,,protection ,,from ,,fire ,,and ,,thieves ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode ,,and ,,co41 ,,new-,,street ,,square ,,and ,,parliament ,,street ,illustration3 ,,fire-,,escape ,,and ,,steam ,,fire-,,engine ,,in ,,action 7,from a drawing supplied by the ,royal ,society for the ,protection of ,life from ,fire7 ,frontispiece ,,protection ,,from ,,fire ,,and ,,thieves ,,including ,,the ,,construction ,,of ,,locks1 ,,safes1 ,,strong-,,rooms1 ,,and ,,fireproof ,,buildings2 ,,burglary1 ,,and ,,the ,,means ,,of ,,preventing ,,it2 ,,fire1 ,,its ,,detection1 ,,prevention1 ,,and ,,extinction2 ,,etc4 ,,also ,a ,,complete ,,list ,,of ,,patents ,,for ,,locks ,,and ,,safes ,,by ,,george ,,hayter ,,chubb ,,assoc4 ,,inst4 ,c4,e4 ,,cavendo ,,tutus ,,london ,,longmans1 ,,green1 ,,and ,,co4 #ahge ,all rights reserved4 ,,to ,,the ,,right ,,honourable ,,lord ,,henry ,,george ,,charles ,,gordon ,,lennox1 ,m4,p4 ,,first ,,commissioner ,,of ,,works2 ,,this ,,volume ,,is1 ,,by ,,kind ,,permission1 ,respectfully ,inscribed4 ,,preface4 ,a small book1 embracing such subjects as herein treated of1 is necessarily somewhat disconnected in its character4 ,in endeavouring to be strictly practical1 ,i fear ,i have made some portions of the book uninteresting to the general reader2 if so1 it must be remembered that my chief aim has been to place certain facts before professional and business men1 at the same time introducing matter that may be useful to everyone4 ,i have to offer my best thanks to ,colonel ,fraser1 ,colonel ,henderson1 ,captain ,shaw1 and other ,gentlemen1 who have afforded me valuable help4 ,if the importance of protecting life and property becomes in the least degree better understood and appreciated1 ,i shall feel amply repaid for the time and trouble incurred in the preparation of the book4 #eg ,,st4 ,,paul',s ,,churchyard1 ,,london3 ,january #ahge4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,locks1 ,,keys1 ,,etc4 ,,page ,introduction--,locks1 ancient and modern--,copying keys--,ornamental keys--,breaking open padlocks--,chubb's detector lock--,sets of locks--,elements of a good lock--,common locks #a ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,burglary4 ,planning burglaries--,bank robbery--,the ,cornhill burglary of #ahfe--,providing fit receptacles for valuables--,false keys--,insecure premises--,modes of house-robberies1 and means of prevention--,burglars' tools--,statistics--,police notice--,south-,eastern ,railway robbery--,jewel robberies--,notice by ,colonel ,fraser #aj ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,safes ,,against ,,thieves4 ,patents for safes--,safes by ,milner1 ,tann1 ,hobbs1 and ,chatwood--,chubb's diagonal and new patent safes--,wedging open safes--,drilling1 and mode of protection--,other methods for opening safes--,the safe custody of keys--,amount of space required for bullion #cj ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,safes ,,against ,,fire4 ,the heat to be resisted--,three qualities necessary--,refractory and evaporating systems--,best materials to use for fireproofing--,public tests--,double enclosure for parchments--,safes once in fire to be re-proofed--,effects of ,pantechnicon fire on safes--,french safes--,gunpowder safes #dd ,,chapter ,v4 ,,second-,,hand ,,safes1 ,,etc4 ,real and sham second-hand safes--,apparent and actual strength--,garden-turf for fireproofing--,bolts and locks unsuitable--,patentees' names illegally used--,directions for purchasing safes--,weights of good safes--,worthlessness of guarantees #ea ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,strong-,,rooms4 ,planning a strong-room--,its position--,dampness and ventilation--,robberies by excavating through floor--,floor1 walls1 and roof--,entrance--,lighting--,fixing the door--,fittings--,design and estimate--,strong-room in a ,london bank--,mc,neill's floating strong-room--,bullion on board ships #eg ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,fireproof ,,buildings--,,general ,,construction4 ,fireproof buildings for business purposes--,mr4 ,braidwood's opinion on warehouse construction--,use and strength of iron--,iron supports for house-fronts--,wood posts versus iron columns--,captain ,shaw's experiments--,dennett's column--,danger from faulty building--,stone and concrete as fireproof materials--,iron girders--,stairs and doorways--,danger from windows--,iron sashes and shutters--,roofs and ceilings--,brick the best material #gj ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,fireproof ,,buildings--,,patent ,,systems ,,of ,,construction4 ,names of patentees--,dennett's construction--,patent concrete--,mode of constructing arches for floors1 ceilings1 and roofs--,vaults and domes--,st4 ,thomas's ,hospital--,cost of arching--,insecurity of the ,bodleian ,library--,parliamentary report on ,british ,museum1 ,national ,gallery1 etc4--,extinguishing fire at ,south ,kensington--,water-supply in public buildings--,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral--,paris fires during the ,commune #he ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,fire ,,and ,,its ,,dangers4 ,loss from fire preventible--,official enquiries into fires--,rapid increase and statistics of fires--,causes of ,london fires in #ahgc--,tin1 lead1 etc4 combustible--,watching buildings--,sweeping chimneys--,precautions against fire--,detection of fire--,danger to life--,the smoke respirator--,escape from a burning house--,fire-escapes--,directions for saving and restoring life--,curious instances of fires #ih ,,chapter ,x4 ,,extinction ,,of ,,fire4 ,two methods of fire-extinction1 mechanical and chemical--,sinclair's fire-exterminator--,hand fire-engines--,steam fire-engines--,messrs4 ,shand and ,mason's engines--,messrs4 ,merryweather and ,son's engines--,boilers of steam fire-engines--,water-supply at fires--,particulars of ,london ,fire ,brigade--,fires at country houses--,destruction of mills #aah ,,appendix4 ,,designs ,,and ,,description ,,of ,a ,,fireproof ,,warehouse #acg ,,complete ,,lists ,,of ,,patents ,,for ,,locks ,,and ,,safes #adb ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,fire-,escape and ,steam ,fire-,engine in action ,frontispiece ,,page ,master-,key of ,dublin ,exhibition1 #ahfe #d ,ornamental ,key-handles #f ,ornamental ,key #i ,hopkinson's ,patent ,window-,fastener #ag ,chubb's ,patent ,diagonal ,safe2 action of bolts #cc 0 0 0 corner section #cd ,chubb's ,new ,patent ,safe1 #ahgd1 corner section #ce 0 0 0 elevation facing #cf ,chubb's ,patent ,drill-,preventive2 hole made by cutter #ch 0 0 0 cutter used for do #ci 0 0 0 system as applied #ci 0 0 0 cutter destroyed by #dj ,reward ,label for recovery of ,lost ,keys #db ,chubb's ,gunpowder-proof ,lock for ,safes #ec ,strong-,room ,doors1 method of fixing #fa ,strong-,room1 plan of #fd 0 section of #fe ,dennett's ,fireproof ,construction2 treatment of columns #gi 0 0 0 sections of arches #hf1 #hg1 #hh 0 0 0 section of vaulted roof #ij ,smoke ,respirator #ajh ,sinclair's ,fire-,exterminator #aai ,merryweather's ,steam ,fire-,engine #abd 0 0 0 sections of boiler #abe ,shand1 ,mason ,co4's ,steam ,fire-,engine #abg 0 0 0 sections of boiler #abh1 #abi ,fireproof ,warehouse1 plan and section facing #ach1 #aci ,,protection ,,from ,,fire ,,and ,,thieves4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,,locks1 ,,keys1 ,,etc4 ,when it is known that cash and securities to the value of upwards of six millions are almost constantly kept in the strong-room of one only of the ,london banks1 it will be understood that the safe custody of valuables is a subject of very great importance4 ,unfortunately it is a matter that has hitherto been greatly neglected by the general public and professional men2 and the ignorance on the part of the majority of people as to what is real security1 has given rise to this attempt to place a few facts together that will be of general use4 ,the incidents relating to fires1 burglaries1 c4 are gathered from authentic sources1 and from private records that have been compiled during many years4 ,although before the last ten years there were but few persons who employed their skill to foil the increasing attempts of safe-breakers1 the subject of locks had long been thoroughly considered4 ,the great interest taken in the lock controversy at the time of the ,exhibition of #ahea showed that there were many persons not indifferent to the efforts then made to improve the quality of locks2 but it was not until the great burglary at ,cornhill1 in #ahfe1 that safe-making was fairly investigated by the public4 ,sufficient proof of this is that in the sixty-four years preceding #ahfe only twenty-eight patents for safes were registered1 while in the nine years following there were no less than #abb4 ,being myself engaged in the manufacture of locks and safes1 ,i have1 of course1 some knowledge of their construction2 and shall endeavour to state facts that apply to the work of every maker1 and my opinions formed by practical acquaintance with this manufacture1 and guided by others who have previously written on various branches of the subject4 ,locks have1 it is said1 been in use for above four thousand years in ,egypt2 anciently these were mostly made of wood1 and it is a remarkable thing that the locks that have been in use in the ,faroe ,islands for many centuries so closely resemble those found in ,egyptian catacombs as to be scarcely distinguishable from them4 ,more modern1 but considered now to be old-fashioned1 are the letter lock and warded lock2 later still are the patent locks of ,barron1 ,bramah1 ,chubb1 and others4 ,it is not necessary to describe the variations in all these2 it may suffice to say that the most trustworthy are those with levers and tumblers1 and protected in other ways from false keys and picks4 ,one chief point of security consists in a lock being so unlike any other that no key but its own will open it2 and a #c in4 ,chubb's drawer lock can have no less than #b1eib1jjj changes made in its combinations4 ,mr4 ,tildesley1 in an article published in #8,once a ,week1' mentions a lock which had a chime of bells connected with it in such a manner that no sooner was the skeleton-key of an intruder applied to the lock than the latter began to chime a plaintive air1 such as-- ,home1 sweet home2 ,be it ever so humble1 ,there's no place like home4 ,a sentiment in which the housebreaker would doubtless concur as he took his precipitate flight4 ,it is obvious that locks are only secure so long as their keys are properly taken care of4 ,this is of the utmost importance1 for some keys can under favourable circumstances be made merely from a wax impression by a clever workman4 ,numbers of robberies take place through keys being left about1 and to the lock is laid the fault which ought rather to be charged to the careless owner of the keys4 ,some people expect perfect impossibilities1 and imagine that1 having obtained a secure lock1 they have done all that is necessary4 ,no lock whatever will guard against culpable negligence with regard to its key2 or1 as in the famous ,south-,eastern ,railway bullion robbery1 the treachery of supposed trustworthy servants4 ,it will be remembered that the notorious lock-picker ,agar said the robbery on this railway would be impossible unless copies of the keys could be taken4 ,by the connivance of a guard named ,tester this was accomplished1 and yet the duplicate keys thus made were useless until ,agar had travelled seven or eight times to ,folkestone with the chests1 altering the keys until they fitted4 ,since #ahea many improvements have been made and adopted in ,chubb's locks1 and more still have been tried and rejected1 as interfering with their proper working4 ,complexity of action in any lock will sooner or later invariably prove fatal to its success4 ,a lock is unlike a ,illustration3 ,,master-,,key ,,of ,,the ,,dublin ,,international ,,exhibition1 #ahfe4 watch or other delicate machine that is treated with a considerable amount of carefulness2 it is subject to every day hard wear and usage4 ,absolute perfection is perhaps as unattainable in locks as in other matters2 nevertheless the present is an age of progress1 and a more perfect lock may perhaps be invented some day4 ,lock patents by scores have appeared within the last twenty-one years2 some good1 others indifferent or bad in principle1 and many of them embracing as new ideas certain principles of construction long since exploded or laid aside4 ,of those practically defunct 7and they are many71 my opinion of them is that the ingenuity of the inventors has generally been allowed to over-run their perception of the before-mentioned fact1 viz41 that a lock is a very hardworked machine1 and that in its construction simplicity is as necessary an element as security4 ,a good lock cannot have a key made to it unless another key is available to copy from or the lock itself can be broken open4 ,of this latter fact ,london burglars have not been slow to avail themselves1 and they have tried it in the following manner4 ,it should first be said1 for those not acquainted with the mode of securing warehouse and office doors at night1 where the buildings are left unoccupied1 that such doors are usually fastened with a large rim or mortise lock of the ordinary kind4 ,when this is locked from the outside a small flat bar1 that is secured at one end to the door1 is put across the keyhole to a staple thereon1 fastened by a padlock4 ,the advantage of this plan is that the inner lock cannot be touched1 the keyhole being closed while the outer lock is secure2 and this padlock being visible1 the police in their rounds can tell by a glance under the light of the bull's-eye whether or not it has been interfered with4 ,but there is such a thing as forcing a padlock completely open1 with proper appliances2 and some clever burglar watching the policeman off his round past a warehouse in ,watling ,street1 one night1 wrenched the padlock off and supplied its place by a common one1 the outside of which in the dark resembled the one previously on4 ,he then took the patent lock away1 got one side off1 cut out all the works1 so that anything like a key would at once open or close the bolt1 fastened the side on as neatly as was possible1 took it back to ,watling ,street again1 and watching his opportunity took his own lock off and refixed the empty shell of the patent lock4 ,the purpose in all this was that next night he might at once open the padlock1 force the inner lock1 and enter the place1 while a confederate would doubtless ,illustration3 ,,specimens ,,of ,,ornamental ,,key ,,handles1 ,,reproduced1 ,,by ,,permission1 ,,from #8,,the ,,builder4' replace the padlock as if all were right4 ,the success of the scheme depended chiefly upon the padlock or its substitute always being on when the police came round2 but1 fortunately for the owner of the premises1 the attempt was frustrated by the mere chance of the patent lock 7now without works and found next day to open rather stiffly7 being brought to be examined1 when the burglar's attempt was at once discovered4 ,further revelations of this trick were made to the police by a convict who died while undergoing a long term of imprisonment1 and after his disclosures no less than twenty-seven padlocks were found in use in the ,city the works of which had all been taken out1 to await the thieves' opportunity1 and done in such a clever manner that only the closest inspection could detect it4 ,two of the locks served thus were on a jeweller's door1 which shows the importance of preventing this mode of robbery4 ,such a well-planned scheme required an improvement to be made in the padlocks1 and there is now largely in use what is known as the #8police padlock1' a lock which when once forced asunder is so injured that it cannot be repaired without being entirely re-made1 so that if one should be taken off its door by a thief it cannot be put back again4 ,this is but one of the numberless instances that require the attention and thought of the careful lockmaker2 and the other instances that will be given show that with respect to safes it requires yet greater skill to foil the cunning of modern burglars4 ,the whole of ,chubb's locks are made by hand1 and differ one from another4 ,the difficulty is not to make them to differ1 but when such are needed to make several alike1 for a touch of the file will completely alter a lock4 ,it is so essential for good locks to be totally unlike each other that we continue to make by hand only1 although the cost is in consequence high4 ,machinery would and does produce well-finished and serviceable locks1 but the changes and combinations cannot vary as with hand-work4 #8,so extensive are the combinations1#a that it would be quite practicable to make locks for the doors of all the houses in ,london with a distinct and different key to each lock1 and yet there should be one master-key to pass the whole4 ,a most complete series was constructed some years ago for the ,westminster ,bridewell1 consisting of #a1ajj locks1 forming one series1 with master1 sub-master1 and warders' keys4 #8,at any time the ,governor has the power of stopping out the under-keys2 and in case of any surreptitious attempt being made to open a lock1 and the detector being thrown1 none of the under-keys will regulate it1 but the ,governor must be made acquainted with the circumstance1 as he alone has the power1 with his key1 to replace the lock in its original state4 #8,it need scarcely be stated1 that ,barron's1 ,bramah's1 ,chubb's1 and most other locks are adapted for all purposes1 from the smallest cabinet to the largest prison-doors or strong-room4 #8,as has been already stated1 various and numerous patents have been taken out4 ,ingenious1 however1 as are some of the arrangements1 they appear to have complicated1 rather than simplified1 the general construction4 #8,it is submitted that the true principles of perfect security1 strength1 simplicity1 and durability should be combined in every good lock4 #8#ast4 ,perfect security is the principal point to be attended to1 as without it no lock can be considered as answering the intended purpose4 #8#bnd4 ,the works of a lock should1 in all cases1 possess strength1 and be well adapted1 especially in the larger ones1 to resist all attempts to force them open2 and both in the larger and the smaller kinds the works should not be susceptible of injury1 or derangement1 from attempts with picklocks or false keys4 #8#crd4 ,simplicity of action is requisite1 so that any person having the key1 and being unacquainted with the mechanism of the lock1 should not be able to put it out of order4 #8#dth4 ,the workmanship1 materials1 and interior arrangement of a lock should be so combined as to ensure the permanent and perfect action of all its parts1 and its durability under all ordinary circumstances4' ,besides the better class of locks made in ,south ,staffordshire there are really trumpery locks made in abundance1 and ,willenhall enjoys an unenviable celebrity for the cheapness and worthlessness of its wares4 ,there is a familiar saying that if a ,willenhall locksmith happens to let fall a lock while in the process of manufacture he does not stop to pick it up1 as he can make another quicker4 ,the late ,mr4 ,g4 ,b4 ,thorneycroft1 who once lived at ,willenhall1 is said to have been taunted with the fact that some padlocks made there would only lock once1 but when told the price of them was twopence each he replied1 #8,it would be a shame if they did lock twice for that money4' ,the total weekly production of locks in the whole district was stated in #ahff to be no less than #ca1ejj dozens4 ,a very large proportion of this enormous supply goes to foreign markets4 ,illustration ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,the ,,art ,,of ,,burglary4 ,in order to show the absolute necessity of secure locks and safe depositories for property1 especially in banking establishments1 it may not be out of place just to trace the systematic care and great sagacity with which large burglaries are planned4 ,an unsuccessful attempt1 where the booty is of any magnitude1 is seldom made4 ,the first-rate #8cracksmen' always know beforehand where to go1 when to go1 and what they are going for4 ,when a #8plant1' as it is termed1 is made upon a house or a bank1 precise information is gained if possible as to the depository of the valuables1 and if it is found that the safeguards are so strong in themselves and the locks so invulnerable that there is but little chance of success1 the affair is quietly dropped2 but if otherwise1 then no expenditure of time or misapplied ingenuity is spared to gain the desired end2 the house is constantly watched1 and the habits of its inmates observed1 their ordinary times of going out and coming in being noted4 ,possibly the confidential servants are bribed or cajoled1 and induced to leave the premises when their employers are absent1 so that impressions may be taken from the locks1 and false keys be made4 ,when all the keys required are ready1 generally one or two men who have not been previously initiated are called in1 and receive their instructions to be ready at a certain hour on the following day to enter the premises4 ,a plan is put into their hands2 they are cautioned to step over a certain creaking stair or board1 and the false keys of the different doors are given to them4 ,the inmates of the house being absent1 their servant takes advantage of this fact to fulfil a long-standing engagement with his or her new and liberal friends2 a signal is given2 the two confederates enter2 the so-called safe is swept of its contents2 all the doors in the building are carefully re-locked1 and not until the house is opened for business next morning is the robbery discovered4 ,many years ago there was a bank robbery at a town in ,kent1 effected as follows3 ,two respectable-looking and well-behaved men went to the principal inn of the town and informed the landlord their object was to look out for and purchase a small estate in the neighbourhood4 ,they stopped there for nearly three months1 taking frequent drives in their gig1 lived well and paid well2 and at length took leave one market-day between twelve and one o'clock1 much to the regret of the landlord1 who felt sorry to lose such unexceptionable customers4 ,these men were thieves1 and at a few moments past one o'clock that very day robbed the bank of nearly #e1jjj4 ,the banking-office was the ground-floor of a house in the ,market ,square1 and the manager never left the cash there at night1 but always took it to his own residence near by4 ,he was accustomed1 however1 with the clerk1 to be absent from one till two o'clock in the day at his dinner1 during which time the money was put into the safe and the premises locked up4 ,it appeared that all the arrangements of the business were perfectly ascertained and understood by the two sojourners at the hotel1 and that the necessary impressions of the locks had been taken on various nights and the false keys made4 ,on the day in question the gig was taken just outside the town4 ,one of the men went back1 and in mid-day unlocked the street and internal doors1 opened the safe1 took out the money1 and then the two set off to ,london with their booty and got the notes cashed the same afternoon4 ,after locking the safe the burglars slipped a small ring over the key-pin of the lock1 so that when the manager on his return from dinner tried to open it with its proper key1 the key would not enter4 ,a smith was sent for1 and it was four hours before the safe was opened--too late1 of course1 for any effective pursuit4 ,a more recent and notable instance is that of a daring burglary which took place at ,mr4 ,walker's1 the well-known jeweller of ,cornhill1 in #ahfe1 the whole facts of which came to light in consequence of one of the gang volunteering a confession during an action arising out of the robbery4 ,i am indebted to the #8,times' newspaper for the following particulars1 which doubtless are still fresh in the memory of some persons3 ,the robbery had been elaborately schemed1 and was only accomplished by a regular expedition of well-equipped thieves4 ,the cleverest of the gang had taken ,mr4 ,walker1 his family1 and his habits under the closest surveillance for seven weeks before1 night and day1 until at last everything connected with his business and his practice was thoroughly known4 ,this information being complete1 a party of five of the robbers repaired to the premises at ten minutes past six on the evening of ,saturday1 ,february #d1 #ahfe4 ,the house was let and occupied in floors1 ,mr4 ,walker's shop being on the ground-floor1 ,sir ,c4 ,crossley's offices immediately above1 and other offices above those1 while below the shop was a room tenanted by a tailor4 ,the occupants1 when the thieves arrived1 had not yet all left for the night1 but the offices on the second floor were empty1 and to these three of the robbers at once ascended by means of the common staircase1 and there took up their first position1 the other two remaining in the street to watch and give signals4 ,at twenty minutes to eight the signal was given by the confederates outside the house that ,mr4 ,walker's foreman1 who appears to have been the last on the premises1 was gone1 and their operations commenced4 ,it was past midnight before the three robbers inside began their most important work4 ,mr4 ,walker's shop was secured by iron doors or partitions1 but the thieves directed their attack against the floor1 which had not unnaturally been left with less protection4 ,they got into the tailor's room1 on the lowest floor1 mounted upon his cutting-board and forced their way through the ceiling and flooring to the shop above4 ,having thus effected a lodgment against the real point of attack1 they distributed the duties of the night4 ,of the two thieves stationed in the street one was to be on the watch1 lest ,mr4 ,walker or any of his people should return to the house1 while the other was to keep guard over the police and give warning whenever a constable approached4 ,inside1 one of the gang sat upstairs in ,sir ,c4 ,crossley's arm-chair1 at the window of the second floor1 to notice the sentries in the street1 and the signals of these men he communicated by means of a string to his comrades in the shop4 ,one of these handed up such instruments as were wanted2 the other at length opened the safe 7by wedging1 as described on p4 #cf72 so that at a quarter to four they washed their hands in the office upstairs1 and an hour later were miles away on the ,guildford road4 ,the success in this happily unique case was due to the desertion of the premises for six-and-thirty hours together4 ,the men did not get into the shop till one-and-twenty hours after the commencement of their operations4 ,aided by time1 the science of the housebreakers was successful4 ,the police passed the place every nine minutes1 but with such deeply-laid plans were not likely to detect the mischief going on1 and so the thieves escaped for three weeks1 when a part of the stolen property was traced and the rascals themselves ultimately captured4 ,caseley1 the reputed leader of the gang1 stated that he had had a great deal of experience in opening safes1 and there is no doubt he was a clever man2 but ,i believe a part at least of his subsequent statements were exaggerations1 likely to be indulged in by a man placed in his position4 ,very few cases of the kind1 however1 show such determination and skill1 and thus almost the first robbery in which wedges were used in safe-breaking must rank as one of the most remarkable of our times4 ,when a large amount of property of either cash1 plate1 or jewels is deposited in one place1 it really is in fact offering a premium to robbers1 unless fit receptacles for such property are provided4 ,notwithstanding the cunning1 ingenuity1 or violence of the professional burglars1 means are at hand by which they may be effectually baffled1 and all who are interested in the matter should see that their patent locks or iron safes are really what they ought to be--impervious to fraud and force4 ,the axiom that #8the best is the cheapest' will hold good with locks and safes1 as with most other things4 ,let it be remembered that first-class work must be done by the best and most skilful workmen1 and that to secure them a high rate of wages must be paid4 ,most of the house-robberies so common in all large towns are effected through the common street-door latches in ordinary use being opened by false keys4 ,it is a notorious fact that thousands are made year after year1 but which do not afford the least security1 as they are all so made that any one key will open the whole1 and it is not until the owner has his hall cleared1 or his plate carried off1 that he finds out that his apparently complex key is a mere sham1 there not being in the lock a single tumbler or ward to correspond with the cuts in the web of the key4 ,at a very low computation at least three-fourths of the houses in ,london can be entered by false keys1 and it is simply owing to the vigilance of the often-abused police