, 1865-03-17


out any really honorable and useful purpose
goes, l believe it exists in the highest degree in
this country, possesses a steady permanency,
and a brilliant ardour and it is only necessary
to poilt out the direction in which it is re-
CURED, to ensure it's enthusiastic aud perfect
fulflment, and by the proper carrying out, in
an efficient manner Of the system Of Volunteer
Fire Brigades, we shall have the proud refec-
ton that we have around our hearths and
amongst US and our families, q brave, ~fraternal
baud, who do not work for pay, and will there
fore work more effectively heartily, and enthu-
siastically, and being actuated by the true
v~olunteer spirit, being implicitly obedient to
orders, well equipped, and thoroughly acquaint-
ed with their duties, will hardly fail to render
most important service in the hour of danger.
By forming efficient Volunteer Fire Brigadcs,
it should be remembered that we are protect
ing not only our own lives and property, and
thus rendering ourselves more secure from loss,
but arc also assisting to protect the little al Of
those poorer and less fortunate neighbours who
cannot afford to insure, and to whom the loss OF
that little all, how small however it.may be, is
nearly, always total ruin. It must be borne il
mind that everyone is deeply Interested in the
quick and efficient repression Of fires, and in
furthering to the best of their ability any prac-
teal and efficient means Of carrying it out;
but it is surely unreasonable to suppose that
such q means cannot be easily carried into ef-
feet, provided all will lend 90 earnest and will
ling hand to do so.
1t is constantly said that paid fremen will
work better than volunteers, because "every
man will perform his duty more theoretically
when he is paid" Now, l cannot for a mo-
ment admit that this is the case, and it will be
very difficult to prove it. If paid men are best,
how comes it that volunteers are always asked
for when it is desired to do any thing very Pc
rilous or dlticult-say spring a mine-storm q
fort-lead a fOrlorn hope-rescue a shipwreck-
ed crew-or some other hazardous undertaking?
Surely, in such cases as these, where it is most
important that everything should be we'll done,
it must be admitted from the above reasoning,
that it is a mistake to allow the service to be
performed by volunteers. The paid man, in all
that he does, feels that he is giving an equiva-
lent for all that which be receives-and in prac-
tice will generally be found to give as much
less as he can-but, in the volunteer, a very
different feeling actuates him, for, as we have
seen on hundreds of occasions, he throws such
hateful considerations to the winds, and starts
on his selEimposed task with a motive and an
energy which a paid man can never know and
we have to find that his unselfsh e~xertions are
less successful than those which some persons
think require a pecuniary inducement to give
them their assumed superiority.
Mr.. Elihu Burritt, better known in this coun-
try as the american blacksmith, +" speaking Of
volunteer fremeD, says, sit is one of the noblest
objects aimed at that could nerve the manhood
of brave men. The great battles they train
themselves to fight are midnight battles with
the consuming fire battles fought amid snow
and ice in midwinter against the devouring ele-
ment charges hose in hand to pluck the burn
ing homes of widows and orphans from destruc-
ton battles in which there is ample scope and
play for the best bravery Of the human arm.
These volunteer fire companies become so po-
pular and numerous that there was one in al
most every village in New England. In my
W native town with a population of about
5000 souls, there were three of these trained
bands besides a juvenile company, for even boys
of twelve years of age, swho would not wait,
but formed a band by themselves for the drill
and exercise. It is said that the Prince of Wales
has manifested considerable interest in volunteer
FIRE companies; perhaps what be saw in Ameri-
ca will pre-dispose him to look favourably at
their introduction into England. I have MOTTO
ed that it is making a little stir in France and
read the other day of the Emperor'a review
ing a fire company at Vichy. One good COM
pany. paraded in Hyde Park, we'll drilled, in at