68

Arts and Sciences.-On extinguishing Fires.

bustible ingredients, consequently, becomes necessary to make quality supply the place of quantity, and hus with the smallest portion prevent the fire rekindling.

To give the most extinguishing properties to common water has engaged the experimental attention of many, in different countries *, and it has been rendered by them more effective to extinguish fire than forty times the same quantity of common water (a circumstance not speculative, but confirmed by trial made upon buildings erected for that purpose); but the simple ingredient of pearl ash dissolved in water, when applied on burning substances, forming an incrustation over the surface extinguished, and thereby preventing the access, has, in my estimation, a decided preference; it has likewise the superior recommendation of the readiness with which any person may imbue the water with it, while the compounds cannot be had but at considerable cost, nor be prepared without labour and nice accuracy in their respective proportions. -Thus, at the moderate ratio of 20 times increasing the quality, the Cart would convey an extinguishing fluid equal to one tun and a half of common water.

Specification in reference to the Apparatus belonging to the Fire Cart.

Each machine is a strong copper vessel, of a cylindrical form, two feet in length, and eight inches in diameter, capable of containing four gallons: a tube of the same metal, of one-fourth of an inch in diameter, curved so that its end is carried to the side of the vessel, with a stop-cock and jet-pipe, the vent of which is one eighth of an inch in diameter at its top, reaches to within half an inch of the bottom, and is to be screwed so closely into the neck of the vessel, as to preclude the possibility of the escape of the air.

Three gallons of water, holding in solution any ingredients + best adapted to ex

[Jan.

tinguish fire, are to be put into the vessel; and then the room remaining for the fourth gallon to be filled with closely-condensed air, to effect which, the jet-pipe is to be unscrewed, the condensing syringe fixed in its place, and the air to be pumped in, to the utmost power of the strength of the vessel to contain it; the stop-cock is then to be closed, condensing syringe taken off, and the jet-pipe replaced.

On turning back the stop-cock, the condensed air re-acts on the water, and casts it to a height proportioned to the degree of condensation.

That the machine may be more easily carried, where access is difficult, it is pus into a leathern case with a strap, and, slung over the shoulders of the bearer, is thus conveyed easily, and then directed with the utmost precision to the point requiring the

water.

Remarks on the necessity of a better

Security against Fire.

The public at large are greatly interested in every circumstance which shall tend to lessen the calamity of fire; and the Fire Insurance Companies, who incur great losses in every part of the British Empire, it is presumed, must have similar feelings, with the desire, from motives of justice as well as that of humanity, to promote whatever is calculated to its prevention. The loss of a single house by fire is great to the insurers; but the loss, inconveniences, and injury to the insured, whose residence it was, is so far beyond the reparation to be received from the insurance, that something further is required, by the establishment of a fire police, to lessen the losses, and preserve the property the public are so often doomed to suffer from the want of earlier methods of application in the extinguishment of fire, than the present system offers for that purpose.

The protection of the metropolis from fire depends solely on the Insurance Com

Names of persons having employed their attention for giving the common water the most efficacious extinguishing property, for the purpose of subduing fire:

1734. M. Fuches, a German Physician, by throwing Balls into the fire, containing certain preparations which burst with violence, instantly quenched the flaine.

1761. Zachary Grey used the same process, in which were allum, sal ammoniac, and other saline matters, with water.

In the same year Dr. Godfrey, in a public exhibition in a house erected for that purpose near Mary-le-bone, applied the like ingredients with great success, by the action of confined gunpowder only, which exploding dispersed the solution on the materials in combustion, and effectively extinguished the same.

1792. M. Von Ahen, at Stockholm, made numerous public experiments, to show the effects of several combined ingredients to render materials entirely incombustible; he is stated to have subdued an artificial fire by 2 men and 40 measures of preparation that would have required 20 men and 1500 of the same measures of simple water.

In the same year, M. Nil Moshein made many public exhibitions, to confirm that combustible materials might be made perfectly incombustible; as also did Mr. W. Knox, of Gottenburg.

+ Pearl Ash dissolved in water, when applied on burning substances, forms an incrustation over the surface extinguished, and prevents that part from re-inflaming.