that robberies are not more constantly effected4 ,the following particulars1 kindly furnished me by ,colonel ,fraser1 of the ,city ,police1 will show what facilities are placed within the reach of burglars by careless householders4 ,return of ,premises found open1 or otherwise insecure1 by the ,police in the ,city of ,london4 ,year ,number #ahga #b1fef #ahgb #b1deb #ahgc #b1ieg ----- ,total #h1jfe ,by using secure locks or latches on all the outer doors of houses an immense amount of work would be saved to the police1 and it is really a question for ratepayers to decide if common and insecure locks should be allowed to be used any longer4 ,while on the subject of house-robberies ,i may refer to other modes of entering dwellings1 with which the public ought to be acquainted in order to be on their guard4 ,admission to a house by the connivance of a dishonest servant is1 of course1 sometimes obtained by thieves1 and the only way of preventing this is to be careful whom one employs in the house4 ,but1 if possible1 the thief will get into the house unaided by a confederate1 who after all might foil his plans1 and in any event will claim a part of the plunder4 ,so the house must be carefully watched1 and1 if possible1 examined1 in order to discover the easiest mode of access4 ,frequently some coal-cellar window is found to be left conveniently unbarred1 although all other windows and doors are barred and bolted2 or perhaps all the windows have safety-fasteners but one1 as was the case in a residence near ,london1 a short time ago1 when the burglars happened 7so it was said7 to pitch upon the unprotected window1 and entering cleared the room of valuable jewellery4 ,beggars or hawkers are often in the pay of thieves1 endeavouring to get information--that may not be used perhaps for a long time hence--and such visitors should certainly never be allowed inside one's house1 though their visits are too often encouraged by the weakness of the domestics4 ,now1 it will be asked1 what are the remedies best adapted to prevent robbery in these various ways8 ,firstly1 be careful to have trustworthy servants1 or all other precautions are unavailing4 ,secondly1 have plate-glass to all windows in the house1 for this cannot be broken1 as common sheet-glass can1 without noise4 ,thirdly1 as shutters are really no protection at all1 and frequently are not fastened at night1 let all windows and openings that can be reached easily from the ground have strong bars built into the stone or brickwork1 not more than five inches apart1 where this can be done without disfigurement2 and let the windows on every upper floor have either ,hopkinson's or ,dawes's patent window fasteners1 which cannot be opened from the outside1 and are simple and strong in construction and cheap in price4 ,the engraving shows ,hopkinson's fastener1 an extremely simple and ingenious invention4 ,the projection on the left side1 as the fastener is moved1 comes over the opening and wedges fast any instrument introduced from the outside for the purpose of forcing back the catch4 ,fourthly1 keep a dog1 however small1 inside the house2 this is a wonderful safeguard1 and extremely disliked by burglars4 ,fifthly1 have any number of bells on shutters1 electric wires1 or other gimcracks that you please1 and place no reliance on any of them4 ,lastly1 leave as little property as possible1 certainly no silver plate or jewellery1 lying about1 so that if a thief should overcome all obstacles to entrance1 he may not find much ready to hand4 ,illustration ,the sort of robbery ,i have alluded to is committed either at night or in the dusk of the evening or at the dinner-hour1 when the inmates are all in one part of the house4 ,there is also that very frequent and too often successful plan of stealing coats1 c4 from a hall1 when some stranger calls with a fictitious message that causes the servant to leave him alone for a moment1 during which he hurries off with everything within reach that is worth stealing4 ,to prevent such an occurrence plainly the best thing is never to allow a stranger to wait inside one's door4 ,a professional burglar's tools comprise skeleton-keys1 silent matches1 a dark lantern1 a wax taper1 a palette-knife used for opening windows by pushing the fastening back2 a small crowbar1 generally made in two pieces to screw together1 and with one end forked2 a centre-bit1 and a carpet-bag4 ,if the object of attack is a safe1 then to these must be added chisels and steel wedges of different sizes1 an #8alderman1' or large crowbar1 a #8,jack-in-the-box1' some aqua fortis1 and sometimes gunpowder for blowing open locks4 ,besides providing himself with tools1 the burglar will often wear a #8reversible1' or a coat which can be worn inside out1 each side being a different colour1 so that if he happened to be noticed he will turn his coat in some quiet corner and become another man to all outward appearances4 ,the writer of an able article in the ,cornhill ,magazine of ,january #ahfc gives as a list of the various ways in which houses are regularly broken into1 the following3 #8,jumping a crib1' which is entrance by a window2 #8breaking a crib1' forcing a back door2 #8grating a crib1' through cellar gratings2 #8garreting a crib1' through the roof4 ,entrance in this last way1 the writer states1 is sometimes cleverly effected 7from the leads of an empty house adjacent7 by means of an umbrella4 ,first1 a few slates are removed1 then a small hole is made1 and through this aperture a strong springless umbrella is thrust and shaken open4 ,again the thieves go to work upon the hole in the roof1 which they widen rapidly and with perfect confidence1 since the dbris falls noiselessly into the umbrella hanging beneath4 ,when in the house the thieves' only care is to move silently and to show little or no light4 ,when the plunder is secured and the confederates signal that the way is clear1 the burden is divided1 and they at once separate1 though perhaps going to the same place4 ,cabs are occasionally employed by the thieves2 and though the drivers are not exactly in league1 yet they must know pretty well by whom they are being hired4 ,the plunder is disposed of immediately to #8receivers1' who always drive a good bargain1 and if there is any plate or gold at once put it into the melting-pot4 ,these receivers are the curse of large towns1 where alone they are to be found4 ,it is entirely owing to them that the majority of robberies are committed1 for if thieves had to run a second risk in disposing of the goods after stealing them1 they would not continue a dishonest life with the chances of success they now have4 ,the police are generally well aware of the men who thus assist the thieves1 but the difficulty of getting evidence against them is extreme1 although occasionally a rascal is caught and severely punished owing to information being received from some informer4 ,there are no less than eighty-seven houses in ,london known to be those of receivers of stolen goods4 ,in ,february #aheh there were in ,manchester alone ninety-four returned transports1 and out of the whole of that number there were not more than six in employment or who had any known means of livelihood4 ,in view of this statement can it be wondered at that in the eleven years from #aheg to #ahfg there were no less than seventeen successful robberies effected in that city alone1 involving a loss of property amounting to #be1ghh1 chiefly in cash and jewellery8 ,this loss would have been largely augmented had it not been for the vigilance of the ,manchester police1 who could not1 however1 possibly frustrate every attempt made by dishonest men let loose upon society in large numbers by a system which is open to very serious objections4 ,the ,habitual ,criminals ,act proves that the country has at length recognised the fact that the ticket-of-leave system has been grossly abused by convicted persons1 and that to protect life and property effectually it is necessary to give the police more power of supervision over suspected characters4 ,for the benefit of those not acquainted with this ,act1 ,i may state that its most important provision is to give a ,judge power to include in the sentence of a person1 who has been previously convicted1 a certain term of police supervision1 to take effect after release from prison2 and during this term the person may be called upon at any time to prove that he or she is gaining an honest livelihood--the burden of the proof resting with the suspected person1 instead of the police being required to prove dishonesty4 ,a man who commits a great robbery is not one who up to that moment was honest and industrious2 it is most probable that he has been an associate of thieves1 and has been apprenticed to it1 so to speak1 as to a trade2 hence the advantage of the new system by which he can be watched and if necessary captured on suspicion4 ,the ,london police have now on their register #aag1jjj names of habitual criminals1 and the list is said to be increasing at the rate of #cj1jjj a year4 ,a few somewhat imperfect statistics may be given4 ,in ,london1 during the years #ahfb to #ahfg inclusive1 there were eight successful burglaries1 in which #ad1hde worth of valuables was stolen2 in other large towns of the kingdom1 such as ,glasgow1 ,sheffield1 c41 there were thirteen burglaries1 with a loss of #aa1cge2 and if our ,colonies were to be taken into account1 at ,hong ,kong alone there was a robbery 7referred to more fully on page #ei71 in #ahfe1 of #ej1jjj from a bank4 ,omitting this last1 however1 it will be seen that in eleven years no less than #eb1jjj of property was stolen by burglars in ,great ,britain4 ,it is true a great deal of this was recovered--sometimes in remarkable ways1 an instance of which was the finding of some gold watches in the ,thames1 stolen from ,mr4 ,walker's1 ,cornhill2 one of the watches having attracted the attention of a river policeman4 ,but1 on the other hand1 there were numbers of successful attempts where no booty was found2 a large number of unsuccessful attempts2 and many of both kinds which never appeared in the newspapers at all4 ,the total would indeed make a formidable list1 and yet there is hardly a case in which proper care combined with the use of the best safeguards would not have prevented all loss4 ,in the year #ahgc the total amount of property lost by robberies of all kinds within the metropolitan district alone was #hd1jjj1 of which nearly #ba1jjj was subsequently recovered4 ,so large a proportion of this loss was occasioned by the use of insecure fastenings on doors or windows1 that the ,metropolitan ,police have drawn the special attention of householders to the risks thus incurred4 ,colonel ,henderson not long since issued a notice1 of which the following is an extract3-- #8,caution to ,householders and others4--,the ,commissioner considers it to be his duty to caution householders and others that larcenies are in most instances committed by thieves entering through windows left open or so insecurely fastened that they can be readily opened by thrusting back the catch from the outside with a knife1 without any violence or force whatever4 ,the plates of window-fastenings should overlap each other1 and self-acting side-stops should be used in sashes4 ,attention is also directed to the following means by which thieves effect their purpose3-- #8,in the absence of the family1 especially on ,saturday and ,sunday evenings1 entering with false or skeleton keys1 passing through an empty house in the neighbourhood1 going along the parapet1 and entering any window found open--climbing up the portico and entering through upper windows--calling at houses under pretence of having messages or parcels to deliver1 and during the absence of the servant stealing articles from the hall or passage and decamping4 #8,if ordinary and necessary precautions were taken1 as above recommended1 the efforts of the police in preventing crime would be materially aided1 and property more effectually secured4' ,a short time since there was a robbery at the warehouse of a person who immediately wrote to the newspapers blaming the police and making out a plausible case4 ,now1 the real facts were1 that this person gave up residing on his ,city premises without informing the police4 ,the door had on it only a common latch1 easily opened by a false key4 ,there was a window up a side-passage through which it was easy to obtain entrance2 and though all these circumstances conspired to facilitate the operations of thieves1 yet this was thought a proper opportunity to blame the ,city ,police6 ,although seventeen years have elapsed since the conviction of the men who stole the bullion on the ,south-,eastern ,railway1 the case is still the most remarkable of its kind--remarkable for the deliberation1 the professional spirit1 and the pecuniary resources of the modern offender4 ,the following very condensed account ,i take from the #8,times' newspaper of the day1 merely premising that the case shows the extreme importance of guarding one's keys most jealously1 for even up to the present time no lock1 such as can be brought within the reach of everyone for practical use1 has been invented that will permit of its keys being carelessly used4 ,on the night of ,may #ae1 #ahee1 gold to the value of #ab1jjj was taken from the van of a train on the ,south-,eastern ,railway1 between ,london and ,folkestone4 ,the boxes were weighed in ,london and again at ,boulogne2 at the second place the weight1 as was subsequently discovered1 differed from the weight in ,london4 ,the weight in ,paris corresponded with the weight at ,boulogne4 ,consequently the boxes must have been tampered with between ,london and ,boulogne1 or1 as it had been impossible to touch them while in the boat1 between ,london and ,folkestone4 ,when the boxes were opened1 bags of shot were found substituted for gold4 ,of course the surprise was great1 and the search after the offender earnest4 ,but whatever may be the skill of the detectives1 we know from sad experience that the criminal world is more than equal to them in craft4 ,for sixteen months the pursuit was in vain1 and the robbery was well-nigh forgotten1 when an unexpected revelation threw light on the matter4 ,a man named ,edward ,agar was convicted in ,october #ahee of uttering a forged cheque1 and sentenced to be transported for life4 ,this man1 after his conviction1 stated to the authorities that he could give information respecting the great gold robbery of #ahee4 ,on being questioned he announced himself as one of the perpetrators1 and named as his accomplices ,pierce1 formerly in the service of the ,south-,eastern ,company2 ,burgess1 a guard2 and ,tester1 a clerk in the traffic department4 ,agar was forty-one years of age1 and had by his own confession lived by crime from fourteen to twenty years4 ,his evidence was that ,pierce first suggested the scheme1 but that he himself thought it impracticable4 ,pierce said he believed he could obtain impressions of keys of the ,chubb's locks by which the iron safes were secured2 and ,agar then answered that if it could be done he thought the thing might be effected4 ,pierce and ,agar went down to ,folkestone as casual visitors for the benefit of sea-bathing4 ,they took lodgings and employed themselves in observing the arrival of the tidal service trains to the boats4 ,this was in ,may #ahed1 twelve months before the actual commission of the robbery--so long a time can modern depredators afford to spend upon their preparations4 ,they went daily to the pier to enjoy the fresh air2 but their constant observation of the trains and the station aroused suspicion1 and they left1 though not before they had discovered #8what ,chapman1 who had the key of the iron safe1 did when the trains arrived and the luggage was removed to the boats4' ,by these means it was ascertained where the key was kept1 the impression of which it was desirable to obtain4 ,but to know where the key was kept and to obtain possession of it were very different things1 and ,agar1 according to his own story1 was much disheartened4 ,not so ,pierce4 ,pierce knew a man named ,tester who was in the office of the ,superintendent of ,traffic1 and ,tester could get possession of the keys for them4 ,however1 time rolls on1 and we are in ,august1 when ,pierce discovers that the locks are to be altered1 and that the new keys will be in ,tester's hands4 ,tester was the clerk who corresponded with ,mr4 ,chubb on the subject of the alterations1 and by his means the impression of a key which opened one lock of each box was obtained4 ,but as each box had two locks it was necessary to obtain the impression of another key1 and the following device was adopted3 ,agar was in possession of no less a sum than #c1jjj4 ,it was arranged that a box of bullion of the value of two hundred pounds should be conveyed in the iron safe in the usual way1 and that it should be delivered to him under the name of ,archer4 ,agar goes for the box1 and it is delivered to him by ,chapman1 who opens the safe with a key which he takes from a cupboard4 ,thus ,agar learns where the second key is kept4 ,now1 how are they to obtain an impression of the key8 ,two months have elapsed since they got the impression of key ,no4 #a4 ,this is ,october1 and they are still without ,no4 #b4 ,but they are not disheartened4 ,pierce and ,agar go to ,dover1 and put up at the #8,dover ,castle2' they walk over to ,folkestone1 and arrive just when the train is coming in4 ,in the confusion of an arrival the attendants leave the office for a few minutes4 ,pierce goes boldly in1 opens the cupboard which contains the key of the iron safe1 hands it to ,agar1 who takes an impression1 and then replaces it4 ,thus five months after their reconnoissance at ,folkestone they have surmounted the first difficulty which suggested itself to the reflective mind of ,agar4 ,they have obtained wax impressions of the keys2 everything else remains to be done4 ,the next thing1 of course1 was to make keys from the impressions4 ,for that purpose lodgings are taken in ,lambeth and ,kennington4 ,pierce disguises himself in a black wig1 and the next two months are spent in filing keys4 ,when the keys were completed to a probable similarity with the rough wax impressions--no easy task1 it would seem1 for two inexpert operators with common files--it was necessary to try them4 ,agar went down several times in the van with ,burgess1 the guard4 ,they did not fit at first1 but they fitted more nearly every time he went4 ,at last they fitted completely1 and the deed was resolved on4 ,of course1 after nearly a year's labour1 it was not worth their while to fly at any paltry game--they would wait till a large sum was to be sent4 ,two chests would hold about #ab1jjj1 and they heard that #ab1jjj was shortly to be sent4 ,they then buy shot to replace the gold4 ,agar and ,pierce are admitted into the van by ,burgess1 and on ,may #ae1 #ahee1 twelve months after the deed was planned1 the boxes of ,messrs4 ,spielman1 ,bult1 and ,abell are securely rifled4 ,nineteen months after the crime was committed1 and more than two years and a half after it was planned1 justice overtook the delinquents4 ,no sentence was passed upon the informer ,agar1 who was remitted back to prison under the sentence he had incurred by an act of forgery2 but ,burgess and ,tester were sentenced to transportation for fourteen years1 while ,pierce1 through a technicality1 got off with only two years' imprisonment3 and so ends this romantic case4 ,one of the convicts1 ,i have heard1 has been of some use to the police1 for1 like many other convicted thieves1 he has been communicative1 and at least one improvement in lock-making has resulted from this man's suggestions4 ,though a robbery so patiently planned1 so quietly carried out1 and with such a successful result1 is rare2 yet we still hear of instances wherein the same forethought and misguided talent are shown4 ,the dark autumn and winter evenings have latterly been chosen for the commission of what are earning a separate name1 so numerous have they become--#8,jewel ,robberies4' ,at the ,west ,end of ,london and the fashionable suburbs there have been numerous cases in which the thieves wait till the inhabitants are assembled at dinner--having possibly left some of their jewellery lying about on dressing-tables--and by entering through a window the burglars are able to make a successful haul4 ,either in this manner or by an ordinary night burglary much of the plate and jewellery is stolen with comparatively slight risk of discovery4 ,the residences of ,sir ,f4 ,peel1 the ,dowager ,marchioness of ,cholmondeley1 the ,countess ,waldegrave1 the ,countess of ,donoughmore1 and many other noticeable personages have recently suffered from these unwelcome visits4 ,the following notice1 issued some time ago1 ,i have ,colonel ,fraser's permission to republish4 ,it very clearly shows the responsibilities resting with both the police and the public of large towns4 ,if householders would but perform their part as well as the police do in this matter1 robbery of the kind indicated would be of the rarest occurrence3-- ,,police ,,notice4 ,recent occurrences having shown that an impression somewhat extensively prevails in the ,city that the duty of protecting house property at night is one which belongs exclusively to the police1 it is desirable to point out what the true functions of the police are with respect to the guardianship of house property1 inasmuch as the proprietors of houses1 when distinctly informed as to the nature and extent of the protection which they may reasonably expect to receive from the police force1 will be in a better position to determine what those additional safeguards should be which ordinary prudence makes it incumbent on them to provide for themselves4 ,under the influence of the impression above referred to a practice has sprung up in the ,city1 and is gradually increasing1 of leaving shops and warehouses1 stored with goods of great value1 entirely untenanted at night1 and throughout the whole of ,sunday4 ,numerous buildings are let out in separate rooms to separate tenants1 who require them only for purposes of business during the day2 the street-door1 during business hours1 is left open1 in order to give ready access to every part of the house2 and thus1 in the case of houses which are habitually deserted at night1 not only have thieves great facilities for entering them1 and secreting themselves there by day1 but they may do this with the knowledge that they will1 almost certainly1 be left for many hours at night in the undisturbed possession of the abandoned premises4 ,these risks are1 moreover1 greatly aggravated by want of due care in thoroughly searching the house before it is finally closed for the night1 by the defective condition1 in many instances1 of the external fastenings1 and by neglect in making even these fastenings secure4 ,it has1 indeed1 been supposed by some persons that if1 during their absence1 they leave lights burning in their shops1 and openings in the shutters through which the interior of the shop can be partially inspected1 the property within may be safely left to the exclusive guardianship of the police4 ,this practice has never been approved by the head of the force1 and is itself open to serious objection1 as tending to encourage reliance on a contrivance which is not only untrustworthy1 but which may be used by dexterous thieves to further their own plans4 ,nor must it be imagined that a policeman who is in charge of a beat can1 without manifest neglect of his duty to the householders generally1 devote to the shops where the practice in question is followed1 the special supervision which seems to be expected from him4 ,if a constable on duty were bound1 each time he passed1 to make a careful inspection of the interior of shops through the several apertures which individual shopkeepers may please to make in their shutters1 he would obviously be unable to complete the circuit of the buildings under his charge within the time appointed for that purpose1 and the majority of houses on the beat1 as well as passengers in the streets1 would be left without that protection which the police should properly afford4 ,under these circumstances it is most important to bear in mind that the special watching over particular premises1 which it is sought by the adoption of the custom referred to to exact from the police1 is a duty which the police cannot undertake to perform4 ,the chief functions of police in connection with the protection of house property at night are to prevent1 as far as possible1 a forcible entry being made into any building from without2 to afford protection to all houses equally2 to be vigilant in detecting the first indications of fire1 and to exercise a general supervision throughout the night over the doors1 shutters1 and other external defences of the houses4 ,these functions the police can discharge1 but they cannot be responsible for what may be occurring out of their sight1 within deserted buildings to which they have no access--they cannot keep stationary guard over the doors of unoccupied warehouses unprovided with any locks or outer fastenings but such as are of the most worthless description--they cannot prevent robberies being effected in premises to which thieves are admitted during the day and secured from all interruption when locked in for the night by the owners of the premises themselves--nor can they1 in justice to the legitimate claims which the majority of the ratepayers have on the protection of the police1 employ the greater portion of their time in watching over the property of a few individuals1 who invite attacks from thieves by omitting to take the precautions which common prudence enjoins4 ,,james ,,fraser1 ,colonel1 ,commissioner of ,police4 ,city ,police ,office1 #ahfe4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,safes ,,against ,,thieves4 ,of late years there has been an increasing demand for strong safes1 and it is in response to this demand that such a multitude of patents have been taken out4 ,of these very few have been introduced to the public1 for most of the inventions are by persons not practically acquainted with the trade1 who consequently have not the opportunity of foreseeing the practical difficulties in the working of their patent1 nor often the means of introducing it to public notice4 ,perhaps one patent in six is ultimately used1 but even of these many are but unwitting copies of former ones4 ,as an instance1 a special mode of making an angle-iron frame is claimed by three inventors4 ,however1 after the great robbery at a jeweller's in ,cornhill1 in #ahfe1 among the numerous patents introduced there were some of undoubted advantage1 the object in all being to give greater strength to the door and its fastenings1 and 7in some patents7 to close all joints in a safe against the operation of wedging4 ,the employment of wedges for forcing open safes was then quite novel1 and therefore the many improvements suggested or patented were intended chiefly to baffle this new mode of attack4 ,it is necessary to notice very briefly the salient points of the best of those inventions which by being now used have proved to some extent their utility4 ,perhaps the safes most generally known are ,milner's1 ,tann's1 ,hobbs's1 ,chatwood's and ,chubb's4 ,there are many other makers1 most of whose names appear in the list of patentees1 but whose productions have hardly obtained the notoriety belonging to the five names here mentioned4 ,respecting the first-named makers1 so many different qualities are made that it is difficult to give any definite opinion of their work1 but it may be safely said that the makers rely more upon the general construction of their safes than upon any special invention to overcome the #8wedge' or other instrument4 ,they use to a large extent wedge-shaped pieces of iron fastened to the inner face of the door1 which fit into1 as the door shuts1 corresponding holes in the frame or lining face4 ,these cannot1 however1 be used well at the back of the door1 in consequence of the clearance required when it is swinging open2 otherwise1 if fastened in a solid manner1 they give some additional strength4 ,one of the noticeable features of ,messrs4 ,milners' safe is the use of an outside band or frame round the body1 the advisability of which position for it is sometimes questioned1 although it adds somewhat to the appearance of strength4 ,they also use hinges in place of the pivot or centre working in a socket1 the more general mode of construction4 ,one of their stronger safes has been described as follows3 #8,its dimensions being #hc inches high2 #eh inches wide1 and #cf inches deep1 and secured by one single and two pairs of double doors4 ,the first1 which is of massive strength1 and well provided with lock1 bolts1 and wedge-guards1 secures a small chest or treasury designed for bullion1 which is in fact the principal object for which the safe was intended4 ,over this door close a pair of equally strong double doors1 each shooting eight massive bolts1 and coated1 like the inner