Washington sentinel., 1855-03-24
From the Baltimore American.
The Fire Organization OF London-The
Brigade.

Fire Insurance" is given in the London Quar-
teriy Reoieio for January. 1t embodies full
account of the London Fire Brigade. This is
the result of a consolidation of the various COM
panies that were in the service Of the Insurance
ofhces about twenty years ago. The Brigade
consists OF twenty-seven large horse engines,
capable of throwing eighty-eight gallons a
minute to height of from fifty to seventy feet,
and nine smaller ones drawn by hand. To
work these are IL engineers, sub-engineers,
32 senior firemen, 80 junior firemen, and IA
drivers, or l04 men and 81 horses. In addi-
ton to these persons, who form the main estab-
ishment, and live at the different stations, there
is an extra staff of four fremen, four drivers,
and eight horses. The members Of this sup
Elementary force are also lodged at the stations,
as well as clothed, but are only paid when their
services are required, and pursue in the day
time their ordinary occupations. This not very
formidable arms Of l04 men and 81 horses,
with its reserve Of eight men and eight horses,
is distributed throughout the metropolis, which
is divided into four districts.
AT the head of each district is foreman,
who never leaves it unless acting under the
superior. orders Of the superintendent or gene
ralinchief, whose headquarters are in Waiting
street. This street was selected as the head.
quarters because it is almost in the centre Of
the city, and ''is in the midst Of what may be
termed, speaking igneously, the most dangerous
part of the metropolis-the Manchester ware
houses" Small as the Brigade is, it has been
found most useful institution; but it would be
ridiculous to suppose that it does all the work
at fires. The reviewer tells US where the work
men come from. He says:
The hands to work the pumps are always
forthcoming on the spot at any hour of the
night not alone for good will, as every man
and there has been as many as five hundred
employed at time--receives one shilling for
the first hour and sixpence for every succeed
ing one, together with refreshments. In France
the law empowers fremen to seize upon by
standers and compel them to give their ser
vices, without fee or reward. An Englishman,
at Bordeaux, whilst looking on, some years
since, was forced, in spite of his remonstrances,
to roll wine casks for seven hours out of the
vicinity of the confagration. We need not say
which plan answers best. A Frenchman runs
away, as soon as the sapeurs pompiers make
their appearance upon the scene, TO avoid be-
ing impressed, STILL such is the excitement,
that there are some gentlemen with us who
pursue the occupation of firemen as amateurs
providing themselves with the regulation dress
of dark green turned up with red, and with the
accoutrements of the Brigade, and working,
under the orders of Mr.. Braidwood, as ener-
getically as if they were earning their daily
bread"
Premiums are given to the first three en-
gines who reach the fire; FIVE minutes is con-
sidered a fair time in which to harness and
start. The fremen, though supported by the
insurance companies, never stop to ask whether
the house is insured or not the only difference
being that after putting ont fire they take
charge of the salvage of the former, and leave
that of the latter to its owner. The organiza-
tion of the Fire Brigade, as shown by tables,
has resulted in a material abatement of loss
and danger Taking the average of the last
twenty-one years, there has been decrease of
81 in the last year under the head of "totally
desttoyed;" though the number of houses has
vastly increased within the period, and the total
Of fires and alarms has swelled up from 592 to
l,062. In regard to the causes Of fires, the
article states that there is no denying that the
crime of arson owes its origin mainly to the
introduction of fire insurance, and Of late years
has been very much increased by the pernicious
competition for business among the younger Of
fees, which leads them to deal too leniently
with their customers, paying the money and
asking no questions. tits calculated that one
in seven of the fires which occur among the
small class of shopkeepers in London is the
work Of an incendiary.
The Brigade is supported by the Insurance
companies, each Office contributing according
to the amount of its business. Previous to
1888 the independent system of extinguishng
fires was in operation, but the insurance COM
panies found their losses under it so frequent
and excessive that they combined to establish
the present system, which in succeeding years
Iaoh haa l.rna, - Il L.
materially reduced the risks from fire. The
fire.escapes are an adjunct to the system, and
prove very useful in saving life. During twenty
years these escapes have been in use at 2,04l
fires, and rescued 2l4 human beings from de-
struction in 1851 thirty-sx lives were saved
by them, in 1852 twenty-five, in 1853 forty six,
in 1854 twenty-eight They are simple in ope.
ration and readily put in service. The history
of the London Fire Brigade may be regarded
as fully proving the benefits Of a systematic
permanently organized plan of operation, and
II teaches a lesson that will sooner or later
have to be learned by all our large American
cities.
One Of the most interesting portions Of the
review is devoted to details Of the working Of
the fire escapes mentioned above. The height
attainable by these escapes varies from 431 TO
45 feet, and most of them carry supplement
tary ladder, by which they are enabled to reach
a height OF so feet. The main ladder is the
one used for reaching second floors the up
per ladder folds over il and is readily raised to
the required position by ropes and pulleys
Under the whole length Of the main ladder is a
canvas trough or bagging, made Of stout sail
cloth stepped IN alum and protected by an out
trough or sheathing Of copper wire net suffi-
cient space being left between the two for the
yielding of the canvas in persons descent.
Although when placed against the building the
canvas tunnel is almost perpendicular, the
yielding Of the sail cloth admits Of person
sliding down it gently and safely. The duty of
the conductor is most hazardous one, and
rewards are freely distributed for daring and
heroic acts. The reviewer mentions some note
worthy instances Of such heroism.
At fire which broke out in November, 1914,
in house in Hatton-Garden, Conductor Sun.
shine, on his arrival, found the following state
Of things: On the second floor a man was sit
ting on the sill Of one OF the windows there
we're four windows abreast) and on the third
floor man was hanging by his hands to the
window-sll at the other extremity Of the house