1922.]

Arts and Sciences.-On extinguishing Fires.

panies who make establishments for that purpose. But those bodies extend no such protection to other places, although the same rate of insurance is paid to them.

To the Insurance Companies, therefore, the public look with the anxious hope and expectation of their affording equal protection to all adopting some design calculated to possess the properties of instantly opposing fres (in their incipient state, and on the first alarm), until a supply of water is provided, and engines are collected, and brought into action, a circumstance, among other considerations, that would tend to prevent the necessity of pulling down houses contiguous to buildings on fire, resorted to by them upon the principle of safety.

When fire makes a progress before discovery, or extends itself from local difficulties impeding the arrival of assistance, every instant of time, until the means of extinction are applied, the flames rapidly increase in their destructiveness: and it often occurs (even in London, where the facilities of affording assistance and obtaining water are greater than most other places) that half an hour or upwards has transpired from the slarm being given to the engines acting to check its fury, a period too distant to save the building where the conflagration commenced, and often even to prevent its being extremely destructive to the neighbourhood. In the metropolis the Insurance Companies, as already stated, provide powerful engines, and make arrangements for the attendance of persons (confident from experience) who are trained to apply them to the best effect.

The reliance for extinguishment in case of fire in small towns offers no such protection, and is consequently placed on the parish engines and assistance of the inhabitants, who, from the want of due arrangements in conveying water to the spot (which is usually by the hand) and practice in working engines, their exertions, however great, suffer materially from confusion,-the general result of inexperience.

The liberality with which the Insurance Companies are known to act to those who exert themselves strenuously in subduing fires, encourages a respectful confidence in their patriotic and humane readiness to adopt such means as may be found to counteract the extension and rapidity of the fames, by instant application, and to obviate the interval of delay between the alarm of fire being given, and the engines getting into action to oppose it.

In arranging a plan for the general prevention of destructive fires, it appears to me, in the first place, that the Insurance Companies, and the Police of the Country, must necessarily be organized; and to carry such plan into effect I am induced to suggest that it would best be accomplished by

69

the Magistrates and Insurers of each place interesting themselves with the Insurance Companies, and urging from them a better preservation of their property from fire than at present exists.

The Magistrates, &c. should then examine the cause from which the destructiveness of fires generally proceed, and if it should appear to be from the want of early assistance, they should endeavour to remove that delay. They should next direct their attention to the means of conveying assistance to fires in the readiest and simplest way, by applying it immediately for extinguishing with simplicity, and to recommend to the Insurance Companies whatever, in their opinion, has a tendency to attain those objects, better than the methods now in use.

The Insurance Companies should then be invited to examine the merit or demerit of the plan recommended by Fire Carts, and if found to possess the properties of opposing fires by instant and effective application they should be requested to adopt the same.

Ón the Insurance Companies being satisfied of the utility of such design, it is respectfully submitted to them, in order to carry the same into effect, to associate for the purpose of making arrangements for a general establishment of the plan, and for raising a fund by a small per centage on the premiums received, that it may fall equally upon the whole.

The necessary apparatus being provided at the joint expence of the Insurance Companies, the firemen would consequently be selected by those bodies, who no doubt would appoint such as are distinguished for expertness, judgment, and resolution. That the most zealous endeavours might be called forth, I venture to suggest applications to His Majesty's Government, or Petitions to Parliament, soliciting some premium or legislative bounty to reward exertion and excite emulation for services performed in the preservation of life and property, when it could not have been effected but by extraordinary exertion and at great hazard.

In the adoption of a plan to give early and immediate assistance to fires, it must be obvious how important it is to all classes of persons. To the Insurance Companies it would be an immense saving, by frequently preventing that great destruction they are bound to repair; and it might consequently lessen the hazard of insurance. To the public it would afford considerable security, by preserving the property which cannot be insured, as papers, pictures, &c. which no value can repair, replace, or recompense the owner for the loss of. The promptness with which assistance could be conveyed to any spot, would deter, if not detect, the too frequent crime of arson, so wilfully resorted to by offenders,

1822.]