door1 with a layer of hardened steel4 ,over these second doors close a third pair1 consisting1 like the inner ones1 of two -inch plates of iron separated by a plate of -inch cast steel4 ,the composition is #c inches thick4 ,the weight of the safe is thirteen tons 7871 and the cost #cjj4' ,the safes made by ,messrs4 ,tann1 of ,newgate ,street1 make no pretension to any special novelty beyond having1 in the strong qualities1 a projecting rim all round the inside of the door1 which fits into a corresponding recess1 in order to foil the action of wedges4 ,the finish of most of these safes is decidedly good1 showing careful workmanship4 ,the following is a published description of one of ,messrs4 ,tann's safes3 #8,no special provision as against fire was made1 strength being the first object4 ,the size of the safe is #e feet #f inches high1 and #b feet #d inches deep1 about four tons weight of iron being used in its manufacture4 ,the case consists first of boiler plate of -inch1 then of -inch plate of steel and iron welded together1 a third outer case being of -inch iron plate4 ,the frame is six inches by #a inches1 with solid corners2 and the construction of the doors is novel4 ,they are folding1 and fit into each other at their meeting with dovetails seven inches high and one inch wide of solid -inch iron1 which effectually prevents any attempt to force them apart by wedging4 ,the back edge of each door is provided with what is technically called a hook rebate1 with the same view4' ,messrs4 ,hobbs's safes are also of various qualities1 their strongest having bolts of a hooked or claw shape1 and the outer edges of the body plates being protected in a peculiar way by a covering under which molten metal is run to cover or close the joints4 ,the safe made by ,chatwood has a door with a curved edge1#b and bolts of hooked shape which slide behind projections on the frame2 sometimes he uses also projecting pieces on the inner edge of a door1 somewhat in ,milner's way1 and his stronger safes have hard metal run in while hot between two iron plates to form the sides4 ,some of his safes are very ponderous1 and more work is spent on them than seems necessary for any but the most extraordinary requirement4 ,the finish is good1 and the general plan of construction more elaborate than that used by some makers4 ,the number of applications for patents made by ,mr4 ,chatwood will be seen by reference to the list to be large1 but only some of them or parts are in use4 ,illustration3 ,,elevation ,,shewing ,,diagonal ,,action ,,of ,,bolts ,messrs4 ,chubb and ,son's safes are chiefly in two distinct qualities1 the best being made as shown by the annexed engravings4 ,the advantage of the diagonal bolts will be obvious2 they fasten into a solid frame1 which in its turn overlaps the body-plates1 so that if it were possible to get a wedge past the rebate on the door1 the moment the wedge was inserted the bolts would grip the sides and bind it tightly4 ,the edges are joined by angle-iron1 rivets and screws1 and are rebated and dovetailed together4 ,illustration3 ,,section ,,of ,,front ,,corner ,messrs4 ,chubb and ,son have lately 7#ahgd7 patented a new mode of construction1 with the object of providing a stronger safe at a less cost than has hitherto been charged4 ,the frame of the safe1 on which the door hangs1 is a solid ,t-iron1 its outer edge overlapping the body-plates1 and the flange receiving behind it the bolts4 ,though the inner lining has no screw or rivet1 yet it is most securely fastened in the process of joining the other parts4 ,in order to increase the fire-resisting properties of this new safe1 besides the usual casing of fire-resisting material1 a tube is introduced into the open space behind the ,t-iron1 filled with a substance that will on the approach of fire cause steam to be projected into the interior of the safe4 ,the engraving shows a section of one corner of this patent safe1 and an elevation of it will be found facing page #cf4 ,illustration3 ,,chubb',s ,,patent4 ,beyond the fact that its simplicity of construction enables it to be produced at a moderate cost1 the chief advantages claimed for this particular safe are3-- #a4 ,the door being slightly recessed when shut1 a wedge cannot be inserted with the same ease as if it were flush2 and if it is inserted1 the pressure is exerted against the point of greatest strength and away from the door4 #b4 ,the frame being a special ,t-iron section with a thickened corner1 its strength is enormous1 and the power necessary to bend it can hardly be applied but by machinery4 #c4 ,the bolts fasten behind this solid iron1 in place of1 as is usually the case1 into the lining4 #d4 ,the edges of the outer plates are recessed into the frame1 so that there is not an open joint4 #e4 ,the outer plates are fastened to the frame by a new screw rivet1 which can neither be driven in nor taken out4 #f4 ,even if one of the plates should be taken off1 the lining cannot be got out1 in consequence of the mode adopted for securing it at the front4 #g4 ,the adoption of the ,patent ,steam ,tube adds greatly to the fireproof qualities of the safe at the part most subject to the entrance of heat4 ,among safe manufacturers ,i may name ,messrs4 ,mordan and ,co41 ,mr4 ,whitfield1 ,mr4 ,elwell1 ,messrs4 ,perry and ,co41 ,mr4 ,price1 and others1 whose productions ,i have not space to describe4 ,there are in ,staffordshire certain firms who make safes of the lightest and most trumpery description1 chiefly for export4 ,a partner in one of these establishments once told me that as long as the safes were strong enough to stand the rough voyage round the ,cape to ,india they were all that was needed6 ,i need hardly say that a safe need be no stronger than a packing-case to stand that test4 ,there are1 however1 already signs of a much better article being required in the ,east2 and the export trade in good ,english safes to ,india1 ,china1 ,australia1 and other parts is rapidly becoming of much importance4 ,wedging has already been mentioned as an ingenious and somewhat new mode adopted by burglars to force open safes4 ,it is accomplished by means of a number of steel wedges1 thin and small1 and about two inches long by half an inch broad2 these are driven in one by one at different parts round the edge of the door2 gradually ,illustration3 ,,chubb',s ,,new ,,patent ,,safe1 ,,with ,t-,,iron ,,frame ,to face page #cf thicker ones are put in until the side has been sprung away sufficiently to allow a crowbar to be inserted1 and then if the bolts are not of the very best the door is likely to be wrenched open4 ,the sound of hammering the wedges is deadened by a leather pad being put under the hammer1 so that it becomes almost a silent operation4 ,a convicted burglar1 who had enjoyed the advantage of some experience in wedging safes1 stated that on first trying the door of a safe1 if the wedge sprang out and would not remain in the joint without being held1 it was generally hopeless to proceed with wedges2 but if the first wedge took #8a bite' in the joint and stayed in1 he was almost certain of success4 ,but besides this method there is that of using drills1 a very favourite way formerly with thieves1 and one that has lately again become popular1 because of the increased facilities for procuring better drilling instruments4 ,the object sought in drilling is to get at the lock or working parts1 so that by destroying the works and bolt of the lock the handle of the safe merely has to be turned and the door comes open4 ,it is quite easy to drill any number of holes into an ordinary iron safe1 but unless the holes are near the lock the contents of the safe cannot be reached without much labour and time4 ,therefore to counteract the drilling it is necessary to protect the lock by steel or some other hard substance4 ,a plate of steel well fixed is usually employed1 but in addition to this ,mr4 ,john ,chubb invented a very simple but effective mode of protection4 ,a number of small holes are made in the door-plate from the inside almost through the plate2 the holes are tapped1 and then filled up with hard steel screws2 so that when a drill touches1 however slightly1 even one of the steel screws1 its edge immediately breaks and the drill becomes useless4 ,the construction and operation of the powerful instrument which made large holes was unknown until one of them1 with all its tools1 was captured by the police1 and a more powerful1 well-made1 and compact instrument has seldom been seen4 ,by the courtesy of the ,metropolitan ,police ,authorities ,mr4 ,chubb was allowed to experiment with the instrument1 and his attention was directed to provide some means to baffle and destroy its operation4 ,this has been effectually done1 and the improvement secured by letters patent4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a4 ,it would be obviously improper to publish any description or illustration of the machine itself1 but fig4 #a ,illustration3 ,fig4 #b4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #c4 shows a part of an iron door with a hole two inches in diameter cut through it4 ,fig #b is the cutting tool used1 and uninjured1 as it was when taken from the machine after cutting the hole4 ,fig4 #c also shows a part of an iron door1 having the patent improvement1 upon which a trial was next made by the instrument with the same cutter4 ,no impression1 farther than taking a mere skin off the surface1 could be made1 and the cutter was utterly destroyed1 as shown in fig4 #d4 ,another and more powerful machine was taken by the ,manchester police1 with cutters capable of making much larger holes1 but the improvement is equally effective in destroying the tools4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #d ,a third and more desperate mode of opening safes is by introducing gunpowder into the locks1 destroying them1 and thus opening the door with ease4 ,this1 however1 has not lately been tried to any extent2 the noise made is likely to lead to detection4 ,it is rather a dangerous thing to try1 and the locks of good safes have generally received such improvements as enable them to resist the shock of an explosion without injury4 ,there have been other methods said to be used by burglars to obtain their object1 such as softening steel with a blow-pipe1 so as to get a drill through it1 or using drills made of diamonds1 which are said to be very powerful1 or employing acids to act upon and destroy hard steel1 but ,i have not known of any burglaries proving successful by these means4 ,there is no doubt a vast amount of low ingenuity and cunning always at work1 quietly scheming or planning the best mode of getting at the treasure so often kept in safes1 and the only safeguard against this is to get the best safe possible1 and then not to rely upon its being utterly impregnable 7for no safe can be that71 but to use ordinary watchfulness and care1 so that it may not be exposed to unusual risks4 ,a safe is protected as much by having careful and honest persons in the employ of a firm as by its own strength2 and the common-sense view of the matter to take is to advise all who wish to obtain the best security to pay what is necessarily a good price for a good safe1 and to take good care of it--and its keys4 ,the careless way in which the keys1 not only of safes1 but of warehouse doors1 private boxes1 and bags are left about1 has been the cause of many robberies4 ,the great gold robbery on the ,south-,eastern ,railway in #ahee was effected through the thieves obtaining1 though only for a few moments1 possession of the keys and taking an impression from them4 ,a jewel robbery at the ,west ,end of ,london in #ahgb was owing to the key of the jewel-case being left in the same room as the case4 ,it is often found that important keys instead of being in personal custody are kept in some drawer or box having only a very common lock4 ,even bankers1 careful as they are1 need a caution about this1 for their keys are so numerous in most instances that great care should be exercised to prevent them from ever getting into improper hands2 whatever kind of keys are used1 they should never be out of the possession of their rightful owners4 ,a plan1 to which ,i may call attention1 because of its complete success and simplicity1 has been extensively used for the recovery of lost keys4 ,it consists of a chain with a label attached to it1 engraved as shown in the accompanying illustration1 the object being to ensure the return of the keys without the finder becoming aware to whom they belong1 thus preventing their possible unlawful use4 ,the bunch of keys being brought to the address on the label1 by reference to a register kept of each label1 the rightful owner is known and communicated with4 ,several thousands are now in use1 and their value is proved by the constant1 almost daily1 recovery of keys4 ,illustration ,some of the instances in which this plan has been successfully used are somewhat remarkable1 and among these may be mentioned the loss of a gentleman's keys on one of the ,swiss mountains4 ,all hope of finding them was given up and a fresh set accordingly made2 but the following year a bunch of keys was found where the snow had melted1 and these1 brought home by an ,english traveller1 were found to be the missing ones4 ,perhaps a more curious case1 in which an unexpected use was made of the register1 occurred at the time of the terrible ,abergele accident to the ,irish mail train4 ,mr4 ,lund1 a passenger in the train1 was killed1 but nothing could at first be found upon him as a likely means of identification4 ,he happened1 however1 to have a registered chain1 and upon telegraphing to my firm the number on the label his name and address were at once discovered4 ,it may be of use to add a few particulars respecting the amount of coin that can be stowed in a certain space1 in order that it may be easily calculated how much any safe will hold4 ,the ,bank of ,england reckoning for the room required to stow away gold coin in bags is #gi cubic inches to #a1jjjl4 ,one cubic foot will contain no less than #ba1hgel4 ,in order to allow a slight margin and to be on the right side1 it may be considered that #hj cubic inches will contain #a1jjjl4 in bags of sovereigns4 ,for silver coin the ,bank reckoning is that #aeg cubic inches will hold #ajjl41 and that one cubic foot will hold #a1bcel4 in bags4 ,to allow a margin as before1 it may be said that #afj cubic inches contain #ajjl4 in silver coin4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,safes ,,against ,,fire4 ,perhaps there is a greater demand for fire-resisting than for thief-resisting safes1 and certainly it is in the former character that they are most often put to the test4 ,the consideration1 therefore1 of what is the best form of construction to cope with fire is most important2 while it is also a much simpler matter than when strength against thieves is required4 ,in fire we have an element whose character is known1 and which cannot attack us in some new way for which we are not fully prepared4 ,all that it can do to a safe is to exercise upon it a certain heat1 the intensity of which may be pretty nearly determined1 and which cannot in actual practice last beyond a certain time4 ,probably heat that will melt iron in a large mass is seldom produced in the burning of an ordinary dwelling-house2 but in a warehouse with inflammable contents such fierce heat often exists1 so that a safe should be proof against it for two or three hours4 ,unless a safe were very bulky it could not well preserve its contents without any damage for a much longer time2 and indeed it is not necessary1 for no safe is very likely to be exposed to an intense all-round fire longer than three hours2 by that time it will either have fallen into rubbish1 or the dbris from above will have covered it in1 and protected it from immediate contact with the fire4 ,it will be seen from this that it is advisable not to build a safe partially into a wall or recess2 the chances being that it will be kept in its place long enough to have the full force of the fire expended upon its exposed portion1 and then fall a greater distance and upon harder material than if it had fallen when the wooden floor first gave way4 ,the first quality that a fire-resisting safe should possess is strength in its construction sufficient to prevent its being damaged by a heavy fall1 or sustaining injury through the plates warping from heat4 ,this cannot be obtained unless the outer plates are at least a quarter of an inch thick 7or upwards1 in big safes71 strongly joined at all the edges by stout angle-irons well rivetted to them4 ,other and more expensive methods are used to join the edges1 and are doubtless better than the foregoing2 but this is at once a cheap1 effectual1 and most generally used method4 ,secondly1 it is essential to make the safe as nearly airtight as possible1 to do which it is only necessary that the door should fit very closely at its edges1 and that its inside face touches at every possible point the interior of the safe4 ,the third thing to be considered is the fire-proofing--the most important feature of the safe4 ,almost everything that one can think of has been either proposed or used for proofing--water1 wood1 paper1 plaster-of-,paris1 chemicals of all sorts1 and many other things besides4 ,but of all these what may be termed a combination of water and wood1 in the forms of alum and sawdust1 has been most extensively used4 ,there are two walls of wrought iron in the safe1 and the intervening space has to be filled with a fire-resisting material1 which may be either of a refractory nature1 such as fire-clay1 sand1 or any other practically infusible slow conductor of heat2 or it may be an absorbent substance containing chemicals that will evolve moisture when heated4 ,the former of these two methods is now seldom used except by makers of cheap common safes1 who sometimes use clay1 ashes1 or mould4 ,the evaporating system is generally adopted1 and as a rule the absorbent material is common sawdust1 with which is mixed ordinary alum1 the water of crystallisation in the alum being gradually parted with under the continued heat generated by fire4 ,mahogany sawdust is preferred1 as being less combustible than that of white woods4 ,at one time tubes of glass or fusible metal containing alkaline solutions were imbedded in the sawdust and were supposed to burst or fuse at a given temperature1 but it was found that the glass accidentally broke or the fusible metal became corroded1 and allowed the liquids to escape1 thus damping the contents of the safe4 ,but the mixture of alum with sawdust is open to two objections4 ,owing to the hygroscopic nature of sawdust the alum is liable to decomposition1 thereby producing a certain moisture in the safe2 and1 secondly1 there is of course a limit to the production of moisture from the alum when under the action of fire1 after which the sawdust will become gradually dry1 and although it may not actually ignite1 it will become charred1 and even red hot1 under sufficiently continued heat4 ,it is but fair1 however1 to say1 as ,i have previously suggested1 that such instances of continued heat are but rarely probable2 yet1 for the before-mentioned reasons1 ,i prefer and use an incombustible material1 very light and absorbent1 and which does not possess the bad qualities of sawdust1 but which is more expensive4 ,supposing the alum to become exhausted1 there still remains the protection of a substance which is both infusible and a bad conductor of heat4 ,of course the actual amount of resistance to fire depends largely on the capacity of the proofing chambers4 ,when advisable the thickness of these may be increased to any extent desired1 or the safe may have several chambers1 all containing proofing1 or intermediate ones left as air-chambers only4 ,to sum up the qualities which are requisite to make a safe proof against an ordinary fire1 it must1 first1 be made entirely of wrought iron2 secondly1 the outer plates must be at least a quarter of an inch thick2 thirdly1 there should be a space of three to four inches all round it of an evaporating non-conducting composition4 ,with such a safe as this1 properly put together1 the general run of fires may be defied2 but there are cases where extra precaution should be taken1 and the safe kept in a brick1 stone1 or iron strong-room4 ,no safe inside a strong-room has1 to my knowledge1 ever been destroyed2 but many--always light ones--in warehouses or offices have had their contents burnt4 ,and here ,i would caution those not acquainted with the subject to put little faith in the tests1 either public or private1 that are sometimes made1 unless they are conducted by persons quite disinterested4 ,when it is done in this way of course the result is one that may1 if certain conditions are fulfilled1 be valuable2 but so frequently are these #8tests' arranged1 either by making a safe specially for a trial1 by carefully packing its contents1 or by constructing the fire in a particular mode1 to turn out such wonderful successes1 that it will be well not to rely upon anything but actual experience gained from the result of safes which have been known to be subject to an ordeal in the ordinary course of things4 ,plenty of such instances can be investigated1 but it will obviously be unadvisable to give here the numerous results that have from time to time been chronicled by the daily papers and other publications4 ,it should be borne in mind that certain things are less liable to injury from heat than others2 and therefore it is that books will sometimes sustain no injury1 whilst loose papers in the same safe may be more or less damaged4 ,for this reason it is advisable that all parchments and papers be kept in a drawer or cupboard of a safe1 as the second enclosure 7though with no more fire-proofing round it7 gives a slight extra security4 ,another caution ,i would give is that1 after being in one fire1 a safe should not be relied on to resist fire again until it has been examined and re-proofed by the maker or a thoroughly competent person4 ,the resisting properties are certain to be damaged1 if not destroyed altogether2 and although ,i know of safes still in use that have not been renovated since preserving their contents1 ,i would not place any faith at all in their power to prove again successful4 ,the destruction of the ,pantechnicon has presented an opportunity of fairly ascertaining the effect of great heat upon various safes1 and1 strange as it may seem1 scarcely one of the many safes survived the conflagration without injury4 ,one ,french safe had nothing but its four sides left intact1 its front1 back1 and inside having disappeared as if driven out by a cannon-ball4 ,the cast-iron safes1 of which there were several1 proved1 as might be expected1 utterly useless1 being found when pulled out of the ruins twisted into all sorts of shapes1 or cracked and broken like glass4 ,other safes1 by makers whose reputation can hardly be affected by damage done in such an unprecedented fire1 had their contents very seriously injured2 and only a few safes came out of the trial in at all a satisfactory state4 ,speaking of ,french safes1 ,i may here say that1 as a rule1 they and most of the ,continental safes cannot be trusted in ,english fires1 nor against the more advanced skill prevailing among our ,english thieves4 ,without offence their character may be summed up as being really #8,french'--pretty in outward appearance 7which is more than can be said for our safes71 with peculiar locks requiring no keys1 and certain other un-,english things about them2 they are quite unsuitable for our market1 and vice vers our ,british safes find little sale in ,france4 ,safes and other receptacles to contain gunpowder and preserve it from explosion have recently been talked about2 and there is no doubt that one result of such a calamity as the late ,regent's ,canal explosion will be to expedite legislation on the subject of the transit and storage of gunpowder and other explosives4 ,it may appear curious that gunpowder can be preserved from damage by fire with much greater ease than such a substance as parchment1 but the former can only be destroyed by being in contact with actual fire1 or becoming subject to a most intense heat 7about #efj degrees72 while a moderate heat or exposure to steam1 such as is necessarily generated by the fire-proofing of a safe1 often irretrievably damages parchment4 ,a well-made safe1 on the principle of evaporation already described1 may be relied on to preserve gunpowder from considerable heat1 but to avoid the possibility of flame or sparks entering the space round the door1 a second safe of lighter make may be placed inside the ordinary one4 ,major ,majendie1 in a recent report to the ,government on this subject1 suggests that there should be public trials by the various makers1 of safes1 such as they severally think most suitable for this special purpose4 ,it remains to be seen if this advice will be followed1 and if so1 upon what principle the trials will be conducted1 and whether the safes or chests so tested will be precisely the same as the makers intend to retail1 or are made specially for the occasion4 ,it is extremely doubtful if the ,government would be acting wisely in affording facilities at the public expense for private firms to experiment with safes the merits of which are pretty well known2 but should the trials take place1 no doubt the results will1 in some instances1 be of a nature to astonish those not practically familiar with the action of fire in such cases4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,second-,,hand ,,safes1 ,,etc4 ,in the broadest sense of the term there cannot be such a thing as a burglar-proof or fire-proof safe1 but in the usually restricted sense of these words it is easy to obtain a safe that combines both qualities1 provided what is considered to be a good price is paid4 ,but it will be well to begin by warning those who hunt after so-called second-hand safes that a real second-hand one1 by a good maker1 is seldom to be obtained2 also that the majority of safes advertised and sold as genuinely second-hand1 and with which a warranty is often said to be given1 are absolutely worthless1 being made by small makers in ,london and ,birmingham1 chiefly on purpose to be sold as second-hand1 and constructed of the lightest and poorest materials4 ,the parts that are visible of these safes of course look strong2 for instance1 the edge of the door is sometimes about an inch thick1 thus making it appear as if of that thickness throughout2 while the fact is that the door is made of two thin sheets of iron with a thick narrow bar all round the edge1 thus showing apparent strength where there is none in reality1 for nothing is easier than to drill through this door and force back the bolts4 ,it is well for the reputation--such as it is--of these second-hand safes that they are covered with paint2 the more the defects the nicer the safe frequently looks1 outwardly2 for it is easy enough to cover up cracks1 bad joints1 c4 with putty1 and then paint it all as smooth as a carriage-panel4 ,the angle-iron1 by which the plates are fastened together1 is very slight1 the rivets are small and few and far between2 the plates themselves are but sheet-iron1 often of less thickness than the mere linings of good safes2 and as for the fireproofing material1 it is sometimes the ashes from the hearth1 and sometimes garden-mould4 ,it is a fact that1 at an auction in ,scotland1 whilst a safe of this description was being #8put up' as one of the best ever made1 it suddenly fell to the ground1 broke open in the fall1 and out came the fireproofing in the shape of fresh garden-turf1 with live worms in it4 ,at a dealer's at the ,west ,end of ,london1 within the last few months1 there was one of these new second-hand safes1 its outer plates being less than an eighth of an inch thick4 ,the safe1 about five feet high1 was so top-heavy and badly made that upon being touched it rocked like a jelly1 and had to be supported by boards at the back4 ,such is a sample of many a wretched safe bought by unsuspecting and naturally ignorant customers4 ,as to the fastening of such safes1 the bolts are two or three in number1 thrown to the front of the door1 while at the back of the door are what are called #8dogs1' that is1 immovable bolts1 of little or no use1 and put in merely to make the fastenings look stronger4 ,the hinges1 too1 which ought to be well-made and of the best wrought-iron1 are of cast-iron1 so that not only does the movement of the door quickly wear them away1 but a sharp blow would at once smash them in pieces4 ,the lock1 which is generally used as a bait to catch the purchaser1 is frequently of good make1 but of a kind never intended for a safe4 ,locks made for wooden drawers are constantly bought and used for this purpose1 although totally unsuitable1 and in spite of all proceedings that can be taken to prevent it4 ,neither my firm nor any of the large safe-manufacturers make safe-locks for any but safes of their own make4 ,a lock for this