished at the
top with a screwed nosel and a stop-cock ; on turning
the stop-cock the elasticity of the condensed air throws
out the alkaline solution with great force, throwing the
jet to a considerable distance.
" As the portable fire ladders arc most conveniently
transported upon a light carriage, I propose to place be-

neath them, five or six of the anti-ihlogistie bottles,
ready charged.
" In case of fire, the police give the alarm, and from
the nearest station the apparatus is brought to the spot ;
if lives are in danger, the ladders arc instantly raised,
and their rescue effected. This important object ac-
complished, or meantime, if sufficient assistance is at
hand, a policeman slings one of the anti-phlogistic
bottles by a belt across his shoulders, and, advancing
towards the seat of the fire, Liking up a favourable po-
sition, he turns the stop-cock, and discharges the jet
point blink upon the fl units. When the first vessel is
expended, a second is handed up to him, and that is
also discharged, and so until the whole supply has been
expended, or the fire extinguished. The fluid is proved
to be far more efficacious than water in the suppression
of fire, inasmuch as it leaves a coat, or incrustation,
wherever it touches, which effectually prevents that
part from igniting.
" One immense advantage of this plan is that its ap-
plication may be coeval with its arrival ; no waiting for
turncecks, no want of water, nor any loss of time in
getting to work.
" Under proper management, in the majority of in-
stances, this mode of procedure would be successful in
extinguishing the fire ; in all cases the flames would re-
ceive such a check, that their ultimate suppression, on
the arrival of the firemen with more powerful aid, would
be a work of comparative ease.
" In addition to any efforts that might be thus made,
it is highly essential that no delay should occur in send-
ing for the turncock and firemen so as to be fully pre-
pared for the worst.
" Under such a protective system, the greatest secu-
rity against the disastrous consequences of fire might be
insured, and our city would in this, as well as in other
respects, stand altogrether unrivalled.
4' \\T 1. BADDELEY."
The LORD MAYOR stated that he had previously
received the following letter from Capt. Manby himself,
accompanied by a copy of that scientific gentleman's
admirable work " On the Extinction and Prevention of
Fires."

"Royal Barracks, Yarmouth.

" My Lord—Having long devoted my most earnest
attention to lessen human misfortune, and among them
the dreadful occurrences from fires, makes me venture,
in consequence of recent most distressing conflagrations,
to respectfully beg leave to call your Lordship's notice,
and to solicit your powerful and influential aid to carry
into effect, the plan proposed by me for establishing
fire police, as set forth in the accompanying paper,
which I drew up on the awful fire of the Parliament
Houses. The subject has very long engaged my
thoughts, and I beg leave most earnestly to request, not
only your acceptance of the little work I have put toge-
ther for my friends, but to invite your attention to the
subject from page 60. In the hope I may yet live to
see this warm object of my heart carried into effect be-
fore I close the scene of life, being very near entering
into my 76th year,

" I have the honour to be, my Lord,
" Your Lordship's most obedient humble servant,
" GEo. W. MANBY, Capt. R.N."

MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT. Last week a
smack making for Icolmkill, with about 6001. worth of goods
for that island, and six persons on board, was, melancholy to
relate, swamped a little to the south-west of Mull near Carsaig.
It is reported that the unfortunate smack and another were
striving at the time, and she had spread too much sail, whereas,
by taking in a reef, this awful catastrophe might have been
prevented. The bodies of the whole six, among whom was an
interesting young female, were washed ashore in the course of
the same -day.— Edinburgh Advertiser.
OPENING OF THE GLASGOW AND AYR
RAILWAY To BErrir.—On Wednesday the Directors of the
Glasgow and Ayr Railway, with Mr. Miller, engineer, and
Mr. Humfrey, secretary, made an experimental trip along the
newly completed part of the line, from Kilwinning to Beith, a
distance of eight miles. They were accompanied by deputa-
tions from Irvine and Kilwinning.— Edinburgh Advertiser.

We understand that at a late hour on Saturday
evening, an attempt was made to destroy the Philosophical
Hall at Huddersfield, and its valuable eontents, the exhibition
of which had been closed that evening. All the newspapers
in the news-room had been gathered together, and set fire to,
on the floor, which was a little burnt ; but the flames (lid not
extend farther. We are not. away, that any clue has been ob-
tain( d t.ward.a di,r-ovi:Ty of the cant vs ho this la-
bolica attempt. —Halifax Express.

_EVENING _EDITION.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCC•

(LLOYD'S.)

VESSELS SPOKEN WITH —ll.lnry Anne, London to Queue,'
231 ult. lat. 45 deg. lon. 40 dog. ; Edwin, London z
St. John, N.B. 24th ult. lat. 46 deg. Icn. 37 deg. by thte
Hudson, arrived at Liverpool ;lona, from Liverpool,.
Cores, from Cork, and Elizabeth, from Dublin, in the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, by the Covenanter, arrived at
Liverpool ; Wilson, Liverpool to Montreal, 29th ult. lat.
50 deg. lon. 28 dcg. by the Springflowcr, Symons, ar-
rived at Padstow ; Resource, from Leghorn, off Sicily
Ist ult. ; Forth, Liverpool to Monte Vldeo, Ist inst lat.
46 deg. long. .!3 dog. by the Alexander, Bell, arrive,4
Falmouth; John, Cadiz to Newfoundland, 21st ult. lat.-.
46 deg. lon. 43 deg. ; Christina, Liverpool to New-
foundland, 25th ult. tat. 48 deg. lon. 31 deg. by the Tot-
tenham, Brown, arrived at Waterford ; Wandsworth,
from London, 11th ult. in the Gulf of St. Lawrence;
Roscoe, Liverpool to New York, 11th inst. lat. 51 dig.
lon. 11 deg. by the Ann Joyce, arrived at Waterford ;
Seadrift of Whitby, 12th ult., off Metis ; Edman, of
Wbitehaven, 14th, off Cape Rezier ; Albion, Charringtots„
bound to Quebec, 16th ult., off St. Paul's Island ; Islay,
Liverpool to Montreal, 10th, off Cape River, by the Car-.
Liston, Henley, arrived at Bristol ; Nancy, Newcastle to
Miramichi, 6th ult., on the bar ; Thomas, Newcastle to
Quebec, 21st, lat. 47, lon. 39, by the Margaret, Moodie,
arrived at Liverpool; Margaret, Johnson, from Belfast,
6th ult., below Greise Island ; Leander, from Liverpool,
and Mary, Covin, Bth, off Cape Chau ; Sloan, Bordeaux
to Quebec, 20th, lat. 46, lon. 43, by the Thomas Ritchie.
arrived 'at Bridgewater ; Herald of Exeter, with loss of
boats and bulwarks, having been run foul of, May 29, at
the entrance of the River St. Lawrence; Pomona, Dublin
to Quebec, 21st ult., out 26 days, by the William Wallis,
arrived at Bridgewater.