Arts and Sciences.-Glass Incrustations.

viduals may be perpetuated. These subjects are sometimes incrusted between a white and blue, green, or yellow glass. The contrast of the model of white silvery appearance on the coloured ground produces a pleasing effect.

We observed several beautiful specimens of incrustation in decanters, wine glasses, smelling bottles, water jugs, &c.; but the art is not confined to these minor ornaments alone; our curiosity was highly excited by representations of the Muses and an Egyptian cariatyde, introduced into si numbra lamps; the former into the two sides of the base, and the latter into the circular pedestal. An elegant girandole, designed for the mantle piece or pier table of a drawing room, was superbly decorated with various incrustations of illustrious individuals. The representation of a sentry-box, made of one solid square piece of glass, with the figure of a grenadier in the middle, of the white composition, was extremely curious.

Mr. Pellatt, the Patentee, has published a short account of this invention; accompanied by some judicious remarks on "The Origin, Progress, and Improvement of Glass Manufactures." This little Work appears to have been drawn up for private circulation only; but we really consider the interesting matter it contains deserves the most extended publicity. It is pleasing to observe a Britith artist adding the spirit of literary research to his professional ingenuity. Discoveries seldom fail of the greatest improvements when promoted by such a union of talents.

We shall close our desultory remarks by giving a single extract from Mr. Pellatt's Publication; and that must be confined solely to the history of the invention under consideration, although the author's observations on the antiquity of making Glass are very curious and interesting.

"The Glass-works of England indisputably excel at this moment those of any other country in the world. The essential and distinguishing qualities of good glass are, its freedom from specks or rings, and its near resemblance to real crystal in its cobarless transparency. In both these respects, the productions of the British Glass houses exceed those of any other nation, It only remained for them to evince their superiority in the ornamental branches of the art; and this has been fully accomplished by the perfection to which recent discoveries have enabled them to carry the art of In

crustation.

"The Ancients, we have seen, were not altogether ignorant of this art, but their incrustations were very imperfect. The picture of a duck, described by Winkelman, is but a partial incrustation, as the painting is neither completely enclosed nor protected

71

from the air. The Venetian Ball and the Bohemian ornamental stems are perfect incrustations, but they are curious rather than useful. It was impossible to introduce into them any device or figure, which was the desideratum in the art, because the variegated glass in the interior, being of the nature of enamel, is (especially the opaque) fusible at a less degree of heat than the coating of white transparent glass: consequently, any impression must have been effaced, when, in the process of manufacture, it became incased in the hot transparent glass. To render the art of Incrustation subservient to any useful purpose, it was requisite, in the first instance, to discover a substance capable of uniting with glass, but requiring a stronger heat to render it fusible.

"About forty years ago, a Bohemian manufacturer first attempted to incrust in glass small figures of a greyish clay. The experiments which he made, were in but few instances successful, in consequence of the clay not being adapted to adhere properly to the glass. It was, however, from the Bohemian that the idea was caught by some French manufacturers, who, after having expended a considerable sum in the attempt, at length succeeded in incrusting several medallions of Buonaparte, which were sold at an enormous price. From the extreme difficulty of making these medallions, and their almost invariably breaking while under the operation of cutting, very few were finished; and the manufacture was upon the point of being abandoned, when it was fortunately taken up by a French gentleman, who, with a perseverance not less honourable to himself, than in its results advantageous to the arts, prosecuted a series of experiments, by which, in a few years, he brought the invention to a state of great improvement. The French have never succeeded, however, in introducing it into ar ticles of any size, such as decanters, jugs, or plates; but have contented themselves with ornamenting smelling bottles and small trinkets: nor had the invention been applied to heraldry or any other useful purpose, antecedently to the recent improvements upon the art in this Country. England has always been famed for bringing to perfection, and directing to a useful application, the crude inventions of other Countries."

STEAM BOATS.

A new-invented system of propelling boats by steam has been invented by a person in New Bedford, by which a boat 26 feet long has been propelled by two men four miles in 20 minutes, and it is thought the plan may be applied to propelling the largest Steam-boats with more velocity and much less power than is required by the present system. New York.

SELECT

SELECT POETRY.

Fragments of not a Translation, but a Contentique suâ vivebant sorte, quietam