purpose requires to be1 first1 very strong1 and protected by hard steel1 so as to be drill-proof2 second1 completely gunpowder-proof2 third1 simple in construction1 so that it may never be liable to derangement4 ,locks on such safes as we are now describing are seldom anything but the last1 and not always that4 ,so weak and poor in its construction is this most important part of most of these safes1 that workmen with the simplest tools have1 with ease and without noise1 forced open many of them in from five to fifteen minutes4 ,the lock most suitable for safes is shown in annexed engraving4 ,illustration ,it is1 in short1 a most obvious truth to all who care to enquire into the matter that of all cheap things a cheap safe as a general rule is the most worthless4 ,every lock or safe maker of any repute has1 at one time or another1 had his name used unlawfully in order to deceive purchasers of these common safes4 ,my firm has been compelled to bring nearly a dozen actions in cases of this kind4 ,it had a case lately in which a dealer attempted twice within twelve months 7the second time in defiance of the injunction previously granted against him7 to sell most worthless goods as being ,chubb's patent make4 ,i had thought of giving a few instructions to guide a purchaser of a second-hand safe1 that he might secure the best2 but1 as ,i believe it is a pure waste of money to buy even the best of the class alluded to1 ,i will note what will assist the purchaser who desires a good safe by a good maker4 ,first1 be satisfied that the lock is gunpowder-proof1 and covered by some arrangement that will effectually prevent drills reaching it2 then that the spindle or handle is made so that it cannot be pulled out or forced in4 ,there ought to be at least three bolts at the front and three at the back of the door1 proportionate to the height of the safe4 ,the lock-case1 containing lock and bolts1 should be most strongly fastened to the door-plate1 which ought never to be less than in4 throughout4 ,respecting the body or outer plates of the safe1 these should not be1 in smaller safes1 less than in4 thick1 while in safes above #e feet high they should be at least in4 ,the frame on the safe 7for the use and description of which see page #ce7 must be at least #b in4 in small1 and #d in4 in large safes4 ,the rivets used ought to be no more than #c inches apart2 this may sometimes be tested by scraping off the paint1 when the rivet-heads may be seen4 ,attention should be paid to the holes in which the bolts go1 for unless these are strong1 a wedge and crowbar would tear the bolts out of them without difficulty4 ,be sure also that the fireproofing is of the best material2 and lastly1 choose a safe of the best finish in every respect4 ,it may be said that notwithstanding the disparagement of the cheap second-hand safes some of them have at times resisted burglars or preserved their contents from fire4 ,this may be true1 but it has been owing rather to the burglars' want of skill or the little risk they ran in the fire4 ,on the other hand1 ,i could cite dozens of instances where their worthlessness has been shown under real exposure to fire or the attempts of burglars4 ,a tolerably correct guide in the purchase of a safe is its weight1 wherein the light plate and thin proofing cases are sure to betray themselves4 ,insist upon the weight being stamped on the safe1 and see that it does not deviate largely from the following instances3-- ,in4 ,in4 ,in4 wide high deep ,cwt4 ,a safe #bb #ag #af should weigh about #c 0 #dd #bh #bd 0 0 #aa 0 #dh #ci #be 0 0 #af 7folding doors7 0 #fj #ci #bf 0 0 #bc 0 0 0 #hd #dh #cj 0 0 #db 0 0 ,no safes of the sizes mentioned should weigh less than these amounts2 but safes lined with steel1 and made stronger than usual in other ways1 will1 of course1 be very much heavier4 ,it is so easy for a safe to be made that will deceive any but an experienced eye1 and when one is bought it is so requisite that it should be one to be trusted in1 that if only for the sake of peace of mind it is advisable to purchase from one of those firms whose reputations depend upon the quality of their work1 and whose name is a guarantee that the safe is a safe4 ,a guarantee is a capital thing to bait a hook with in most trades1 but it is a doubtful advantage at the best1 for if an article is not good enough to stand upon its own merits a guarantee cannot improve it2 and to say broadly1 #8,oh1 yes1 we guarantee this to be fire and thief proof1' is to warrant a safe to withstand any amount of fire and any number of burglars4 ,there obviously must be a limit to the endurance of safes2 therefore a guarantee is as obviously an absurdity1 and ought not to be blindly believed in4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,strong-,,rooms4 ,in the planning and construction of a strong-room it must be remembered that the object sought is to obtain a place secure against both the attack of thieves and the ravages of fire4 ,there are many cases1 however1 where the latter is the chief object2 and as the attainment of this is more difficult than the former1 it will necessarily come before us more prominently4 ,in many respects this subject is the most important in this treatise1 and it is one concerning which there is a great amount of ignorance4 ,bearing in mind the rapid spread of banking and other businesses requiring the security a good strong-room affords1 it will be my object to show the faults of many constructions now relied upon1 and to suggest the simple ways by which they may be avoided4 ,building a single strong-room is a very different matter from erecting a fireproof building2 the latter is a larger and more difficult question1 which will be noticed by itself2 but the room that is to be made secure may be and generally is part of a building with no pretensions to special safety against fire or thieves4 ,now1 the first thing to consider is the position best adapted in any bank1 mansion1 or warehouse for placing the more valuable part of its contents4 ,there may be certain parts which seem most convenient for access or other reasons1 but such considerations ought never to be taken first1 especially as the best place happens to be often rather inconvenient4 ,the basement is undoubtedly the right position2 any part of the basement will do1 but a room on the ground or first floor has at once a source of weakness in itself1 for it has to depend for support on what is not a strong-room4 ,let some spot be chosen in the basement where1 if possible1 the room will have none of its walls adjoining any other buildings4 ,should it be next to a street or thoroughfare1 it will not matter2 but it should not adjoin a court or area1 where burglars might have an opportunity of working unobserved4 ,it would undoubtedly be an excellent precaution to build all the walls quite distinct from the main walls of the larger structure1 but this is not absolutely necessary1 and the extra expense is a drawback to it1 though ,i would give a caution against false economy in such a matter as this4 ,any position likely to be damp should be avoided2 but if this is not possible every precaution should be taken to remedy the evil1 for the trouble caused by damp when once it has got into a closed room of this kind is endless4 ,a few air-bricks connecting the inside by a hollow flue formed in the wall1 with its outlet as far as possible from the inlet1 should be sufficient to ventilate any strong-vault4 ,but if other ventilation is necessary in the room1 have a jet of gas always alight2 and over the gas place a bell-shaped covering communicating with the outer air1 or with a chimney flue in preference1 by a two-inch iron pipe4 ,in excavating for the foundations1 if the subsoil and the situation are not well known1 it is important to see that there is no drain or pipe of any sort under the surface1 and that the ground is stiff enough for the heavy weight that will be on it4 ,one of the most important parts of a strong-room is the floor1 although there is a popular delusion that because it is the floor it is quite secure without any protection4 ,a circumstance showing the necessity of being careful to make the floor strong occurred in the early part of the year #ahfe1 at ,hong ,kong4 ,the ,central ,bank of ,western ,india1 situated there1 had a strong-room for its securities1 but unfortunately the defence of the floor seems to have been forgotten4 ,accordingly some thieves commenced to make a tunnel from a neighbouring house1 and after considerable labour obtained entrance through the floor and carried off plunder to the amount of fifty thousand pounds4 ,the affair was managed during ,saturday and ,sunday by means of this tunnel dug between a drain and the floor of the treasury1 a horizontal distance of sixty feet4 ,a ,new ,york bank was also entered in a similar manner1 through an excavation which must have taken two or three weeks to make4 ,although such approaches may occupy some time1 they can be carried on unnoticed until the removal of a stone in the floor is at last only the work of a few minutes4 ,for the floor to be secure1 it should certainly be formed of half-inch boiler-plates rebated and fastened together1 laid upon a good thickness of brick and cement4 ,stone has been constantly recommended and used for flooring1 but it is not advisable2 there ought not to be any stone in a strong-room except for the sill and lintel of the doorway1 where it is almost necessary4 ,the walls must be at least fourteen inches thick1 brick and cement1 and there ought to be the boiler-plate lining inside wall and roof to correspond with the floor4 ,the roof must be brick-arched1 and the arches should be made in the strongest possible way1 in order to resist if necessary the weight of a great portion of the building above falling on them4 ,if the span cannot be from one wall to another1 then a wrought-iron girder may be introduced1 but should be most carefully covered by cement or plaster at every exposed part4 ,on no account use a cast-iron girder4 ,the entrance to the room has to be well protected1 for it is here that attack is to be expected from thieves1 and that fire might possibly creep through4 ,the best plan is to use a fire-resisting door and gate joined together2 the door being flush with the outside of entrance and opening out1 the gate flush with the inside1 and opening inwards2 as a general rule the door only is used1 but the addition of a gate not only gives extra security1 but allows the door to stand open in the daytime to ventilate the room1 when other openings for ventilation are impossible or undesirable4 ,there certainly should not be any other direct opening besides the doorway either for light or air4 ,light is1 ,i know1 frequently desirable1 but if it is obtained through a window or skylight the strength of the room is lessened1 even if these openings have strong iron shutters4 ,if gas is to be introduced the pipes must be laid on with care2 it is best to have no pipe inside1 but a swing bracket outside the entrance1 which1 when the door is open1 can be swung through the opening and thus light up the interior4 ,fixed lamps may be used1 but there is a certain amount of risk--though it is small--of their being forgotten1 and of sparks from them igniting loose papers4 ,it will follow from this that no stove or fireplace should be used inside a strong-room2 for if there is a flue a source of weakness is introduced1 besides the contents of the room being liable to damage from fire4 ,but the fixing of the door is an important and hitherto much-neglected point4 ,the annexed drawing shows almost at a glance the proper mode of doing this3-- ,illustration ,i have taken it for granted that it is understood iron doors are made with a frame surrounding them of bar-iron1 to which the hinges of the door hang1 and the corners of which project1 to give greater strength4 ,now1 if this door and frame be fixed while a building is in progress1 the locks and bolts are exposed to injury from dirt and damp1 and the frame is liable to be thrown out of position by settlement of the wall4 ,it is1 therefore1 better to leave such an opening as shown in the engraving sufficiently large for the intended door-frame1 toothed at the sides1 and having an arch above it4 ,the door can then be fixed when the building is nearly ready for occupation1 the surplus opening being filled with brickwork4 ,the drawing shows a stone sill1 and it is usual1 though not necessary1 to fix a stone lintel over the top of the door1 as shown by dotted lines2 or the arch may all be filled with brickwork4 ,the bottom of the frame should be grooved about two-thirds of its thickness into the sill1 leaving enough room for the door to open clear of the floor-level2 or if it be wished to let the bottom frame entirely in1 the same end may be obtained by slightly sloping away the floor outside it4 ,the top and sides of the frame should be rebated into the head-stone 7or brick7 and jambs the whole of their thickness1 so that the inside of the wall-opening may be flush with the inside of the frame4 ,the door must be placed level and upright in the position prepared for it1 and temporarily supported there2 it should be received from the makers locked1 and must have its brass furniture fixed1 and be unlocked by the key before attempting to turn the handle of the main bolts4 ,if after unlocking it there is any difficulty in turning the bolts back with the handle1 no great force should be used1 but the position of the frame must be adjusted until the bolts move easily and the door opens without binding anywhere4 ,in case of any such difficulty1 a little wedging up of the top arm against the shutting side of the door 7marked ,a in drawing71 will usually remove it4 ,try the door with a spirit-level applied to three parts1 viz43 #a4 ,the face or edge of frame 7right and left sides71 with door shut4 #b4 ,the inside shutting edge of frame1 with door partly open4 #c4 ,the inside of bottom of frame2 and adjust until the bolts work properly4 ,it should then be fixed in this position1 taking care not to force the sides of the frame inwards while so doing4 ,during the fixing1 the opening and shutting of the door should be tried frequently4 ,as cement swells in setting1 it is possible a door-frame which appears to be properly set may afterwards be found bulged or bound when dry4 ,this should1 therefore1 be guarded against by wood struts placed across the inside of the frame4 ,on no account must a frame be fixed without its door1 but always with the door hung and open1 in accordance with the foregoing directions4 ,as the keys are not required by the workmen after the door is unlocked before fixing1 they should be kept by the owner1 lest by being left about they may be mislaid or wrongfully used4 ,a strong-room door of ordinary quality should have the outer plate or inch thick1 with the lock-case and fireproofing-case in addition2 and at least six bolts1 three at front and three at back2 the frame of a strength proportionate to the size and weight of the door1 and with arms and lugs projecting1 to build into the wall4 ,the interior fittings of the room are of course determined by the requirements of the owner4 ,if there is much shelving it may be of perforated metal or mere strips of iron for boxes to rest on1 so as to allow of free circulation of air4 ,for particularly valuable articles or documents a safe either small or to take to pieces may be introduced1 as is usually done by bankers4 ,i give a plan of a first-class strong-room1 which for all practical purposes is secure1 and combines strength with economy in construction4 ,illustration3 ,,plan ,,of ,,strong-,,room4 ,illustration3 ,,strong-,,room--,,section ,,on ,,line ,,aa4 ,the side and back walls are about #b ft4 thick1 in hard brick laid in cement4 ,at #i inches from the inside of wall is a continuous rough iron grating of vertical bars1 built in as a part of the solid wall4 ,hoop-iron is used in the horizontal courses4 ,the entrance wall is #b ft4 thick1 but in other respects similar to the side walls4 ,the roof is formed of a brick arch #ah inches thick1 with curved bars in the centre2 and is covered with a layer of concrete4 ,the floor is brick and concrete as shown2 with a layer of asphalte on the surface4 ,at the entrance to the room is a steel door of great strength1 with two locks throwing #ab bolts1 and with a fire-resisting chamber4 ,next to this is a pair of iron folding-doors1 not fireproof2 which1 when open1 lie within the thickness of the wall4 ,there is next a wrought-iron gate opening inwards2 the frames of the doors and gate being all connected by wrought-iron plates4 ,in the room itself1 at the further end1 is a fire-resisting iron and steel strong-room2 and the space in front of it 7sides1 roof and floor7 is lined with -inch iron plate1 placed a slight distance from the wall to allow of an air-space between4 ,the fittings are of iron2 shelves on one side and cupboards on the other4 ,the cost of such a room complete1 of the best materials and highest finish 7including brickwork71 would be about #acjjl4 ,the following is a condensed description of a strongroom constructed a few years ago for a ,london bank1 and which might serve as a model for others4 ,the walls1 two feet thick1 are formed of hard bricks laid in cement1 with hoop-iron worked in4 ,the room is lined throughout with wrought-iron1 inch thick4 ,there are two doors1 the outer one a strong iron one1 with two locks2 and the inner one of combined iron and steel1 of extraordinary strength1 with two locks throwing ten bolts4 ,a safe placed inside1 weighing eight tons1 and having twenty bolts1 contains the cash and securities4 ,an alarum in the resident clerk's bedroom is attached to the inside of the strong-room1 so that if the outer door be opened a gong is set going4 ,a porter sleeps on a bed in front of the outer door1 and by pulling a handle he can set the alarum off if necessary2 and there is a watchman always on duty4 ,with such a room as this1 situated in a building constantly and carefully watched by trustworthy servants1 robbery is made practically impossible4 ,as an instance of what peculiar inventions are sometimes brought out1 ,i annex a description of ,mc,neill's ,patent ,safe1 which seems to be a sort of floating strongroom for the preservation of mails1 specie1 and other valuables during transit on shipboard from shipwreck1 fire1 and theft2 but it will be seen to be rather a curious contrivance1 and hardly capable of general adaptation1 to say the least4 ,the object of the invention1 it is stated1 is to meet a want which has long been felt1 viz41 the safety of mails1 specie1 c4 on board vessels at sea4 ,by the ordinary system of carrying these1 the public have had to put up with the inconvenience of occasionally losing or receiving in a damaged state their letters and despatches1 and underwriters have had to pay large sums on the total or partial losses occasioned by the wreck or burning of vessels containing large amounts of specie4 ,the safe is constructed of steel or iron plating1 lined with wood1 leaving a space1 which is filled with fire-resisting composition1 of a rectangular form and dimensions suited to the position in which it is placed--say between decks of a vessel--and is placed inside a steel or iron case attached to the main deck1 and running up through the upper deck1 forming a hatchway large enough to admit the safe to pass through1 being held in position by guides fixed at vertical angles1 forming slides4 ,the door of the safe is supposed to be both water-tight and fireproof4 ,when the safe is placed within its case1 the upper part of which forms a hatchway1 it may be covered either with an ordinary hatch-cover or a deck-house corresponding with other houses on deck1 and secured down with hook-bolts fixed to the sills of the hatch-cover or house1 and engaging into eyes rivetted into the sides of the case or hatchway4 ,the hook-bolts are connected by iron bars1 and communicate with a strong cross-bar1 to which is attached a powerful lever placed close to the top of the safe4 ,in the event of foundering1 as soon as the water inside the vessel reaches the upper deck it will flow into the case through holes provided for that purpose2 the safe will ascend the slides1 forcing up the lever1 which will disengage all the fastenings of the hatch-cover or house1 and permit the safe to lift it off1 and float away clear of the vessel as she sinks4 ,strong ringbolts are provided on the top of the safe for lifting it in and out of the case2 also for towing or lifting on board any vessel finding it adrift4 ,the boats of the sunken vessel may be made fast to the floating safe1 which will serve as a buoy1 keeping them altogether with their heads to the sea1 with a much better prospect of being seen and picked up by a passing vessel than if scattered over the ocean4 ,the name of the vessel to which it belongs painted on the door of the safe would lead to its restoration to the proper quarter4 ,i am not aware that this peculiar invention has ever been carried out1 but the idea which probably gave rise to it is one that has never been thoroughly solved4 ,ocean-going mail-steamers1 as a rule1 continue to carry enormous sums of bullion in such a way that if the vessel is wrecked 7as is too often the case now-a-days7 the money is scattered and lost4 ,the plan of making a small so-called strong-room by partitioning off a part of the vessel1 is open to many objections1 and is far inferior to the practice of having strong iron safes1 which can be recovered if the vessel should be lost in comparatively shallow water4 ,when the terrible wreck of the #8,royal ,charter' occurred there was a large quantity of specie on board1 and all that had been deposited in a safe was recovered uninjured by the divers many weeks after1 while the loose money was scattered4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,fireproof ,,buildings4 ,i4 ,general ,construction4 ,when such buildings as the ,city ,flour ,mills and the ,pantechnicon--types of many other and similar structures in ,london and the provinces--are burnt out1 in spite of their supposed fireproof qualities1 it becomes a question of lasting importance as to what is the cause of failure1 and whether any so-called fireproof buildings are really so or not4 ,the panic caused in many minds by the newspaper reports of such disasters lasts but a short time1 and the true lessons are seldom learnt4 ,with the object1 therefore1 of endeavouring to place certain facts and suggestions on permanent record1 ,i have collected from many sources various particulars connected with this subject--so intimately connected with the manufacture of fire-proof receptacles4 ,much that has been written on fireproof construction is of little value1 because the practical bearings of the subject have been lost sight of1 and theories of construction are broached that may be good in themselves but cannot be brought into use1 because of expense and other inconveniences4 ,i remember1 for instance1 some gentleman recommended that every room of a building should have floor1 walls1 and roof lined with galvanised tanks of water1 connected by an elaborate system of pipes and so on--not at all a bad idea1 but utterly impracticable for business purposes4 ,another suggestion was that there must be no windows in a building1 as through them a draught passes to increase fire4 ,but in these instances1 as in many others1 the main fact is forgotten1 viz41 that what is wanted is the best possible mode of making a fireproof structure that is also adapted for ordinary business purposes4 ,this is what ,i take to be the point4 ,cases where exceptional security from fire is needed seldom occur and are more easily met4 ,dealing1 therefore1 with an ordinary warehouse1 which is to be a fireproof building1 it should be remembered that its fire-resisting qualities are determined not only by the materials of the actual structure1 but also by its interior fittings1 and1 above all1 by the goods stored or manufacture carried on in the place4 ,a house of brick only obviously will not burn1 but fill it with cloth or cotton goods1 and the house as well as the goods may be destroyed4 ,no hard-and-fast line can1 therefore1 be laid down1 for every case may be different4 ,i will endeavour to notice the risks of buildings commonly erected and the remedies for each--a combination of which remedies will make a good fire-resisting structure4 ,among the numerous books and papers on fires to which ,i have been able to refer ,i have found no information so clear1 precise1 and practical as that to be had from the late ,mr4 ,braidwood's#c paper1 read before the ,society of ,arts in #ahef1 and the excellent book entitled #8,fire ,surveys1' by ,captain ,shaw1 the present ,chief of the ,metropolitan ,fire ,brigade4 ,mr4 ,braidwood laid down certain rules1 which have never been improved upon2 while both he and ,capt4 ,shaw express views so alike1 and with the confidence of men who have gained their experience from actual results1 that it seems better to be guided by them than by all other writers put together4 ,not that ,i would disparage these latter1 for it is well known that there are architects and others who have contributed much to the solution of the mystery which was so long attached to fireproof building4 ,mr4 ,braidwood gives a comparison to demonstrate that what would be safe construction for one building would not be for another4 ,he says3 #8,supposing an average-sized dwelling-house1 #bjdjejdj1jjj cubic feet1 built with brick partitions1 stone or slate stairs1 wrought-iron joists filled in with concrete1 and the whole well plastered4 ,such a house will be practically fireproof1 because there is no probability that the flooring in any one room would make fire enough to communicate to another4 ,but suppose a warehouse equal to twenty such houses1 with floors completely open1 supported by cast-iron pillars1 and each floor communicating with the others by open staircases and wells2 suppose farther that it is half-filled with combustible goods1 and perhaps the walls and ceilings lined with wood4 ,now1 if a fire takes place below1 the moment it bursts through the upper windows or skylights the whole place becomes an immense blast-furnace2 the iron is melted1 and in a comparatively short time the building is in ruins2 and1 it may be1 the half of the neighbourhood destroyed4' ,such a warehouse1 as here described1 is the type of many now in existence1 and yet people wonder how they can burn4 ,the wonder is rather why so few are burnt2 and one explanation is1 that the majority are scarcely used when gas and lamps are required1 the hours when the workpeople and clerks are about having been so much restricted that for at least a great part of the year the work does not extend beyond daylight4 ,when a fire has once got hold of a warehouse1 unless it is built in compartments1 the firemen can do nothing but prevent its spreading to adjoining erections2 and1 as this cannot always be done successfully1 a badly-built warehouse is likely to bring disaster upon its neighbours4 ,but a building may be built to give security2 and ,mr4 ,braidwood's opinion was #8that the real fireproof construction for such buildings is brick arches1 supported on brick pillars only4' ,this mode of building1 however1 involves so much expense1 and occupies so much space1 that it cannot be used with advantage4 ,the next best plan is to build warehouses in compartments of moderate size1 divided by party walls and double wrought-iron doors1 so that if one of these compartments takes fire there may be a reasonable prospect of confining the fire to that compartment only4 ,cast-iron is largely used in building because of its cheapness2 but it is exceedingly dangerous1 for it gives way from so many different causes that it is impossible to calculate when it will give way4 ,the castings may have flaws in them1 or they may be too weak for the weight they may have to support1 being sometimes within ten per cent4 or less of the breaking weight4 ,the expansion of girders may thrust out the side-walls4 ,for instance1 in a warehouse #abj ft4 #ge #hj ft4 there are three contiguous rows of girders on each floor1 with butt-joints2 the expansion in this case may be #ab inches4 ,the tie-rods to take the strain of the flat arches must expand and become useless1 and the whole of the lateral strain be thrown on the girders and side-walls1 perhaps weak enough already4 ,again1 throwing cold water on the heated iron may cause an immediate fracture4 ,for these and similar reasons the firemen are not permitted to go into warehouses supported by iron when once fairly on fire4 ,the effect of fire on cast-iron1 as stated by the late ,sir ,william ,fairbairn1 ,f4,r4,s41 of ,manchester 7,seventh ,report of the ,british ,association1 vol4 vi4 p4 #dji71 is1 that the loss of strength in cold-blast cast-iron1 in a variation of temperature from #bf to #aij #afd ,fahr41 is #aj per cent41 and in hot-blast at the variation of from #ba to #afi ,fahr4 is #ae per cent4 ,now1 if the loss of strength advances in anything like this ratio the iron will be totally useless as a support long before the fusing-point is attained4 ,respecting the strength of cast-iron columns here alluded to1 ,i may state that ,capt4 ,shaw says3 #8,at a temperature of #bab ,fahr41 or the boiling-point of water1 cast-iron loses #ae per cent4 of its strength4 ,at the temperature of molten lead1 #fab ,fahr41 it has probably no strength at all2 and at the temperature #b1ghg ,fahr41 which is probably much below that of the centre of a large building1 it becomes liquid4' ,a very clear proof of the inability of cast-iron to resist the effects of fire was given at the destruction of a chapel in the ,liverpool ,road1 ,islington1 on ,oct4 #b1 #ahdh4 ,the chapel was #gj feet in length and #eb feet in breadth1 and was completely burned down by a fire which commenced in a cellar4 ,after the fire it was ascertained that of thirteen cast-iron pillars1 used to support the galleries1 only two remained perfect2 the greater part of the others were broken into small pieces1 the metal appearing to have lost all power of cohesion1 and some parts were melted4 ,it should be observed that these pillars were of ample strength to support the galleries when filled by the congregation1 but when the fire reached a certain point the pillars crumbled under the weight of the timber only1 lightened as it must have been by the progress of the fire4 ,in spite of such a case as this1 which is but an example of what has often happened to other buildings1 cast-iron continues to be used not only for ordinary purposes but actually for so-called fireproof buildings4 ,it may safely be asserted that no place in which there are unprotected iron-supports can possibly be fireproof2 and if this test is applied to many erections thought to be secure1 it will soon be seen how few there are that can be relied upon to withstand excessive heat4 ,the reckless mode of running up houses1 as speculative builders appear to delight in doing1 and supporting the front on light columns1 is a most dangerous proceeding4 ,capt4 ,shaw has cited a case of a corner building lately put up1 #ij ft4 long and #gj to #hj ft4 high1 supported entirely on iron columns1 without any wall1 wood1 or brickwork4 ,there is no doubt that at the ordinary fire temperature of #fjj to #gjj ,fahr4 the whole building must inevitably fall down1 and such a heat could easily be created by the combustion of a very small quantity of household furniture4 ,the fashion of having all the available space for large shop-fronts gives rise to this dangerous work4 ,most of the elaborate shops and offices lately built in ,london depend entirely upon iron supports2 and some day1 when a fearful accident is the result1 the public will appreciate the danger4 ,in the early part of this year large corner premises were built not far from the ,elephant and ,castle1 in the ,south of ,london1 and ,i watched their erection with some interest4 ,the house of four storeys was run up 7a better term than built7 in a month4 ,the corner angle is supported by two thin iron columns1 and between these and the other ends of the building are two wooden posts1 but the weight chiefly rests upon the iron columns1 which are most certainly unable to sustain the tons of brickwork above it in case of severe fire4 ,as long as architects and builders and their employers give up security for the sake of economy and space1 this sort of work will continue to be put up1 unless interfered with by a new ,building ,act4 ,what ought1 then1 to be used for supports8 ,if the brick columns are inadmissible1 then1 strange to say1 wood posts are the best1 or an iron support1 well protected by brickwork1 cement1 or plaster4 ,the fact is1 though iron is incombustible1 it is itself not fireproof2 and1 on the other hand1 though wood is combustible1 it may be used in such a manner as to resist fire for a great length of time4 ,capt4 ,shaw's recent experiments with a wooden post had such an extraordinary result that1 with his permission1 ,i append the particulars1 from a letter of his inserted in #8,the ,times'3-- #8,a few months since a fire occurred in one of the enormous warehouses for which the docks in this metropolis are remarkable1 and raged with great fury from a little before six in the morning till about eleven in the forenoon1 when it was extinguished1 and a very large proportion of the building and its contents saved4 ,the warehouse was constructed of brick walls2 it had wooden floors1 supported on wooden beams1 which1 in their turn1 were carried on wooden storey-posts about twelve inches thick2 and although serious damage was done1 not one portion of the heavy woodwork was destroyed4 ,after the fire ,i was allowed to remove one of the storey-posts1 with a section of the beams1 and other parts surrounding it above and below4 ,this post had been subjected to the full action of the fire during the whole of its duration1 as already mentioned2 or1 making full allowance for everything1 including the delay of the fire attacking the particular spot on which it stood1 and the time at which the cooling process commenced1 certainly not less than #d hours4 #8,as we had used large quantities of water1 and it was probable that the wood might have been somewhat saturated1 ,i had it carefully dried for several days before a strong fire until not a trace of moisture remained in it4 #8,i then set it on end in an open yard exactly as it had stood in the warehouse1 with the pedestal underneath1 the cap above1 and the beam across the cap2 placed more than a ton of shavings1 light wood and heavy wood1 round it1 and after saturating the whole heap with petroleum applied a light to it4 ,after this ,i kept men pumping petroleum on it until my stock was exhausted4 ,at the end of #b hours ,i withdrew the post1 beam1 and other parts from the fire1 and within a few minutes from the time they were withdrawn they ceased to burn4 #8,i then sawed off1 horizontally1 a few feet of that part which had suffered most from the flames1 and afterwards split the same piece longitudinally with steel wedges1 in order to examine its condition4 #8,the post was of pitch-pine1 about the most inflammable wood ,i know1 and yet after exposure to fire for seven hours1 the fury of which could not be exceeded except in blast-furnaces1 it contained1 and still contains within it1 a quantity of uninjured and apparently fresh wood1 probably capable at this moment of supporting the whole weight which the original post may have been designed to carry4 #8,immediately after the saw-cut1 and again after the cleaving with steel wedges1 ,i carefully examined the centre1 and found it just perceptibly warm to the touch1 but nothing more1 thus proving that the fibre1 in which the strength lies1 must have been quite uninjured4 #8,the lessons to be drawn from this ,i take to be as follows3 ,a massive storey-post of even the most inflammable wood is absolutely and perfectly proof against any heat that can be applied to it--will not of itself burn at all1 but requires a continual supply of highly inflammable substance to keep it burning1 and when the supply is withdrawn ceases to burn2 and lastly1 after being exposed to flames for seven hours of very great intensity1 is not injured to a greater depth than about two inches from the original outer surface1 and still shows a centre as clean and fresh as when it was first put in4 #8,there may be other materials suitable for this purpose which are capable of resisting the effects of heat1 and1 if so1 ,i hope we may one day hear of them2 but1 in the meanwhile1 ,i venture to submit what ,i consider to be strong practical testimony in favour of massive timber for the internal supports of heavily-loaded buildings4 ,oak or elm is the best wood to use1 and will defy destruction for hours4' ,messrs4 ,dennett1 whose name is better known in connection with the ,dennett ,arch1 have introduced a new mode of covering up iron columns in such a manner that they stand through intense heat1 and have the advantage of being small in bulk4 ,the accompanying engraving will make the following explanation clear4 ,strips of corrugated hoop-iron are fastened at intervals by wire close to the iron column1 and all is then encased with concrete #c inches in thickness1 made as described on page #hf4 ,an experiment was tried at ,nottingham with one of these columns placed in a fire of wood and shavings saturated with gas-tar1 and allowed to burn with a fierce heat for a space of #d hours4 ,when half the time had elapsed the column was thrown over1 so as to lie horizontally in the fire1 and have its whole length exposed to the flames4 ,the fire was at length extinguished by water being thrown on1 in order to make the test still more severe1 but on examination the concrete casing had not cracked or broken in any part1 while the column underneath1 as soon as a portion of its covering could be removed1 was cool enough to be handled with impunity4 ,it will be interesting to note the development of this invention2 for in the event of farther tests in actual practice being as satisfactory as that already named1 it is likely to come into very prominent use4 ,the careless way in which chimneys are built is the cause of frequent danger4 ,by communicating with each other in the same gable1 fire will often spread and wrap the whole house in flames4 ,one of the principal streets in ,edinburgh had scarcely a chimney-head that was not in this condition4 ,the ends of joists or pieces of timber are sometimes allowed to protrude into chimneys1 and then it is generally by accident if the building does not catch fire4 ,illustration3 ,,horizontal ,,section ,,of ,,column ,a4 ,illustration3 ,,part ,,elevation ,,of ,,column ,a4 ,buildings full of these and other #8scamping' work1 and so likely to spread fire around1 are certainly opposed to the rule that #8a man may burn himself and his own property1 but he shall not unduly risk the lives and property of his neighbours4' ,covering timber--that is1 joists or the thin wood of partitions--with sheet-iron is often done1 but it is quite useless4 ,when it is known that the ,pantechnicon floors were so covered1 proof of its uselessness will be at once admitted4 ,it may be thought that an important fire-resisting substance has been omitted to be mentioned1 namely1 stone2 for in many books1 and even in ,acts of ,parliament1 the expression #8stone1 or other fireproof material1' may be found4 ,but all competent authorities are now agreed that stone of nearly every kind is incapable of resisting the heat of ordinary fires2 and when used for supporting weights1 or even if hanging unsupported1 as in a staircase1 frequently is a source of great mischief and probable danger4 ,a flight of stone steps1 heated by the conflagration of the house in which it was situated1 has been known to collapse immediately upon the admission of cold air through the outer door being suddenly opened4 ,stone is therefore inadmissible for fireproof purposes1 and should not be used for strong-rooms1 or as supports for joists or for any part excepting the floor1 where it may crack or crumble without affecting the rest of the building4 ,granite is1 as far as experience goes1 capable of resisting immense heat2 and it is said the great fire at ,boston1 ,u4,s41 in #ahgc1 was stopped when it came to a huge granite warehouse4 ,but the cost of this material and working it are too great for it ever to be extensively used4 ,concrete has been lately brought forward as a good1 cheap1 and fireproof material for making walls and floors1 but if used it should be most carefully made2 if broken limestone is used it will not be fireproof2 but with a mixture of flints1 brickbats1 sandstone1 pebbles1 and cement in suitable proportions1 a good wall may be erected4 ,one advantage it has over brick is1 that being stronger 7if plenty of hoop-iron is used as a bond71 it occupies less space1 and no plastering1 or very little1 is needed inside4 ,there has been no case1 as far as ,i am aware1 of a large concrete building being subjected to a severe test2 therefore1 unless other objects were aimed at1 ,i should prefer a brick building4 ,but some warehouses and mills are so large that brick cannot be used internally in arches2 and a subdivision by party walls would destroy the business purpose of the building1 and allow of only small compartments in it4 ,cannot iron girders be used in any way to make them safe8 ,to a certain extent they can1 if protected over the entire surface by cement or lumps of fire-clay4 ,there should be but few employed1 and allowance must be made for the girders1 in case they get heated1 to expand without thrusting out the walls4 ,they should be supported on corbels of brick1 and be as light as possible consistently with the strength required4 ,if used as means to carry a wall they must be covered as suggested1 and with the utmost care1 for in this case any twisting or bulging sideways will endanger the wall above4 ,whatever system of construction is adopted1 there are three things not yet mentioned of high importance to the fireproof quality of the building2 namely1 the communication between the various floors1 the style of window1 and the construction of the roof4 ,with regard to the first of these1 there is little doubt that the ordinary staircase and the open lift are important aids to the spread of fire2 by them the various floors of a warehouse are1 when combustion begins1 converted into so many furnaces with a connecting flue1 and the extension of fire is accelerated by the draught rushing upwards4 ,though the stairs may be uninflammable and even indestructible1 they will be in some measure a source of weakness1 unless completely separated from the open rooms1 as shown in the designs engraved in the ,appendix4 ,for these designs of a thoroughly fire-proof warehouse1 ,i am indebted to ,mr4 ,e4 ,hoole1 of ,russell ,square1 ,london2 who has succeeded in planning a building adapted to commercial requirements1 and yet possessing the necessary elements of a fireproof structure4 ,all openings must be fitted with double iron doors if perfect security is required1 but with a single door if only ordinary risk is to be guarded against4 ,the construction and fixing of these doors are a most important matter1 and should be quite as carefully attended to as if the doorway were to a strong-room4 ,details of fixing them will be found in the chapter on strong-rooms1 and the strength of doors should be the same as there shown4 ,the outer plate of door being a half-inch solid boiler-plate1 there must be an air-space behind it1 partly occupied by the working parts of the lock1 and inside that a casing of non-conducting material4 ,the bolts should be six in number1 three in front and three at the back1 secured by a lock2 and the frame into which they fasten must be solid iron1 well built into the wall4 ,the price of such a door1 #f feet high by #b feet #d inches wide1 is #bbl4 #ajs41 and money thus spent would many a time have saved thousands in property4 ,the ,building ,act can be complied with by providing a sheet-iron door with a plain barrel-bolt1 such a division forming no security whatever1 as the iron immediately warps1 and allows flame or heat to pass through the opening4 ,in this particular the ,act has done much harm1 for a false sense of security has been felt when its provisions have been met1 and money has been wasted in buying1 and labour constantly lost in closing and opening doors that are unable to hinder fire from spreading and ensure safety4 ,cast-iron hinges are sometimes used for these doors1 giving another element of danger4 ,not long since ,i saw the ruins of a building which had been divided in its various blocks by such doors4 ,most of the doors were down in the rubbish1 while the openings where they had been high up on the walls had the broken hinges left in the brickwork4 ,no regulations for fireproof building can be complete without most stringent rules for using the best fire resisting doors1 for what the door of a boiler-furnace is to the fire within1 the door of a room is to combustion going on inside3 it will1 if insecure1 allow air in to feed the flames so long as there is fuel to burn4 ,but there are other openings necessary to warehouses2 and this leads to the subject of the windows1 which are in the fireproof sense a necessary evil4 ,the danger consists in the draught which comes through to feed the fire2 but the risk can be lessened by using very thick glass1 in small squares1 and taking care that no broken panes are allowed to remain in the windows4 ,if anyone takes the trouble to notice such a thing1 he will scarcely find a warehouse without some broken squares1 which will admit air enough to fan a fire to the temperature of a blast-furnace in a very short time4 ,iron sashes should be used2 and iron shutters may be also used to cover the windows1 capable of being opened easily on the outside by firemen if required4 ,capt4 ,shaw states that heavy losses have been caused through the firemen being unable to open iron shutters from the outside1 in consequence of their expansion from heat4 ,he also gives a warning against the too common practice in cheap buildings of using glass with bullseyes or dents1 through which the rays of the sun become concentrated and set fire1 as has been the case1 to the interior4 ,projecting or bow-windows must not be adopted1 as fire can more easily pass in this way from one opening to another4 ,the remaining particular to be noticed is the construction of the roof1 by the falling in of which the destruction commenced below it is so often completed4 ,the high ,mansard roofs appear to have largely contributed to the destruction of ,chicago and other ,american cities4 ,it is somewhat alarming to see the extent to which they are being employed in ,england2 but whatever form of roof is used1 the materials of which the framing is composed should be incombustible1 and the ceiling beneath it ought to be perfectly fireproof1 so that fire beneath cannot ascend to the roof1 or descend from the roof to the rooms4 ,a fireproof ceiling is also valuable for preventing the building being deluged with water from the engines1 when fire has attacked the roof only4 ,if any openings to the roof are necessary1 they must be constructed with care and placed in a room--not at the top of a staircase1 as is so frequently done1 where the draught of air is likely to be concentrated4 ,a mill at ,leeds1 at which a fire took place in #ahbg1 was1 with the exception of the roof1 supposed to be wholly fireproof4 ,the upper floor was filled with flax4 ,the roof fell in1 and the heat so affected the iron beams of the floor as to cause them to give way and involve the whole building in destruction4 ,in concluding the particulars of the general construction of fireproof buildings1 ,i would again urge the use of brick1 as the best known material for the purpose of resisting heat2 or failing this1 iron1 protected by plaster1 concrete1 or brickwork4 ,during the space of a few months there were calamitous fires in some large waterside premises1 and at each of them ,capt4 ,shaw states the following results were observed3 #8,the bricks were uninjured1 the wood was seriously damaged1 but only partially consumed2 the iron was fractured1 and consequently rendered worthless2 and the stone was shivered into fragments and totally destroyed4' ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,fireproof ,,buildings4 ,,ii4 ,patent ,systems of ,construction1 and their ,application4 ,many of the suggestions in the preceding chapter have been embodied in the numerous patents brought out by engineers and others for what are termed #8,fireproofing ,systems4' ,among these inventions may be named ,messrs4 ,moreland and ,son's1 ,messrs4 ,fox and ,barrett's1 ,mr4 ,nasmyth's1 ,messrs4 ,dennett and ,co4's1 c4 ,messrs4 ,fox and ,barrett's patent is one of the oldest1 and is still largely used1 having been1 among other instances1 recently applied to portions of the ,criterion1 in ,piccadilly ,circus4 ,it consists mainly in substituting iron for wooden joists2 and upon the lower flanges of these iron joists are placed pieces of wood1 which bear the concrete filling up the space to the floor-boards or tiles above4 ,the other systems have all1 more or less1 ordinary concrete as a constituent part1 depending largely for its support upon iron or wood beams1 and thus probably being1 after all1 only fireproof to a certain point4 ,one exception must be made in favour of the ,dennett system1 as in this is introduced a new concrete1 treated in a novel and somewhat bold though successful fashion4 ,this system1 known as the #8,dennett ,fireproof ,construction1' is one of great advantage1 inasmuch as iron is dispensed with as far as possible1 while the space occupied by arched floors is reduced to a minimum4 ,in some cases1 indeed1 no iron at all is wanted1 and yet no room is wasted by heavy piers or supports of brick4 ,a very superior description of concrete is the body which forms the fireproof medium in this construction4 ,this concrete1 unlike that used for foundation and other purposes1 is not mixed with any of the ordinary limestone cements1 the action of which under fire is well known4 ,a piece of the hardest limestone1 when deprived by calcination of its carbonic acid1 becomes a body which may be crushed by the least pressure1 or if treated with water assumes double its original bulk and falls to powder4 ,concrete composed of the ordinary lime1 inasmuch as it approximates1 when set1 to the original carbonate1 would of course manifest the same characteristics under similar treatment4 ,the concrete which forms the chief element of the ,dennett construction has1 however1 for its cementitious component the sulphate of lime1 a body which loses little of its cohesion by calcination4 ,experiments as to the character of this concrete prove that it remains intact though reduced to a white heat1 and that the application of water while in that state does not materially impair its strength or cohesion4 ,illustration3 ,,diagram ,a4 ,the arch form is that which is usually adopted for the construction of floors 7diagram ,a71 the spandrels of the same being1 however1 in some cases filled in with the material1 so as to form a horizontal floor 7diagram ,b74 ,these arches1 when thoroughly set1 exert no thrust upon the outer walls1 and1 in fact1 from their slight rise and thoroughly homogeneous character1 they possess as much the nature of a beam or landing as that of an arch4 ,for this reason their use is1 in many cases1 advantageous1 where that of brick arches would be altogether inadmissible4 ,the arches are supported at the points where they abut upon the walls by projecting courses of brickwork1 and at intermediate points by rolled iron joists or rivetted girders4 ,they have a minimum rise in the soffit of one inch to every foot of width1 and they are turned in this proportion up to spans of #aj or #ab feet4 ,corridors and cottage floors are formed in this manner without the introduction of any joist or beam whatever 7diagram ,c72 the soffits of the arches1 after the removal of the centres1 simply require to be finished with the last or setting coat of plastering4 ,in cellars or other basement offices no extra coat whatever is necessary4 ,illustration3 ,,diagram ,b4 ,illustration3 ,,diagram ,c4 ,the floor or upper surface can be finished in the material itself1 at a small cost1 equal to stone in durability and appearance4 ,when covered with kamptulicon or other similar material a floor at once noiseless to the tread and free from vibration is obtained4 ,these qualities are1 for banks and other public offices1 very important desiderata4 ,the arch may1 of course1 if preferred1 be paved with any other material1 such as stone1 tiles1 asphalte1 or cement4 ,floors formed in the simple manner described are excellent in a sanitary point of view4 ,they are clean1 non-absorbent1 and are non-conductors of sound and heat4 ,these qualities particularly recommend them for adoption in hospitals1 unions1 barracks1 and other large buildings2 while for houses of the artisan class1 especially in crowded districts1 no other method of construction presents so many advantages4 ,illustration3 ,,diagram ,d4 ,if a flat ceiling is required1 ceiling-joists are fixed to the lower flanges of the iron girders1 and lathed and plastered in the ordinary manner 7diagram ,d74 ,it is generally preferred1 however1 in buildings of a public character1 such as banks1 offices1 c41 to leave exposed the lower flanges of the iron girders4 ,this is the most constructional mode of treatment1 and by the judicious application of coloured decoration a very effective ceiling is obtained4 ,the ceilings of the bedrooms at ,kelham ,hall1 ,notts1 a building designed by ,sir ,gilbert ,scott1 are finished in this manner4 ,this mansion was made thoroughly fireproof on its re-erection nine years ago1 after the destruction of the former building by fire4 ,the ceilings of the reception-rooms are formed by groined vaults of considerable rise springing from carved stone corbels4 ,the roof is protected from fire by light segmental vaults springing from wall to wall4 ,when used for flat roofing--for which purpose the strength and freedom from vibration of the construction renders it particularly adapted--a layer of asphalte or other impervious coating is required to protect the arches from the weather4 ,the description of asphalte most approved for this purpose1 and used by the patentees with the greatest success1 is that known as the #8,pyrimont1' and supplied by the ,seyssel ,asphalte ,company4 ,the formation of vaults or domes1 particularly those of an ornamental character1 is one of the most advantageous applications of the concrete4 ,as no expense is involved in the cutting of groins1 coffers1 ribs1 c41 it is in itself less costly than brick or stone1 besides saving considerable expense in the strength of the outer walls1 which would be required to withstand the lateral thrust of ordinary vaulting4 ,it is moreover better adapted for decorative treatment in colour or relief4 ,large vaults have recently been formed over the principal apartments of the ,foreign ,office4 ,the ceiling of the principal staircase-hall1 #gj feet long by #bf feet wide1 is divided into three compartments1 two of which are semi-cylindrical coffered vaults1 and the centre one is formed as a dome1 with solid pendentives4 ,the ceiling over the ,cabinet-room has a span of #cf feet2 it is semi-circular in form1 with groined openings to the side-windows1 and is divided into compartments by plain arched rims formed in the concrete4 ,the vault itself is only #i inches in thickness4 ,a section of this ceiling is shown 7diagram ,e74 ,the largest work upon which the ,dennett system of fireproof flooring has yet been adopted is the new ,st4 ,thomas's ,hospital4 ,it is here applied in the ordinary flat-arched form to the corridors1 wards1 and other rooms as the foundation for the asphalte covering of the flat roofs1 and as coffered vaulting in large spans to the chapel1 ,governor's hall1 c4 ,some idea of the extent of this building may be formed when it is stated that the fireproof arching covers an area of more than eight acres4 ,illustration3 ,,diagram ,e4 ,the strength of the arches has been frequently tested by actual experiments1 both as to their capacity for bearing dead pressure and with regard to their resistance to impact from falling weights1 moving loads1 c4 ,these experiments have been generally instituted by the architects upon whose works the construction has been adopted1 and they have invariably produced the most satisfactory results4 ,the cost of the construction varies somewhat1 according to the distance from the gypsum quarries1 which are almost entirely confined to the counties of ,derby and ,nottingham4 ,the cost of the arching in ,london1 in ordinary spans1 as shown by diagram ,a1 including centreing1 is about #ges4 per square of #ajj superficial feet4 ,a finished upper surface1 where such is required1 involves an additional expense of from #aes4 to #bes4 per square4 ,these prices do not1 of course1 include iron girders2 but as so few of these are required1 as compared with other methods of fireproof construction in which concrete is used1 this system will be found to possess1 besides the acknowledged merits of strength1 rigidity1 and highly fireproof character1 the advantage of economy1 being from #be to #ej per cent4 cheaper than other methods4 ,but whatever the cost of these highly advantageous systems of construction1 there are certain buildings which demand the application of the very best methods of erection in order to secure their safety from the devouring flames4 ,in public museums and art galleries we have buildings which cannot have too much attention and money paid to make them safe2 and their safety from or liability to fire is a topic of much interest4 ,it is but seldom that one hears of a serious fire in any of these places2 the truth is1 though many of them would1 if once a-light1 make a wonderful blaze1 they are generally so well watched that fire can obtain no hold without being discovered4 ,the real danger is more from surrounding buildings being on fire than from within4 ,the ,bodleian ,library1 at ,oxford1 about which there has been some stir lately1 is a noticeable example4 ,the building is itself highly combustible2 it is filled with combustible though invaluable contents1 for which there is no fireproof receptacle2 and around it are other structures at least as likely to burn1 and if burnt to cause the destruction of the library4 ,captain ,galton has reported on this state of affairs1 and it is now probable that one of the remedies suggested may be adopted4 ,a return has been made to ,parliament of the state of some of the public buildings1 and from the digest which has appeared in the #8,architect' ,i take the following3-- #8,the return from the ,british ,museum acknowledges that generally1 except in the basement1 the materials of the building are only partially incombustible4 ,the basement is constructed chiefly of brick1 with piers and groined arches1 except in a few cases1 where cast-iron columns are used1 the floors being either stone1 slate1 or cement4 ,the principal staircases are of stone1 and the smaller ones of iron4 ,the ceilings throughout are lath-and-plaster1 with fir ceiling-joists4 ,the roofs are of wood and iron1 covered with copper1 the principals being in most cases cast-iron4 #8,the reading-room has a cement floor1 with brick arches beneath4 ,the main ribs of the dome are iron1 with brickwork between them1 this being covered externally with copper1 and internally with papier mch fastened to wood ribs4 ,the lantern is of wood and iron4 ,the new libraries on basement and ground floors are built externally of brick1 internally chiefly of iron4 #8,some of the floors of the ,national ,gallery are arched with brick1 on iron girders2 the floors of a portion of the rooms of the ground storey in each wing1 the rooms under the dome1 and others adjoining them1 are of ordinary timber construction1 with iron girders4 ,the floors of the picture galleries and of most of the rooms are boarded2 those of the other rooms1 the entrance-halls1 lobbies1 staircases1 and principal parts of the passages1 are of stone4 ,all portions of the floors on each storey traversed by hot-water pipes are of stone1 on brick chambers1 with metal gratings4 ,the ceilings of the rooms generally are of lath-and-plaster1 with fir ceiling-joists2 internally the rooms are plastered or cemented1 except those of the picture galleries1 which are lined with wood1 for dryness and facility of hanging4 ,the roofs and lantern-lights are constructed of iron and wood1 covered with lead4 ,the lanterns of the westernmost galleries have iron shutters4 ,those on the top and the sides opposed to adjacent buildings are closed every night4 #8,at ,south ,kensington the floors1 except the official residences1 are fireproof1 on ,fox and ,barrett's principle4 ,in the ,museum they are covered with tiles or marble mosaic1 and in the schools1 offices1 c4 in some places with wood1 and others with asphalte4 ,the floors of ,bethnal ,green ,museum are of wood1 and not fireproof1 and the same may be said of the ,kew ,museum4 ,the whole of the ground floors1 and in some cases the one-pair floors1 of the ,royal ,hospital1 ,greenwich1 are constructed on brick groined arches1 and with the exception of the wood floor covering are fireproof4 ,the remainder of the floors are of framed timbers and joists1 with boarded floors1 which would readily ignite4 ,in the ,edinburgh ,museum of ,science and ,art1 the whole of which is not yet completed1 the greater portion of the main floor is formed of stone arches1 with encaustic tiles1 but the two galleries surrounding the principal halls are of wood1 supported by iron columns or girders4 ,in the east wing there is a lecture-room1 with rooms1 one for the exhibition of specimens1 of which the floors are entirely of wood4 ,this building would appear to be in danger if a fire occurred in any of the neighbouring premises4 ,the ,national ,gallery of ,scotland is constructed of stonework of the best kind1 and is therefore little liable to conflagration4 ,of museums in ,dublin1 the ,college of ,science alone appears to have floors which may be considered to be incombustible4 ,the wood in the ,dublin ,society's house is returned as being 8very old and dry40 ,in the ,royal ,irish ,academy1 which contains a collection of antiquities1 there is but one room which is fireproof4 ,the ,hibernian ,academy has also wooden floors4 #8,the means for prevention of fires differ much in the different buildings4 ,the ,british ,museum has connection with the mains1 with sufficient hydrants and hose-pipes and buckets1 and the tanks contain #bf1jjj gallons of water4 ,there are sixteen fire-engines1 six of them being kept on the roof1 and two firemen are constantly on duty2 besides1 the police employed are drilled in the use of the engines and appliances4 ,the ,national ,gallery has also hydrants and hose2 the tanks contain #c1ijj gallons4 ,there is only one hand-pump4 ,there are no watchmen1 and no resident officer is charged with the duty of supervision4 ,the care of the building is entrusted to the police4 ,in ,south ,kensington the arrangements to secure safety are very complete1 and far superior to those in any other public building4 ,four-inch mains are used throughout the building and grounds1 but the supply is constant only as long as the company's mains are in action4 ,a tank in the grounds1 which holds #be1jjj gallons1 is1 however1 always available1 should the supply from the mains be deficient4 ,the return says that a tower is to form part of the ,south ,kensington building when the design is complete1 and in it there are to be tanks at sufficient elevation to command the buildings by means of hydrants4 ,pending the erection of the tower1 it is recommended that tanks to contain #ej1jjj gallons should be placed in the highest possible positions4 ,there is always a fire-brigade of ,royal ,engineers resident on the premises1 who daily examine all the appliances2 and one of the assistant-directors1 who is also an officer of ,engineers1 has the superintendence4 ,a story is told in the ,parliamentary paper which is worth giving1 not only as showing that there are two ways of extinguishing a fire1 but as proving the superiority of a special to a general system3--#8,in ,march #aheg1 at about #d4cj ,a4,m41 a fire broke out in one of the temporary wooden buildings1 at that time used as art schools4 ,the alarm was given by the police1 and a man was despatched in a cab to the nearest ,fire ,brigade station4 ,but before the arrival of the ,metropolitan ,fire ,brigade engine the detachment of ,royal ,engineers had completely got the fire under1 and had saved the contents1 principally pictures1 of the building4 ,mr4 ,braidwood1 then ,chief of the ,metropolitan ,brigade1 on his inspection complimented the ,royal ,engineers on the way in which the fire had been put out4 ,he said it was the 8prettiest stop0 he had ever seen1 but unscientific1 and that with his men he would not have attempted to extinguish the fire1 but would have directed their efforts to pulling down adjoining buildings1 in order to prevent the fire spreading4 ,the fire originated from some woodwork touching a stone1 in the immediate neighbourhood of a hot air heating apparatus which had been put in by the ,office of ,works before the buildings were handed over to the charge of the department4 ,since this time the use of hot air apparatus has been discontinued1 and the permanent buildings are all heated by hot water4 ,the ,geological ,museum has a tank and other appliances1 and the watching is wholly in the charge of the police4 #8,the ,edinburgh ,museum has an insufficient provision in water supply4 ,in the forenoon there is no water available from the hydrants on the upper floor of the building1 which is forty feet below the ridge of the roof1 and there are no fire-engines4 ,the ,scottish ,national ,gallery has six cisterns1 each containing #ajj gallons1 but in the opinion of a superintendent of the ,fire ,brigade the building is adequately protected against fire4 ,the ,dublin buildings1 owing to the high pressure of water supply1 are supposed to be sufficiently secure without tanks4 #8,in nearly all of the buildings there has been hitherto no fire1 and in those where there was the damage was not very great4 ,a fire in one of the out-buildings of the ,british ,museum1 in #ahfe1 caused a loss of a little beyond #ejjl4 ,the fire at ,south ,kensington has been already described4 ,in all the buildings there is more or less constant supervision1 and with this1 risk is reduced to a minimum4 ,still the reports show how much need there is of the constant service being generally extended over the metropolis4 ,at ,south ,kensington1 in the daytime1 the pressure is usually not sufficient to command the lower roofs of the ,museum buildings1 and sometimes is as low as #bj feet1 although at night 7when there is often most danger7 it rises to #afj feet4' ,respecting ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral ,i believe the arrangements for extinguishing fire are fairly good1 but the building itself is far more combustible than most persons imagine2 and though the risk of fire commencing from the interior is very slight 7except when the enormous quantity of timber is introduced for seats at special festivals71 there is always a certain amount of danger from the tall warehouses so closely hemming it in on all sides4 ,the chief director of the ,salvage ,corps thinks it very possible that the conflagration of one of these buildings would set on fire the dome of ,st4 ,paul's1 provided the building burnt freely and the wind was strong in the direction of the ,cathedral4 ,the inevitable plumber is doubtless often at work on some portion of the roof with his open fire and the mode of handling it that almost burnt ,canterbury ,cathedral1 and thoroughly succeeded at the ,alexandra ,palace4 ,the following is from the #8,bulletin de la ,socit ,centrale des ,architectes1' #ahga1 communicated by the ,secretary of that society to the ,royal ,institute of ,british ,architects1 and is most valuable1 as the practical experience of the results of fires at ,paris during the ,commune3-- #8#a4 ,walls of freestone4--,the walls constructed of freestone are seriously deteriorated1 the stone being destroyed by disintegration and the calcination of the limestone4 #b4 ,walls of rough stone4--,rubble walls1 covered with a thick layer of plaster1 have1 owing to this preservative coating1 remained unchanged1 and generally they will be retained in the process of reconstruction4 #c4 ,brick and 7calcareous ,sicilian7 millstone walls4--,walling of these kinds has generally resisted better in cellars and underground construction2 and as to the brick in partition-walls1 the brick flues of chimneys remained almost intact4 #d4 ,floors1 roofs1 and timber partitions4--,wood in floors and roofs has been completely consumed1 but in wooden partitions1 where a coat of plaster sufficiently thick was exposed to the action of the fire1 the wood has been completely preserved4 ,some curious facts have been the result4 ,an angle-post having been attacked in an upper storey1 the fire afterwards extended itself in the interior of the post without gaining the external surface1 so that the post assumed the appearance of a pipe1 the interior of which had been hollowed out by the fire4 #8,oak lintels covered with plaster have resisted without injury the flames which traversed the bays of which the lintels formed the upper part4 #e4 ,floors and roofs of iron4--,iron has not resisted the action of fire4 ,if it has not been consumed like wood1 it has undergone twisting and contortion1 which render it unfit to be used again4 ,numerous fantastic examples have been observed1 especially at the ,palais de ,justice1 the ,htel de ,ville1 and the ,thtre ,lyrique4 ,the character of iron is not to propagate combustion1 but1 under the influence of a very high temperature1 to undergo such extension that it allows the escape of the masonry it was intended to retain4' ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,fire ,,and ,,its ,,dangers4 ,fire1 although most useful in its proper place1 is the source of almost countless loss and destruction1 and has well earned the character often given it1 of being the best of servants but the worst of masters4 ,everyone knows how it has been feared by men from the world's commencement1 and worshipped by idolaters even to the present day1 when millions still bow down to what they fear instead of to a ,being they can love4 ,and perhaps it is not only its destructive power that causes fire thus to be reverenced by the ignorant1 and dreaded in many forms by the more enlightened4 ,its mysterious origin and power of spontaneously coming into existence help to characterise it as the most remarkable of the elements1 and to increase the liability to dangerous results when it has fuel to feed upon4 ,it is not my purpose to notice the various applications of fire in ways that cause it to bring about incalculable good to mankind4 ,a moment's thought as to what would result if fire could not be applied in numberless needful instances1 and we had nothing to supply its place1 will convince us that its value is far greater than all the loss it causes4 ,but there often is loss1 and to a considerable extent2 and as this is generally preventable1 it will be well for us to consider what are the proper means to adopt in order to guard against it4 ,the buildings in which fires occur most frequently are our ordinary dwelling-houses1 because they largely outnumber all other classes of buildings--not perhaps because they are more liable to be burnt than others4 ,i can find no authentic return of fires that have occurred throughout ,great ,britain1 and therefore cannot give statistics of the relative proportions of the various kinds of structures that have been burnt4 ,it seems to me a great mistake not to have an accurate report of every fire that happens1 with full details of its cause1 the damage done1 c42 the particulars might be registered more easily1 and with less expense1 than births and deaths are2 and it is open to question if the benefit derived from such a course would not be of at least equal good4 ,when a death results from fire the inquest often discloses facts which1 if known before1 might have prevented death2 and it would be little trouble to arrange for the coroner or some qualified official to hold an enquiry--without a jury1 of course--concerning every fire reported to him by the fire brigade in his district4 ,if this had been done in bygone years there would not now be that ignorance of construction and of the right means of saving life and property which unhappily prevails4 ,why the insurance offices have not supported and carried into practice some such idea is possibly to be explained by the undoubted fact that a good fire brings them fresh business4 ,the number of fires is increasing rapidly every year in a proportion quicker than the increase of building or population2 the explanation being that as the houses get crowded together they are more liable to be set on fire by external agency4 ,but the increase1 serious as it appears1 is curiously small when one takes into account the causes1 multiplying every day1 by which this destruction may be effected4 ,in the last few years ,london and many large towns have become intersected by railways1 and the fires and sparks of engines are frequently scattered about as if the stations and dwellings near were bomb-proof4 ,vessels may be seen on the ,thames and elsewhere getting up steam close to the windows of warehouses with inflammable goods inside2 steam1 with its attendant dangers1 is used in places and for purposes never thought of a short time since4 ,gas1 with its unmistakable smell1 however1 making it somewhat safe1 is in large use2 while its modern rivals1 the explosive oils1 are being too carelessly used in an increasing extent4 ,friction-matches only a few years ago were not to be found in the houses of the poor1 but are now used by everyone4 ,the use of tobacco has extended1 and there is reason to believe very many fires are due directly or indirectly to it4 ,stoves1 instead of the open fireplaces1 are in larger request1 and their flues are more dangerous than the old-fashioned wide chimneys4 ,these1 and other less important facts1 will explain the following statistics given in evidence by ,captain ,shaw before a ,parliamentary ,committee3 #8,during the #cd years since #ahdj1 the population of ,london has increased from #a1ijg1jcf to #c1cdb1dij1 or #ge per cent42 and the number of houses from #beh1dbe to #dgi1cbi1 or #hb per cent4 ,but during the same period the number of fires has more than doubled1 having jumped from #fha to #a1edh--;equal to an increase of #abg per cent4 ,the total number of fires throughout the #cd years was #ch1bda4' ,only a small proportion of these #ch1jjj fires were very serious ones2 yet the majority of them might have been so but for the precautions and appliances at hand to prevent the mischief spreading4 ,the best way of combating this foe for the future is to ensure better house-building1 and to hold an enquiry into the cause of each fire1 as already suggested4 ,but we have to deal with cities and towns already built1 and with the greater part of their buildings ready to form bonfires when any carelessness lets even the smallest portion ignite4 ,in another chapter ,i have spoken of fireproof construction1 and have given instances of the danger many of our public buildings are in4 ,but dwelling-houses are scarcely ever built to be fireproof1 space and cheapness being the desiderata1 and it will ever be so4 ,the construction of the older ones causes them to burn out1 when once fairly alight1 in an incredibly short space of time1 affording but little opportunity for the escape of inmates1 even should they be able to withstand the choking smoke4 ,the following is a complete list of causes of fires in ,london for the year #ahgc3-- ,airing linen #ag ,bleaching baskets #c ,boiler1 overheating of #h ,boiling acids #a ,boiling over1 chemicals1 oil1 pitch1 spirits1 tar1 c4 #bc ,burning out paint-pot #a ,candle #ahg ,chemicals1 bottle of1 breaking #a ,chemicals1 explosion of #a ,children playing with cartridges #a ,children playing with fire #ba ,children playing with lucifers #bi ,clothes coming in contact with fire #g ,copper1 overheat of #a ,copper1 leaking #a ,cylinder1 overheat of #a ,damper1 defect in #a ,detonating caps #a ,doubtful #ad ,drawing off paraffin oil #a ,drying apparatus1 overheat of #a ,drying-room1 overheat of #a ,fire1 goods placed too near #a ,fireplace blocked up #b ,fireplace1 defect in #a ,fireplace adjoining1 defect in #a ,fireworks1 explosion of #a ,fireworks1 letting off #a ,flue1 blocked up #aj ,flue1 defect in #eh ,flue1 foul #bd ,flue1 overheat of #aj ,flue1 timber in #a ,flue1 adjoining1 defect in #ae ,flue1 adjoining1 foul #e ,flue1 adjoining1 overheat of #d ,flue1 copper1 defect in #d ,flue1 copper1 overheat of #d ,flue1 furnace1 defect in #a ,flue1 furnace1 overheat of #c ,friction of machinery #f ,friction of vesuvians #a ,fumigating bags #d ,furnace1 overheat of #e ,furnace1 hothouse1 overheat of #a ,furnace1 adjoining1 overheat of #a ,gas1 escape of #de ,gasfitters at work #f ,gasfitters at work in street #a ,gas1 lighting #f ,gas1 seeking for an escape of1 in street #ag ,gas1 swinging bracket #ba ,gaslight #b ,gaslight1 curtains or window-blinds coming in contact with #h ,gaslight1 goods coming in contact with #ab ,gaslight1 goods placed too near #d ,gaslight1 overheat of #g ,gaslight1 holly placed too near #a ,gaslight1 paper blown on #a ,gaslight1 sunblind placed too near #a ,glue1 heating #a ,hearth1 defect in #d ,hearth1 fire on #d ,hearth1 adjoining1 fire on #b ,hot ashes #cg ,hot plate1 overheat of #a ,hot iron #b ,hot rivets #c ,hot soldering-iron #a ,incendiarism #aa ,intoxication #f ,kiln1 overheat of #b ,lamp1 bag falling on #a ,lamp1 lighting #a ,lamp1 lighted1 falling on benzoline #a ,lamp1 gas1 upset #a ,lamp1 curtains or window-blinds coming in contact with #b ,lamp1 oil1 upset #a ,lamp1 paraffin1 explosion of #c ,lamp1 spirit1 upset #da ,light thrown down #aae ,light thrown down area #i ,light thrown from street #ai ,lighted taper #b ,lime-slaking #g ,lime slaked by rain #e ,lucifers #dc ,oven1 overheat of #e ,paraffin oil coming in contact with lighted candle #a ,phosphorus #c ,pipe-stove1 overheat of #f ,pipe1 steam1 overheat of #b ,plumbers at work #c ,rags1 overheat of #a ,roasting chicory #a ,smoke-hole1 overheat of #a ,smoking tobacco #cf ,spark from fire #agb ,spark from copper fire #a ,spark from copper flue #a ,spark from copper flue adjoining #b ,spark from furnace #e ,spark from locomotive #i ,spark from oil-lamp #c ,spark from oven fire #a ,spark from smoke-hole #a ,spontaneous ignition #ae ,spontaneous ignition of red fire #a ,still1 overheat of #a ,still1 leaking #a ,stove1 overheat of #aa ,stove1 adjoining1 overheat of #c ,stove1 improperly set #d ,stove1 drying1 overheat of #aa ,stove1 drying1 adjoining1 overheat of #a ,stove1 drying1 rags falling on #a ,stove1 ironing1 rags falling on #a ,stove1 ironing1 overheat of #a ,stove1 ironing1 linen falling on #a ,stove1 gas1 overheat of #aj ,sun1 heat from #b ,tar-pot upset #a ,turpentine upset #a ,vapour of spirits coming in contact with flame #h ,varnish coming in contact with flame #a ,unknown #bgf ---- ,total #aedh ,the proportion of unknown causes so frequently reported is far too large4 ,an intelligent consideration of the circumstances which may give rise to chemical action would often solve the difficulty4 ,there were lately reported some curious fires which occurred at ,manchester1 caused by the slow combustion of green wax-tapers which had been blown out but imperfectly extinguished4 ,the smouldering wick gradually consumed away1 setting the wax and surrounding materials on fire4 ,it has long been known that green wax office-tapers would thus gradually smoulder away if they are not carefully extinguished after they have been used4 ,this danger arising from tapers may be guarded against by using any other colour than green4 ,many things popularly deemed uninflammable are far from being so2 for instance1 tin is not a common combustible1 but it will burn with considerable energy under peculiar conditions4 ,this may be proved by placing a small portion of nitrate of copper upon a sheet of tin-foil4 ,both materials are inactive as long as they are dry1 but upon moistening them with water the chemical action first heats the tin1 which eventually will break out into flame4 ,lead is not usually regarded as liable to do more than melt1 but under favourable circumstances it will burn with vehement heat4 ,on the other hand1 a room filled with coal-gas is by many persons supposed to be dangerously explosive1 whereas it cannot even take fire excepting at the openings of the room1 where1 by coming into contact with the air1 the necessary combination of atoms occurs so as to let the gas ignite and burn4 ,as most fires break out at night1 the necessity is shown of examining a building at the latest possible hour4 ,in warehouses1 factories1 and such like1 a watchman should be employed4 ,the tell-tale clocks frequently used to prove whether the watchman has done his duty are of doubtful service1 for it is better to rely upon an honest man's carefulness than to compel him to go certain fixed rounds which may prevent his being able to give an alarm at the right moment4 ,one watchman is generally best even in very large buildings4 #8,an instance#d is on record in which a building standing in its own grounds was watched by four men1 two of whom patrolled within and two without the walls1 and yet the alarm of fire which happened in this building was first given by a street-constable who happened to see the light while going round his beat4 ,if there had been but one watchman1 or two1 it might have been possible to impute some blame to them1 but as there were four it was much more reasonable to assume that they were engaged in pegging clocks or carrying out some other so-called self-registering scheme of recording their duties instead of really transacting them4' ,with regard to watching private houses this must be left chiefly to the police1 but it should be seconded by an examination made by the master himself every night the last thing before retiring to rest4 ,many fires commence from a spark or ash falling out of the fire when it is not properly protected by a guard or fender4 ,the habit of raking out a fire at night is a popular but mischievous one4 ,if left to burn in the grate there is far less chance of danger than in raking out the hot ashes1 which are likely to split the hearth-stone or fall on the floor or carpet4 ,gas-burners are dangerous when placed near the ceiling4 ,a remarkable instance of this took place where a gas-jet set fire to a ceiling #bh inches from it4 ,more attention should be paid to keeping chimneys swept1 which operation should be done at regular intervals1 and not left till the occupier thinks it is time they were done1 or is reminded of it by a black shower of soot falling some wet day4 ,notwithstanding that all owners of chimneys on fire can be fined for neglecting to have the flues cleaned1 it has been recorded that as many as #b1dce cases of burning chimneys occurred in #ahgc in ,london to which the firemen were called4 ,the number is so large that the penalty appears to be too small to effect its object1 and might with advantage be increased1 as the risk to property from these chimney-fires is considerable4 ,a district in ,liverpool occupied by the ,irish poor is stated to have had its chimneys freed from soot by the summary process of purposely setting fire to them2 and ,i have read a statement giving a description of the curious sight witnessed when a whole district had its chimneys alight at once4 ,this is fortunately not a fashionable way of #8sweeping1' but more care must be taken by those who prefer the customary mode4 ,dustbins very often cause serious losses4 ,in one instance #cj1jjjl4 to #dj1jjjl4 were lost1 apparently from hot ashes being thrown into a dustbin4 ,no heaps of rubbish or lumber of any sort should be allowed in a building of any value1 and dustbins should always be placed in the open air4 ,the following with reference to the prevention of fires appeared in the #8,builder' for ,may1 #ahfg3-- #8,keep matches in metal boxes1 and out of the reach of children2 wax matches are particularly dangerous1 and should be kept out of the way of rats and mice2 be careful in making fires with shavings and other light kindling2 do not deposit coal or wood ashes in a wooden vessel1 and be sure burning cinders are extinguished before they are deposited2 never put firewood upon the stove to dry1 and never put ashes or a light under a staircase2 fill fluid or spirit lamps only by daylight1 and never near a fire or light2 do not leave a candle burning on a bureau or a chest2 always be cautious in extinguishing matches and other lighters before throwing them away2 never throw a cigar-stump upon the floor or spitbox containing sawdust or trash without being certain that it contains no fire2 after blowing out a candle never put it away on a shelf1 or anywhere else1 until sure that the snuff has gone entirely out2 a lighted candle ought not to be stuck up against a frame-wall1 or placed upon any portion of the woodwork in a stable1 manufactory1 shop1 or any other place2 never enter a barn or stable at night with an uncovered light2 never take an open light to examine a gas-meter2 do not put gas or other lights near curtains2 never take a light into a closet2 do not read in bed1 either by candle or lamp light4 #8,the principal register of a furnace should always be fastened open2 stove-pipes should be at least four inches from woodwork1 and well guarded by tin or zinc2 rags ought never to be stuffed into stove-pipe holes2 openings in chimney-flues for stove-pipes which are not used ought always to be securely protected by metallic coverings2 never close up a place of business in the evening without looking well to the extinguishing of lights1 and the proper security of the fires2 when retiring to bed at night always see that there is no danger from your fires4' ,if these directions can all be constantly observed1 we may have a tolerable sense of security4 ,with respect to the detection of fires there is very little to say2 for though many plans for arranging electric wires1 or tubes with certain chemicals inside1 have been tried1 ,i know of none that have met with general acceptance4 ,the truth is1 if there were any pressing demand for such a thing1 plenty of sensible inventions would be forthcoming2 but fire generally discovers itself before anything else would show that it existed1 and therefore our energies are chiefly directed to the extinction of it when once begun4 ,the number of lives endangered by fire is so numerous that ,i feel the subject would not be complete without a few words respecting escape from a burning house4 ,the apathy that exists as to the best means of getting safely from such a perilous position can only be accounted for on the supposition that the probability of fire is too small to induce people to think seriously of it4 ,but a time is likely to come in the lives of some of us when previous thought on the subject may become of enormous importance2 and although at such a critical moment1 when1 perhaps aroused from a sound sleep1 one finds oneself in a house on fire1 presence of mind is the first thing required1 yet a few simple suggestions that will start to the memory may be of value4 ,if on the first discovery of the fire it is found to be confined to one room1 and to have made but little progress1 it is of the utmost importance to shut1 and keep shut1 all doors and windows4 ,on this particular ,mr4 ,braidwood said3 #8,it may often be observed1 after a house has been on fire1 that one floor is comparatively untouched1 while those above and below are nearly burned out4 ,this arises from the doors on that particular floor having been shut1 and the draught directed elsewhere4 ,if the fire appears at all serious1 and there are fire-engines at a reasonable distance1 it is best to await their arrival1 as many buildings have been lost from opening the doors and attempting to extinguish fires with inadequate means4 ,if no engines are within reach1 and you have not a hand-pump or an extincteur1 the next best thing is to collect as many buckets outside the room on fire as can be obtained1 keeping the door shut while more water is being collected4' ,since the above was written1 a valuable invention has been brought forward1 by use of which a person may enter dense smoke that it would be otherwise impossible to exist in4 ,the ,smoke ,respirator1 which has the unattractive appearance shown by the engraving1 is an apparatus to act as a filter for the separation of the pure air from an atmosphere charged with impurities detrimental to the healthy action of the lungs4 ,it is on the system spoken of and recommended by ,professor ,tyndall1 in his popular lectures upon #8,dust and ,smoke1' and is useful for other purposes than that already named1 such as in the case of metal-grinding1 or in cleaning cotton1 where the operators are subject to inconvenience from particles of dust4 ,i mention this respirator because it not only serves the firemen in entering buildings1 but would prevent many of the deaths caused in case of fire by suffocation4 ,in lieu of this1 however1 a rough-and-ready protection from breathing the smoke may be had by thoroughly wetting a towel and fastening it firmly round the face over the mouth and nostrils4 ,if ,i remember rightly1 a man saved his life by doing this when the ,star and ,garter ,hotel1 at ,richmond1 was destroyed by fire4 ,illustration ,but if the flames have too great a hold to allow of escape by the staircase or roof1 and the window of the room is the only means of egress1 the situation becomes a serious one1 unless its possibility has been foreseen and guarded against4 ,only as the last resource should a person run the risk of jumping to the ground2 either endeavour by tying the bedclothes together to make some sort of rope1 fastening one end to a heavy piece of furniture1 and going down the rope hand-over-hand--a rather difficult thing to do without practice--or1 if within reach of one1 wait as long as possible for the arrival of a fire-escape or ladder4 ,some people always keep a stout knotted rope in their room1 and have an iron hook fixed inside the window1 to which it may be affixed4 ,this certainly gives a chance of escape1 but after all it is from the outside that the most effectual assistance can be had4 ,captain ,shaw's experience is that the danger to life is increasing1 because of the enormous height to which buildings in ,london are being carried1 without any precautions whatever for safety in the upper storeys4 ,he states that a #8fire-escape such as those now in use can1 immediately on its arrival1 reach a height of #cj feet2 after about half a minute's delay1 about #dj feet2 after a minute's delay1 it can reach #ej feet1 but it cannot reach higher2 and1 consequently1 persons living in the lofty buildings so common in the metropolis should invariably make their own arrangements for getting down externally to spots within reach of these machines1 which are at present the only means of escape available from the outside4 ,for this purpose there are many obvious plans which might be adopted1 but among these there are two which appear to be specially easy of attainment1 and within the reach of all concerned1 at a moderate cost4 ,the first is to fix on buildings external ladders of wrought-iron or some other material able to resist the effects of fire at its commencement1 and extending from the roof to within #dj feet of the ground2 the other1 to provide on every storey continuous balconies of wrought-iron or any other material proof against immediate destruction by heat2 and if the balconies on the several storeys were made to communicate with each other by means of external stairs1 great additional safety would be attained4 ,indeed1 with such an arrangement it is certain that heavy loss of life would be most improbable in any fire1 however rapid in its action and otherwise serious in its results4 ,in rows of houses the use of balconies is manifest1 but even in detached buildings there can be very little doubt that1 if sufficiently long1 they would serve as a means of egress for those inside1 and of access for those giving help from without4 ,it may be assumed that the reason of their not being generally adopted is the double fear which owners of premises have--first1 of their servants and other inmates getting out too frequently2 secondly1 of persons breaking in for improper purposes4 ,but those who guard themselves from these dangers should remember at what cost they do so1 and should be prepared to accept the results of a fire1 causing loss of life or property1 as the direct and inevitable consequence of their own state of preparation4' ,captain ,shaw goes on to say3 #8,i have always hoped to procure higher ladders than those now in use1 within the limits of weight to which1 for the sake of rapid travelling1 ,i have been compelled to restrict myself2 and ,i take this opportunity of repeating here what ,i have for years explained to all inventors who have come to me from various parts of the world on the subject1 viz41 that our present machines1 the running weight of which is under #ad cwt41 are capable of throwing to a height of about #ej feet1 and of carrying half-a-ton weight on the weakest part when so extended1 and that any machine which can be rapidly run and worked as these are by one skilled man and two unskilled assistants1 and can throw to a greater height1 would be considered an improvement1 provided that it can safely carry the same weight and is free from any complicated gearing likely to cause delay or difficulty when subjected to rough usage in the dark4' ,mr4 ,wright1 the ,secretary of the ,royal ,society for the ,protection of ,life from ,fire1 has kindly placed at my disposal the following directions for saving life at fires1 being the result of long and varied experience4 ,i understand he is desirous of spreading the knowledge thus gained1 and will be happy to send these directions1 printed on a large scale1 to any person who will get them hung up where others may read and profit by them3-- ,,plain ,,directions ,,for ,,aiding ,,endangered ,,persons ,,to ,,escape ,,from ,,buildings ,,on ,,fire1 ,,avoiding ,,accidents1 ,,and ,,for ,,the ,,treatment ,,of ,,injuries4 ,the want of coolness and presence of mind at the time of an alarm of fire is by far the greatest hindrance to an escape1 and for this no regulation can be laid down2 but a few simple directions to be observed by the bystanders and inmates1 well considered and reflected upon in time of safety1 will in a great measure tend to discreet and successful efforts in the hour of danger4 ,for ,bystanders4 #a4 ,immediately on the fire being discovered give an alarm to the nearest fire-escape station1 not delaying an instant2 do not wait to see if it is wanted4 ,life is more precious than property1 and events have too often proved how fatal even a moment's hesitation is in sending for the fire-escape4 ,it is the fire-escape man's duty to proceed to the place of alarm immediately4 #b4 ,in the absence of a fire-escape1 or pending its arrival1 ladders and ropes should be sought for4 ,two constables or other qualified persons should ascend to the roof through the adjoining houses4 ,the most efficient assistance can sometimes be rendered by an entrance to the upper part of the house on fire1 either by the attic windows1 the loft-door1 or by removing the tiles2 or sometimes the aid of one end of a rope 7knotted7 might be afforded from the adjoining window1 which1 being passed by the person in danger round some article in the room1 he could lower himself or others into the street1 and the other end of the rope being controlled of course by those rendering the aid from the adjoining house4 ,a short ladder can often be made available at the second or perhaps the third1 floor of houses built with a balcony or portico1 by the constable or other person first ascending to the balcony1 and then placing the ladder thereon1 reach the rooms above4 #c4 ,in a narrow street or court assistance may be given from the windows of the opposite house1 particularly by a ladder placed across the street from window to window4 #d4 ,when no other means present themselves the bystanders had better collect bedding at hand1 in case the inmates throw themselves from the windows4 ,a blanket or carpet held stretched out by several persons will serve the purpose4 ,the ,metropolitan ,fire ,escape ,brigade carry jumping-sheets with them for use upon emergency4 #e4 ,do not give vent to the fire by breaking into the house unnecessarily from without1 or1 if an inmate1 by opening doors or windows4 ,make a point of shutting every door after you as you go through the house4 ,for ,inmates4 #a4 ,every householder should make each person in his house acquainted with the best means of escape1 whether the fire breaks out at the top or the bottom4 ,provide fire-guards for use in every room where there is a fire1 and let it be a rule of the household not to rake out a fire before retiring for the night1 but to leave the guard on4 ,in securing the street-door and lower windows for the night avoid complicated fastenings or impediments to immediate outlets in case of fire4 ,descriptions and drawings of fire-escapes for keeping in dwelling-houses may be seen upon application at the offices of the ,royal ,society for the ,protection of ,life from ,fire1 #ff ,ludgate ,hill4 #b4 ,inmates at the first alarm should endeavour calmly to reflect what means of escape there are in the house4 ,if in bed at the time1 wrap themselves in a blanket or bedside carpet2 open neither windows nor doors more than necessary2 shut every door after them 7this is most important to observe74 #c4 ,in the midst of smoke it is comparatively clear towards the ground2 consequently1 progress through smoke can be made on the hands and knees4 ,a silk handkerchief1 worsted stockings1 or other flannel substance1 wetted and drawn over the face1 permits free breathing1 and excludes to a great extent the smoke from the lungs4 ,a wet sponge is alike efficacious4 #d4 ,in the event of being unable to escape either by the street-door or roof1 the persons in danger should immediately make their way to a front-room window1 taking care to close the door after them2 and those who have the charge of the household should ascertain that every individual is there assembled4 #e4 ,persons thus circumstanced are entreated not to precipitate themselves from the window while there remains the least probability of assistance2 and even in the last extremity a plain rope is invaluable1 or recourse may be had to joining sheets or blankets together1 fastening one end round a bedpost or other furniture4 ,this will enable one person to lower all the others separately1 and the last may let himself down with comparatively little risk4 ,select a window over the doorway rather than over the area4 #f4 ,do not give vent to the fire by breaking into the house unnecessarily from without1 or1 if an inmate1 by opening doors or windows4 ,make a point of shutting every door after you as you go through the house4 ,for this purpose doors enclosing the staircase are very useful4 ,accidents to ,persons4 #a4 ,upon discovering yourself on fire reflect that your greatest danger arises from draught to the flames1 and from their rising upwards4 ,throw yourself on the ground1 and roll over on the flame1 if possible1 on the rug or loose drugget1 which drag under you2 the table-cover1 a man's coat1 anything of the kind at hand1 will serve your purpose4 ,scream for assistance1 ring the bell1 but do not run out of the room or remain in an upright position4 #b4 ,persons especially exposed to a risk of their dresses taking fire should adopt the precaution of having all linen and cotton fabrics washed in a weak solution of chloride of zinc1 alum1 or tungstate of soda4 #c4 ,as a means for the prevention of accidents1 especially where there are women and children1 the provision of a fire-guard is urgently recommended4 ,these are now made at such a reasonable price that it is incumbent upon even the poorest to obtain them4 ,the ,royal ,society have it in contemplation to give orders on manufacturers at a reduced price to subscribers' recommendations4 ,treatment of ,injuries4 #a4 ,send for medical aid4 ,let the sufferer be put to bed as quickly as possible2 remove all remains of clothing about the injured parts1 cutting with extreme caution1 as it is of the first importance to avoid tearing the skin or breaking a blister4 #b4 ,as the readiest thing at hand1 cover all the injured parts tenderly with clean cotton or wool1 what is commonly known as wadding1 the cleaner and purer the better 7the best for the purpose is kept by druggists72 it relieves by excluding the air4 ,linen rag soaked in a mixture of equal parts of lime-water and linseed-oil also forms a good dressing4 ,common whiting is very good applied wet1 and continually damped with a sponge4 #c4 ,it is better to avoid cold applications2 they certainly allay pain1 but unless the cold be maintained the momentary relief is followed by a considerable aggravation of the suffering4 ,in extensive burns1 moreover1 cold water freely applied is not unattended by danger4 #d4 ,from thirty-six to fifty hours after the injury the blisters will present a milky appearance1 and show surrounding inflammation4 ,when this is the case they may be opened with the point of a large needle4 ,dressing for burns may then be simply wax and oil spread on lint2 but so much depends on circumstances and the state of health of the sufferer1 that it is desirable as soon as possible to secure medical attendance4 #e4 ,to recover a person in a state of insensibility from the effect of smoke1 dash cold water in the face1 or cold and hot water alternately4 ,should this fail1 turn him on his face1 with the arms folded under his forehead4 ,apply pressure along the back and ribs1 and turn the body gradually on the side2 then again slowly on the face1 repeating the pressure on the back4 ,persevere with these alternate rolling movements about sixteen times in a minute1 until respiration is restored4 ,a warm bath will now complete the recovery4 ,as to the origin of fires1 a list has already been given of the various causes of fires last year1 but ,i may supplement it by one or two instances worthy of notice4 ,spontaneous combustion is often a cause of destruction1 and a curious example of this was when a mass of iron filings and turnings1 which had been allowed to accumulate at a large factory1 ignited4 ,the heap was sprinkled day by day with water in the process of laying the dust previously to sweeping the floor4 ,one night1 after all the men had left1 a fire broke out1 which was soon arrested2 but was most clearly traced to the spontaneous combustion of the iron turnings4 ,it is well known that iron decomposes water1 combining with its oxygen and liberating its hydrogen1 and in this case the grease on the turnings was oxydised at the expense of oxygen1 condensed by the finely-divided metal1 and so lent its aid in raising the temperature2 and thus the heat soon reached a point that set fire to the wood in the neighbourhood4 ,the uselessness of covering wood with sheet or cast iron1 which has been but recently shown at the ,pantechnicon1 was also exemplified in a fire which happened at the ,bank of ,england many years since4 ,the hearth on which the stove was placed was cast-iron an inch thick1 with #b inches of concrete underneath it1 but the timber below that was fired4 ,it is difficult to account for this unless there had been some bad workmanship or an undiscovered flaw existing in the iron or a crack in the concrete4 ,a rather uncommon case1 although it might have been serious in its results1 was that of a fire caused by an incendiary in the counting-house of a relation of mine4 ,one night a man got access to the adjoining warehouse1 and intending to steal the wages he wrongly suspected were in the office ready for paying away on the morrow1 broke through the lath-and-plaster wall4 ,with much difficulty he got in2 but1 finding no plunder1 in his disappointment he set fire to a heap of papers and hastened to retreat4 ,but the hole he came in at formed1 in consequence of the broken laths1 a sort of eel-trap1 and he was in great danger of being burnt alive4 ,finally he got through1 the fire burnt itself out without great damage1 and the burglary was discovered4 ,the man not long afterwards was caught1 and sentenced to the penal servitude he so richly deserved4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,extinction ,,of ,,fire4 ,one of the most primitive ways of preparing to extinguish any fire that might arise is the following rule adopted by the ,city of ,london in the reign of ,richard ,i4 #8,item4 ,that all persons who occupy great houses have in summer time1 and especially between the ,feast of ,pentecost and the ,feast of ,st4 ,bartholomew1 before their doors a barrel full of water for quenching fire1 if it be not a house which has a fountain of its own4' ,but there was sound wisdom in this1 for the water would be at hand for instant use1 and1 as stated elsewhere1 a gallon of water at the commencement of a fire is worth more than hundreds of gallons a little later4 ,it is well known that a small engine at a large fire does more harm than good2 and it is also well known that a small quantity of water thrown on a large amount of burning substances becomes decomposed and increases the activity of the burning4 ,mr4 ,grove has published particulars of some interesting experiments conducted by him1 in which he found that water in contact with highly-heated platinum was decomposed and resolved into its elements1 oxygen and hydrogen1 and that the gaseous mixture thus produced burned with an activity amounting to an explosion4 ,water acts in extinguishing fire by its cooling influence alone1 and contains in itself the very elements of fire1 so that when decomposed by a high temperature it will burn vigorously4 ,thus it is that a small quantity of water thrown on a large fire often does serious mischief4 ,the methods of extinguishing fire are two1 mechanical and chemical4 ,the use of water1 for the before-named reasons1 ranks among the former1 and its most successful application is by means of the steam fire-engine4 ,there are many substances that chemically oppose combustion1 and perhaps the best-known medium of these for the purpose is ,sinclair's fire exterminator4 ,these being representatives of their respective classes1 a short description may be of some value3-- ,the fire-exterminator appears outwardly as shown by the engraving1 and is arranged so that it can be speedily and easily carried on a man's back4 ,there are various details as to the inner structure which need not be given here1 but in brief it has inside it a solution of carbonic acid gas4 ,it may be called a large soda-water bottle charged with gas and incombustible chemicals under great pressure4 ,illustration ,the charge of acid is contained in a glass vessel1 and this is so arranged that when the machine is wanted1 a blow on the top with a mallet causes the chemicals to unite1 and produce1 when in operation1 a stream of fluid which can be projected fifty feet against fire with certainty of success4 ,the value of this machine is increased by the fact that a certain measure of incombustibility is communicated to burning bodies after they have been operated upon by the chemical solution4 ,so many serious fires could be stopped in their commencement if proper means were at hand1 that the importance of powerful machines in small compass1 such as these1 cannot be over-estimated2 and their efficiency is proved by there being no less than #de1jjj in use1 and #f1jjj fires having been extinguished by them4 ,it is calculated by actual operations that one gallon of the chemical charge in an exterminator will do as much good as twenty-five gallons of water4 ,passing to the highest type of mechanical methods now in use1 we have to consider a more complete but wonderful machine1 the steam fire-engine4 ,within the lifetime of a young man such an invention was unknown to the bulk of people1 and had not come into general adoption2 in its place were parish hand-engines1 and a few kept up by the ,fire ,insurance ,companies of ,london4 ,there was no system under which the firemen worked1 no one responsible if the engine was out of order1 or any untoward accident happened2 and until the great ,tooley ,street fire discovered the alarming possibility of another ,fire of ,london1 the public seemed well content to leave their protection from fire chiefly to chance4 ,some remarkable revelations concerning the state of fire-engines in these early days may be found in ,mr4 ,young's exhaustive work on #8,fires and ,fire ,engines4' ,he gives an instance in which a woman was found to be manager of two parish engines2 her husband had been sexton and parish engineer2 and when he died1 the parish authorities1 not knowing what to do with the widow1 appointed her as engineer4 ,a writer in the #8,quarterly ,review' for ,december #ahed relates that ,mrs4 ,smith might be seen at conflagrations hurrying about in her pattens directing the firemen of the engine4 ,the present extensive application of steam-power for working fire-engines has arisen from the manifest inability of hand-worked machines to arrest the progress of large fires2 from the very beneficial results that are attained by the use of steam fire-engines even at small fires2 and1 lastly1 from the great improvements that have been made in the portable steam-engine within the last twenty years4 ,the first steam fire-engine was constructed by ,braithwaite1 of ,london1 in #ahcj 7before the formation of the ,london ,fire ,brigade71 but the recognition of this valuable invention as a regular fire brigade appliance did not take place till twenty-two years later1 when its public use was established in ,new ,york4 ,in the same year 7#aheb7 the ,london ,fire ,brigade employed ,messrs4 ,shand and ,mason to apply steam power to one of their hand-worked floating fire-machines1 and were so satisfied with the results that they immediately procured an entirely new self-propelling floating steam-engine1 constructed upon designs supplied in competition by ,messrs4 ,shand and ,mason1 after receiving the approval of the late ,mr4 ,walker1 engineer1 of ,great ,george ,street4 ,this is still the most powerful efficient steam floating fire-engine that has been constructed1 and is in use for river-side work in ,london4 ,in #ahfa the same firm supplied the first land-engine 7single horizontal7 purchased by the ,london ,fire ,brigade1 which is still in excellent order4 ,many others have been since built by them1 and also by ,messrs4 ,merryweather and ,sons1 these two firms being the best known fire-engine makers4 ,steam fire-engines comprise three classes2 land1 floating1 and fixed4 ,the appearance of the land-engine is now familiar to all the dwellers in our large towns1 most of whom have seen it in its rapid progress to a fire1 drawn by horses1 and carrying its complement of firemen4 ,floating steam-engines are desirable in ports and docks1 where warehouses and storehouses of goods are in immediate proximity to water4 ,they are self-propelling1 or are placed in a vessel to be moved about by steam tugs4 ,fixed steam fire-engines are placed in manufactories and other places where the steam boilers are already in use1 the steam from which is available both day and night for working the engine4 ,the use of these fixed engines is of course limited to the premises where they are situated1 but these they protect efficiently by means of an arrangement of fixed cast-iron pipes1 with outlets for attaching flexible hose2 and being without the boiler1 carriage1 axles1 springs1 c41 of the land steam fire-engine1 the cost is very much reduced4 ,messrs4 ,shand and ,mason's engines 7see engraving on page #abg7 are all direct-acting1 the steam and water pistons being connected by rigid rods1 without the intervention of any joints1 so that the force communicated by the steam to the steam-piston is instantaneously transmitted to the water-piston without any shock or blow4 ,a crank is used to fix the length of the stroke1 and to obtain a rotary motion with which to work the slide valve by an #8eccentric1' as in the ordinary steam-engine3 a small fly-wheel is used in their single vertical1 but none is required in their double or treble cylinder1 nor in the patent horizontal engines4 ,a great advantage1 in ,messrs4 ,shand's opinion1 attending the use of a rotary motion for steam fire-engines is1 that it can be put in motion by hand in the engine-house as often as is necessary to prevent any of the working parts getting fixed through being out of use4 ,in engines having no rotary motion this cannot be done without getting up steam1 and frequently at fires the pistons have been found immovable1 causing much valuable time to be lost4 ,an engine with rotary motion does its work in a smooth and even manner1 with a minimum of attendance on the part of the man in charge1 and without the shocks1 jerks1 and irregular movement frequently found in those constructed without it4 ,the engines made by ,messrs4 ,merryweather are in outward appearance somewhat similar to those just mentioned1 but differ in constructional detail2 the rotary motion is altogether dispensed with2 the power is transmitted direct2 and the working parts are perhaps fewer4 ,this firm adopts long strokes of piston1 and large cubical contents of cylinders2 there are no cranks or dead centres1 and thus the engines are stated to do a full amount of work with lower steam pressure and at less speed4 ,being direct acting1 without fly-wheels1 they work at any required speed to the maximum2 it is stated they can be started in any position1 and never set fast4 ,the engine engraved on page #abd is named the #8,first ,grand ,prize1' and is provided with seats for firemen1 coal bunkers1 water tanks1 c4 ,it is said to raise steam from cold water to working pressure in seven to eight minutes from the time of lighting the fire2 and to be capable of pumping #fjj gallons per minute to a height of #ahj feet4 ,the present price of this engine1 including the various fixtures and fittings1 is #hbjl4 ,the most important part of a ,steam ,fire-,engine is the boiler1 which should be of such a nature as to supply the greatest amount of steam in the shortest possible space of time4 ,messrs4 ,merryweather have adopted the system invented by ,mr4 ,field1 which has already for some years given such excellent results in ,england4 ,the distinctive feature consists in closed tubes suspended in such a manner as to be completely surrounded by the frame of the furnace2 these tubes communicate by only one extremity with the boiler3 inside of them are smaller tubes1 open at both ends1 and with the upper ends widened out in the form of a funnel4 ,the release of the steam produced1 and ,illustration3 #8,,first ,,grand ,,prize' ,,patent ,,steam ,,fire-,,engines ,,constructed ,,by ,,messrs4 ,,merryweather ,,and ,,sons ,illustration3 ,,boiler ,,of ,,messrs4 ,,merryweather ,,and ,,sons' ,,steam ,,fire-,,engine4 the supply of fresh water for conversion into steam1 is very rapid and takes place with ease4 ,messrs4 ,shand1 ,mason and ,co4's #8,patent ,inclined ,water-tube ,boiler' is now applied by them to all ,steam ,fire-,engines of their construction1 as well as for a variety of purposes where it is desirable to secure the greatest possible amount of power in the smallest space1 combined with efficiency1 economy of fuel1 and durability of construction4 ,for ,steam ,fire-,engines1 steam of #ajj lbs4 pressure can be raised in six minutes and thirty-five seconds from lighting the fire1 while for general purposes an increase in the number of layers of tubes is made1 to the extent of rendering the boiler most economical as regards fuel4 ,the boiler is constructed in two pieces1 bolted together by an angle iron-faced joint1 which affords immediate access to the whole of the interior2 but on account of the rapid circulation of water in the tubes1 this feature1 although retained1 is not found necessary in practice4 ,bowling iron only is used1 with the longitudinal seams welded1 and all holes1 whether for rivets or bolts1 are drilled and not punched4 ,the tubes are of homogeneous metal1 and as the pressure is inside1 and the ends are removed from the hottest part of the fire1 no leakage whatever takes place1 while the complete through passage in the tubes1 combined with their inclined position1 prevents the accumulation of deposit1 which in practice invariably takes place in tubes where one of the ends is closed4 ,the ,cylindrical ,tube ,plate and the tubes being exposed to equal amounts of heat1 it follows that the diameter of the tube plate increases by expansion to exactly the same extent as the tubes lengthen1 so that no displacement of the ends of the tubes can take place from alternate expansion and contraction4 ,the ,fire ,box is surrounded by a water space1 which economises fuel1 and avoids the necessity for a lining of ,illustration3 ,,messrs4 ,,shand1 ,,mason ,,and ,,co',s ,,steam ,,fire-,,engine2 ,,as ,,used ,,by ,,the ,,metropolitan ,,fire ,,brigade4 fire-bricks and fire-clay1 the replacing and keeping in order of this being in some ,steam ,fire-,engines a fruitful source of annoyance4 ,the working steam pressure of ,shand1 ,mason and ,co4's ,engines in the ,metropolitan ,fire ,brigade is #ajj lbs4 on the square inch1 and the safety valves are constructed so that the man in charge cannot exceed this2 but the boilers are proved to #cjj lbs41 and the engines may be worked with the greatest safety at a pressure of #aej lbs4 on the square inch4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4 ,fig4 #a is a sectional elevation of boiler2 fig4 #b1 an elevation of absorption chamber2 fig4 #c1 a plan of same4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4 ,a1 the furnace2 ,b1 the absorption chamber sectioned on the line ,i1 ,j1 fig4 #c2 ,c1 the chimney or funnel2 ,d1 the outer shell2 ,e1 the steam chest2 ,f1 the narrowest part of eccentric water space through which the tubes are supplied with water at their lower ends2 ,k1 the widest part of eccentric water space through which the upper ends of the tubes deliver the steam produced from the heat absorbed by the tubes1 and transmitted to the water during its passage through them4 ,by the arrangement of tubes shown at ,g1 fig4 #b1 and at ,h1 fig4 #c1 and water spaces shown at ,f and ,k1 figures #a and #c1 a general circulation of water is obtained in the boiler1 and especially through the tubes1 while the water space at ,k increasing upwards allows of an easy separation of steam from the accompanying water1 and of its rising into the steam chest separated1 thus materially preventing priming1 while the water returns to the lower ends of the tubes1 thereby maintaining a constant circulation through them in the direction shown by the arrows2 and by crossing the tubes in alternate layers1 a constant flow towards and into their lower ends is induced1 and a constant discharge from the upper ends throughout the other half1 thus causing general and uninterrupted currents of water and steam4 ,as a conclusion to the subject of ,fire-,engines1 ,i may state that1 when compared with manual engines1 the steam-engines show an immense saving4 ,from a return made to the ,metropolitan ,fire ,brigade authorities1 it was proved that at a fire in ,st4 ,katharine's ,docks there were nine steam-fire-engines at work from three to ten hours1 the total cost of fuel being #c #ahs4 #e;d41 while the quantity of water thrown on the fire was estimated at #ich1dhj gallons4 ,the number of manual engines required to produce the same result would be forty-one1 requiring #a1ijd men to work them1 at a cost of #dgf1 including refreshments1 showing a balance in favour of employing the steamers of #dgb #as4 #g;d4 ,the proportion of the cost was as #a to #aba2 or1 in other words1 steamers for #bjs4 expenditure pump #bea1jjj gallons1 and manuals for the same sum only #b1bbg4 ,these ,steam ,fire-,engines have frequently been used for other purposes than that of quenching fire4 ,after the ,sheffield inundation1 one was used for a week continuously to raise water from the basements of dwellings2 and many towns have had their water-supply kept up by the use of these invaluable engines1 which will no doubt come into yet more extended use4 ,the most that can be done after constant care has failed to prevent fire1 is to rely upon extraneous help to put it out2 and this too often fails1 in ,london at all events1 because of the absurdities of the water supply4 ,the work that can be done in attempting to extinguish a fire at an early stage is worth everything1 and yet matters are so arranged that the firemen may get to a fire and watch it burning1 while the turncock is sent for to find the plug and get the required supply of water2 and if the pressure happens to be low in the main the supply runs short4 ,now this occurs at comparatively small fires2 what if a whole street were ablaze1 or a fire like that in ,tooley ,street broke out1 away from the river with its friendly supply of water8 ,consequences of a most serious nature may result from the present system1 which all persons1 excepting the ,water ,companies1 blame1 and nobody alters4 ,constant water pressure and a good system of hydrants are urgently needed in every town4 ,without this the most efficient fire brigade in the world would be hampered1 and it seems a crime to let anything stand in the way of the full development of the energy displayed by fire brigades like that in ,london--certainly the best in existence4 ,by the kindness of its chief ,i am enabled to supply a few particulars about this energetic body of men1 to whom the public are so indebted1 and of the work they perform4 ,the strength of the brigade at present is as follows3-- #ej ,fire-engine stations4 #aje ,fire-escape stations4 #d ,floating stations4 #ec ,telegraph lines4 #he ,miles of telegraph lines4 #c ,floating steam fire-engines4 #a ,iron barge1 to carry a land steam fire-engine4 #e ,large land steam fire-engines4 #af ,small land steam fire-engines4 #ae ,seven-inch manual fire-engines4 #ef ,six-inch manual fire-engines4 #ab ,under six-inch manual fire-engines4 #abe ,fire-escapes4 #cif ,firemen1 including the chief officer1 the superintendents1 and all ranks4 ,the number of firemen employed on the several watches kept up throughout the ,metropolis is at present #ij by day and #aha by night1 making a total of #bga in every #bd hours2 the number of those sick1 injured1 on leave1 or under instruction1 is generally between #dj and #ej4 ,the remaining men are available for general work at fires4 ,the number of journeys made by the fire-engines1 during the year #ahgc1 of the #ej stations1 was #f1eef1 and the total distance run was #bj1ejc miles4 ,the number of calls for fires1 or supposed fires1 received during the year was #a1gjc4 ,of these1 #hc were false alarms1 and #a1edh were calls for fires1 of which #aff resulted in serious damage1 and #a1chb in slight damage4 ,these figures refer only to the regular calls for fires1 or supposed fires1 involving the turning out of firemen1 fire-engines1 horses and coachmen2 they do not include trifling damage by fires which were not sufficiently important to require the attendance of firemen2 neither do they include the ordinary calls for chimneys on fire1 which are separately accounted for further on4 ,the fires of #ahgc1 compared with those of #ahgb1 show an increase of #ed2 but compared with the average of the last ten years there is a decrease of #ag4 ,the proportion of serious to slight losses in #ahgc--aff to #a1chb--;is about as favourable as hitherto4 ,the following table gives it both in actual numbers and percentages1 and shows that there was considerable success in reducing losses during the year4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------- ,years ,numbers ,percentages ---------------------------------------- -------- ,serious ,slight ,total ,serious ,slight ,total ---------------------------------------- --------------- #ahff #cbf #a1jab #a1cch #be #ge #ajj #ahfg #bde #a1aeb #a1cig #ah #hb #ajj #ahfh #bce #a1dcc #a1ffh #ad #hf #ajj #ahfi #aii #a1cgc #a1egb #ac #hg #ajj #ahgj #bgf #a1fgj #a1idf #ad #hf #ajj #ahga #bjg #a1fce #a1hdb #aa #hi #ajj #ahgb #abj #a1cgd #a1did #h #ib #ajj #ahgc #aff #a1chb #a1edh #aa #hi #ajj ---------------------------------------- ------------------- ,the number of fires in the ,metropolis in which life was seriously endangered1 during the year #ahgc1 was #gd1 and the number of these in which life was lost was #bj4 ,the number of persons seriously endangered by fire was #adj1 of whom #aje were saved and #ce lost their lives4 ,of the #ce lost1 #ab were taken out alive1 but died afterwards1 in hospitals or elsewhere1 and #bc were suffocated or burned to death4 ,the number of calls for chimneys was #c1fjb1 of these #a1afg proved to be false alarms1 and #b1dce were for chimneys on fire4 ,in these cases there was no attendance of engines1 but only of firemen with hand-pumps4 ,the quantity of water used for extinguishing fires in the ,metropolis during the year was #bb1faj1cgi gallons1 in round numbers a little more than #bb million gallons1 or about #aja1jjj tons4 ,of this quantity #ff1aac tons1 or almost exactly two-thirds of the whole1 were taken from the river1 canals1 and docks1 and the remainder from the street pipes4 ,during the year there were #f cases of a short supply of water1 #bi of late attendance of turncocks1 and #ag of no attendance1 making altogether #eb cases in which the water arrangements were unsatisfactory4 ,the monthly summary of fires for the same year is as follows3-- --------------------------------------- ,seriously ,slightly ,month damaged damaged ,total --------------------------------------- ,january #h #ajb #aaj ,february #aa #ih #aji ,march #ad #ajb #aaf ,april #ad #abj #acd ,may #ag #aah #ace ,june #af #abi #ade ,july #bj #aci #aei ,august #ah #aah #acf ,september #aa #ajg #aah ,october #ah #ajb #abj ,november #f #aje #aaa ,december #ac #adb #aee --------------------------------------- ,many a damaging fire has been stopped by the immediate application of water1 and many more would have been if a little common sense and presence of mind were oftener displayed4 ,as a simple precaution in one's own house1 always keep the bedroom water-jugs full1 and have an exterminator in a handy place ready for immediate use4 ,for places liable to fire--and what building is not--this latter handy instrument1 with its peculiar liquid1 is invaluable1 its contents being worth several times the same quantity of water4 ,for some purposes it is better than the pumps and portable engines so largely employed1 and is always a valuable addition to them2 the effects ,i have witnessed of its operation are so remarkable that its general adoption should be only a matter of time4 ,country mansions need special appliances for putting out fire1 which are determined by the style of building1 its position1 whether or not near a good water supply1 c41 but all the fixed apparatus should not supersede the little engines just mentioned4 ,a large mansion in ,hampshire1 burnt not long since1 was specially constructed with a view to have a good water supply in case of fire2 the tank at the top to charge fixed pipes being kept full by a pump1 and everything else possible done to ensure safety4 ,but the fire broke out when the pump was out of order1 and no water could be had1 and so the house that took years to build was burnt in a few hours4 ,no precautions1 however ample or costly1 can be reckoned on unless constant supervision is exercised over them1 and care taken to keep the various appliances ready for action4 ,the destruction of ,messrs4 ,hadley's great steam flour mill in ,thames ,street1 close to ,blackfriars ,bridge1 did not fail to call attention to the problem of protecting large buildings from fire4 ,the #8,engineer' of ,november #ahgb states that the mill was erected in #aheb4 ,it had a frontage of #fe feet to the river1 was #bej feet long1 and #g storeys high4 ,originally the machinery was driven by the condensing side lever engines which were specially designed and built to work the ,blackwall ,railway with ropes1 a duty they performed for several years4 ,about four years ago these engines were replaced by a pair of fine compound horizontal condensing engines1 capable of working up to about #ejj horse-power4 ,the mill was considered to be fireproof1 and no doubt deserved the title as well as many of the so-called fireproof buildings in ,london and the provinces4 ,the fire broke out in one of the upper floors1 some time on ,sunday morning1 ,nov4 #aj1 #ahgb1 and in a very few hours the mill1 with the exception of the outer walls1 and portions of the lower part1 was utterly destroyed4 ,at one time no fewer than thirty engines were present2 eighteen of them1 including the ,thames floating engine1 being steam-engines4 ,a correspondent of the #8,builder' stated that the following mills were destroyed by fire in four consecutive weeks in #ahgb4 ,oct4 #bf1 ,waterloo ,cotton ,mills1 loss #cj1jjj4 ,hyson and ,sharpe's ,cotton ,mills1 ,blackburn1 #f1jjj4 ,nov4 #ad1 ,dean's ,cotton ,mills1 ,swinton1 #aj1jjj4 ,nov4 #aj1 ,hadley's ,mill1 ,london1 say #bj1jjj4 ,nov4 #ae1 ,parker's ,cotton ,mills1 ,preston1 #af1jjj4 ,nov4 #ah1 ,whateley's ,cotton ,mill1 ,aberdeen1 #ah1jjj4 ,nov4 #bb1 ,bury and ,heap's ,cotton ,mills1 #aj1jjj4 ,nov4 #bc1 ,gomersall ,bros4 ,woollen ,mills1 ,dewsbury1 #ae1jjj4 ,total loss1 #acb1jjj4 ,in reckoning the losses occasioned by fire1 we cannot1 however1 confine ourselves to the mere cost of the building2 the wages lost by workpeople thrown out of employ1 the trade gone into other hands1 and possibly never recovered--these1 and other considerations1 should lead to extreme care being taken to prevent fire1 and to having proper appliances at hand to extinguish it1 if1 unfortunately1 it breaks out4 ,,appendix4 ,description of the ,plan and ,section of ,fireproof ,warehouse4 ,the photo-lithographs of a fireproof warehouse are from drawings by ,mr4 ,e4 ,hoole1 architect2 and it will be seen that these concise designs embody the principles enunciated in the preceding chapters4 ,a building for the reception of combustible goods must not only be constructed of materials that will not burn1 but must be so built that it will remain uninjured1 even if its contents are destroyed by fire4 ,like a furnace1 it must be made to contain a fire2 and it is only a building which1 under such circumstances1 maintains its strength1 that is entitled to be termed fireproof4 ,in the accompanying plan and section1 brick is proposed as the material for the construction of the walls and floors4 ,these are so arranged as to divide the building into eighteen separate compartments1 each of which is so completely cut off from those which surround it1 that a fire originating in any one of them might burn itself out without being able to spread to the next one4 ,the interior of each compartment is so constructed that it will not be damaged by the combustion of its contents4 ,it is assumed that it will be subjected to intense and continued heat2 and the same precautions are taken to secure the stability of the structure and protect it from injury as would be adopted in building a furnace or in setting a boiler4 ,each compartment is lined with fire-brick1 which is here and there attached to the walls to keep it in position1 but not sufficiently to communicate the heat it may receive4 ,between the fire-brick lining and the building itself an air space is left1 which the heat cannot traverse4 ,this lining bears no part of the weight1 either of the building or of its contents2 and consequently1 however hot it may become1 it cannot be crushed or distorted1 having only its own weight to sustain4 ,this fire-brick lining is set in fire-clay4 ,iron columns filled with concrete support the vaulting of the various floors1 and are protected by a casing of fire-brick1 between which and the column an air space is left4 ,in warehouses in which the brick casing of the columns is likely to be damaged by the shifting of the goods it can itself be protected by a covering of sheet-iron4 ,but this1 of course1 is no additional safeguard against the action of fire4 ,the thrust of the vaulting is counteracted by iron tie-bars embedded in the brickwork below the flooring of each compartment2 the ends of the bars are well turned up and down in the external walls1 besides being connected to the brickwork near the base of each column4 ,it will be seen that all parts of the building which have to sustain any weight are protected from any great change of temperature1 and that all iron-work is especially screened from it4 ,in constructing the staircase the same precautions are adopted4 ,a wall carried up the centre affords a springing for the arches carrying the steps and landings1 which are constructed entirely of brick1 and may be covered either with tiles1 stone1 or even wooden treads1 if desired4 ,the thrust of the arches carrying the steps is overcome by building in a tie-bar above each arch1 which thus protects it from any contact with fire4 ,in order to prevent the staircase from acting as a flue in case of fire1 and causing a draught of air to rush through the parts of the building opening into it1 one side of it is left open to the external air1 being only enclosed by a light arcade of open arches on each floor4 ,thus it gains the advantage of ,illustration3 ,,fireproof ,,warehouse4 ,,plan ,,of ,,first ,,floor4 ,m ,n4 ,,hanhart1 ,,ltih4 ,e4 ,,hoole4 ,,archt4 ,illustration3 ,,fireproof ,,warehouse4 ,,section4 ,e4 ,,hoole1 ,,archt4 an outside staircase1 all the doors leading to it being treated as external doors4 ,the lift is similarly treated4 ,double iron doors1 lined or cased with heat-repelling material1 separate the various compartments on each floor from the staircase and from each other4 ,these doors are so arranged that they can be closed from the external balconies1 and thus any compartment in which a fire occurs can be isolated without the necessity of entering it1 or indeed of entering the building4 ,the windows are closed by external sliding shutters1 running upon rails projecting from the outside face of the walls4 ,these shutters are so constructed that they can be opened by the firemen from the outside2 and easy access is given to them by the balconies1 which are carried round the building at the level of every floor4 ,iron balconies are shown on the plan and section1 since in most cases the heat issuing from the windows will not be sufficient to affect its strength2 but where very inflammable goods are to be stored it will be best to corbel out in the brickwork1 and to arch from corbel to corbel to form the balconies4 ,permanent means of access to the exterior of every opening in the walls is a most important provision1 allowing any part of the building to be inspected independently1 and fire discovered or extinguished1 without opening the doors of the adjoining compartments4 ,the roof is nearly flat1 having but fall enough to carry off the water4 ,it may be made water-tight by a layer of asphalte1 and then paved with tiles2 but a flat roof is not an essential feature of fireproof construction1 since1 if the ceiling be vaulted in brick1 as shown1 a roof of any pitch may be constructed above it1 framed entirely of iron1 and covered with slates tied by copper wire to iron laths1 or with metal tiles4 ,it is obvious that nothing combustible must be stored in the space between the roof and the ceiling4 ,a tank is shown at one angle of the roof1 to contain a supply of water in case of fire1 and it can be kept full by the ordinary means of supply of the neighbourhood4 ,if a portion of the top storey can be given up for the purpose1 the rain-water of the roof can be stored without incurring a water-rate4 ,from the tank1 pipes are conducted outside the building and furnished with unions near the windows of each compartment2 so that a hose-pipe can be instantly attached by anyone standing in the balcony1 and the whole contents of the tank discharged into any of the compartments1 without the building being entered4 ,in the case of a fire occurring in any compartment1 two methods of proceeding are available4 ,the compartment can be isolated and completely shut up until the fire either burns itself out or is extinguished for want of air2 or the shutters can be opened1 and a larger quantity of water can be discharged upon the burning goods1 immediately the fire is discovered4 ,patents for ,locks and ,safes4 ,the want of a complete list of the patents taken out from time to time for ,locks and ,safes has induced me to publish the following tables1 which have been most carefully compiled from the ,patent ,office records4 ,it has been impossible to give even a summary of the claims made by each patentee of locks1 on account of the space which would be thus occupied2 but ,i have endeavoured to increase the usefulness of the lists by distinguishing between expired and unexpired patents4 ,for the detailed particulars of each ,i must refer the enquirer to the specifications themselves1 which can be purchased at the ,patent ,office1 near ,chancery ,lane1 ,london4 ,an inspection of these will astonish many persons who may not be prepared to find the same inventions patented several times4 ,but such is the case2 and if patents are necessary as a protection to inventors 7which ,i am somewhat inclined to doubt71 the system adopted ought certainly to be such as would avoid the heavy fees ever being paid for an invention already secured to another person4 ,from the list of ,patents for ,locks ,i have omitted all such as are merely fastenings for railway-carriage doors1 for hand-bags1 pocket-books1 c41 or for windows4 ,i have also not included the #8furniture' of locks1 i4e4 the handles1 spindles1 c41 but all locks and latches used for doors will be found in the list4 ,the list of ,patents for ,safes includes all parts of1 or apparatus connected with1 ,fire and ,thief-resisting ,safes4 ,those marked 99 had either ,provisional ,protection only1 or 7in a few cases7 were void for want of filing the complete specification4 ,those marked lapsed at the end of three years from the date given in the lists2 and those marked lapsed at the end of seven years4 ,those without any mark and not in italics ran their full term and expired at the end of fourteen years4 ,only in the instances wherein the patentee's name is in italics are the patents now 7,december #ast1 #ahgd7 in force4 ,in the list of ,safes1 wherever the patents are in some respects similar to previous inventions1 a reference to such invention is appended4 ,,list ,,of ,,patents ,,for ,,locks ,,and ,,latches ,,used ,,as ,,fastenings ,,for ,,doors4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- ,year ,day ,no4 of ,name ,patent ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------- #aggd ,may #bg #ajga ,black1 ,george #aggh ,oct4 #ca #abjj ,barron1 ,robert #aggi ,may #bh #abbf ,henry1 ,solomon #aghj ,march #d #abdg ,ampion1 ,john #aghb ,jan4 #ah #acag ,hutchinson1 ,samuel #aghd ,april #b #adcj ,bramah1 ,joseph #aghi ,july #g #afib ,cornthwaite1 ,thomas #agij ,feb4 #bc #agcj ,rowntree1 ,thomas 0 ,oct4 #bi #aggh ,bird1 ,moses #agia ,july #ai #ahai ,ferryman1 ,robert 0 ,nov4 #c #ahce ,antes1 ,john #agie ,aug4 #bh #bjfb ,spears1 ,james #agig ,nov4 #ah #bbjc ,langton1 ,daniel #agih ,may #c #bbcb ,bramah1 ,joseph 0 ,dec4 #h #bbgg ,turner1 ,thomas #agii ,april #aa #bcjf ,davis1 ,george #ahja ,june #bc #beba ,holemberg1 ,samuel #ahje ,may #ah #bhea ,stansbury1 ,abraham ,ogier #ahjh ,dec4 #bi #cahh ,tompson1 ,william #ahac ,may #ae #cfie ,bullock1 ,william1 and ,boaz1 ,james #ahae ,march #g #chia ,mitchell1 ,william1 and ,lawton1 ,john #ahaf ,may #ad #djbg ,ruxton1 ,thomas 0 0 #bg #djcf ,kemp1 ,robert #ahag ,feb4 #a #djif ,higginson1 ,george ,montague 0 0 #h #daja ,clark1 ,william #ahah 0 #c #dbai ,chubb1 ,jeremiah 0 ,june #cj #dbge ,roux1 ,albert #ahai ,oct4 #ah #ddjb ,strutt1 ,antony ,radford #ahbj ,april #aa #dddc ,jennings1 ,henry ,constantine 0 ,dec4 #ad #deai ,mallet1 ,william #ahbc ,july #aj #dhab ,fairbanks1 ,stephen #ahbc ,nov4 #ac #dhfb ,ward1 ,john #ahbd ,june #ae #digb ,chubb1 ,charles #ahbe ,may #ad #eaga ,young1 ,john #ahbh 0 #ag #efef ,chubb1 ,charles #ahbi ,june #a #egih ,gottlieb1 ,andrew #ahcj ,jan4 #ah #ehhj ,carpenter1 ,james1 and ,young1 ,john #ahca ,april #ad #faje ,rutherford1 ,william 0 ,may #bc #faaf ,barnard1 ,george 0 ,july #bg #fadc ,young1 ,john #ahcb ,dec4 #bj #fcej ,parsons1 ,thomas #ahcc 0 #c #feaf ,parsons1 ,thomas 0 0 #bj #febg ,chubb1 ,charles1 and ,hunter1 ,ebenezer 0 0 #fecb ,pierson1 ,josiah ,gilbert #ahcd ,sept4 #f #ffgd ,longfield1 ,william 0 ,oct4 #aa #ffid ,audley1 ,lord ,baron #ahce ,march #ah #fgib ,hill1 ,richard 0 ,dec4 #af #fifj ,warrick1 ,john #ahcf ,feb4 #aj #gjjj ,fenton1 ,samuel #ahch ,june #cj #ggae ,uzielli1 ,matthew 0 ,nov4 #ac #ghgb ,thompson1 ,sally #ahci ,feb4 #ba #gigb ,uzielli1 ,matthew 0 ,june #ab #hajf ,sanders1 ,joseph 0 ,july #c #hadj ,cochrane1 ,alexander 0 0 #bj #hafc ,schwieso1 ,john ,charles 0 ,aug4 #a #haha ,williams1 ,william ,morrett 0 ,dec4 #b #hbic ,guest1 ,james #ahdj ,feb4 #bg #hdjb ,williams1 ,william ,morrett 0 ,march #bj #hddj ,gerish1 ,francis ,william 0 ,may #b #hdhi ,peirce1 ,william 0 ,june #ac #hedc ,wolverson1 ,joseph1 and ,rawlett1 ,william 0 ,oct4 #bb #hfff ,clark1 ,thomas 0 ,dec4 #bc #hgdg ,baillie1 ,benjamin #ahda ,march #bi #hijc ,tildesley1 ,james1 and ,sanders1 ,joseph 0 ,may #f #hiec ,hancock1 ,james 0 ,july #ad #ijbi ,berry1 ,miles 0 ,sept4 #bh #iajd ,strong1 ,theodore ,frederick #ahda ,nov4 #i #iadd ,smith1 ,jesse #ahdb ,jan4 #ae #ibbd ,poole1 ,moses 0 ,may #bd #icfd ,duce1 ,joseph 0 ,june #ac #icie ,williams1 ,william ,morrett 0 ,dec4 #bi #iegh ,rock1 ,joseph1 jun4 #ahdc ,nov4 #be #iifc ,tann1 ,edward1 ,edward1 and ,john 0 0 #iife ,rock1 ,joseph1 jun4 #ahdd ,jan4 #cj #ajjcb ,fletcher1 ,william 0 ,may #ad #ajahb ,pitt1 ,benjamin #ahde ,april #ae #ajfaa ,carter1 ,george #ahdf ,march #be #aaaeb ,cotterill1 ,edwin 0 ,july #f #aabhc ,de ,la ,fons1 ,john ,palmer 0 0 #ae #aabii ,thomas1 ,william 0 ,dec4 #ad #aadia ,chubb1 ,john #ahdg ,jan4 #aa #aaebc ,chubb1 ,john1 and ,hunter1 ,ebenezer 0 ,april #af #aafei ,collett1 ,charles ,minors 0 ,sept4 #af #aahfi ,hancock1 ,william #ahdh 0 #bh #abbgd ,newall1 ,robert ,stirling #ahdi ,may #h #abfjd ,wilkes1 ,samuel #ahej ,july #bb #acahd ,bradford1 ,james #ahea ,april #ae #aceie ,newell1 ,robert 0 ,nov4 #d #achjb ,dismore1 ,george 0 0 #f #achjf ,parnell1 ,michael ,leopold 0 0 #ac #achjg ,sinclair1 ,william 0 0 #bb #achbd ,restell1 ,thomas 0 ,dec4 #h #acheb ,restell1 ,thomas #aheb ,feb4 #bc #acihe ,hobbs1 ,alfred ,charles 0 ,oct4 #ba #dgb ,rose1 ,joseph 0 ,nov4 #bc #hbh ,parnell1 ,michael ,leopold #ahec ,jan4 #ba #afj ,chubb1 ,john1 and ,goater1 ,john 0 0 #bi #bbi ,whishaw1 ,francis 0 ,feb4 #aa #cfg ,choppin1 ,william 0 ,may #c #ajgd ,goble1 ,george ,frederic 0 0 #bc #abff ,simson1 ,william 0 0 #bg #acaj ,bentley1 ,william ,henry 0 ,july #e #afjj ,tripe1 ,decimus ,julius 0 0 #f #afag ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 ,aug4 #aa #ahff 99,rushbury1 ,john 0 0 #ah #aicb ,pig1 ,alexis 0 ,sept4 #i #bjgf ,parnell1 ,michael ,leopold 0 0 #i #bjgg 99,martin1 ,james 0 ,nov4 #g #behg ,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent 0 0 #ba #bfih ,tucker1 ,walter ,henry1 and ,reeves1 ,rashleigh 0 ,dec4 #aj #bhgi 99,du ,bost1 ,hippolyte ,laurent 0 0 #bb #bihj ,gibbons1 ,james1 ,jun4 #ahed ,feb4 #a #bef ,daniel1 ,alfred 0 0 #bj #dje ,milner1 ,william 0 ,march #a #eje ,holland1 ,john ,simon 0 0 #b #ead ,tann1 ,john 0 ,june #ab #abhh ,young1 ,john 0 ,july #a #adda 99,jones1 ,robert ,lewis 0 0 #aa #aead ,wolverson1 ,edwin 0 ,aug4 #a #afig ,holland1 ,john ,simon 0 0 #d #agji ,miles1 ,louis ,player 0 ,sept4 #b #aiag ,lewis1 ,george 0 0 #be #bjfj ,mc,connel1 ,robert 0 ,oct4 #c #babb ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 ,dec4 #i #beib 99,button1 ,reuben 0 0 #ab #bfaa ,larkin1 ,richard 0 0 #ac #bfaf ,stansbury1 ,charles ,frederick 0 0 #bj #bfhd ,milner1 ,william 0 0 #bc #bgab 99,giroux1 ,barthlemy ,martin #ahee ,jan4 #bi #bah ,imray1 ,john 0 ,april #be #icd ,bellford1 ,auguste ,edward ,loradoux 0 ,may #a #igh 99,wright1 ,lemuel ,wellman 0 0 #aa #ajfc ,henderson1 ,constantine 0 0 #ba #aabg ,tucker1 ,walter ,henry 0 ,june #i #acae ,nettlefold1 ,j4 ,s41 ,e4 ,j41 and ,j4 ,h4 0 ,july #ah #afbc ,scully1 ,vincent1 and ,heywood1 ,bennett ,john 0 ,aug4 #ac #ahcg ,butler1 ,thomas 0 0 #ae #ahea ,avery1 ,john 0 0 #cj #aiei 99,stansbury1 ,charles ,frederick 0 ,sept4 #d #bjja ,mueller1 ,charles ,gustav 0 ,nov4 #ad #begb ,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent #ahef ,jan4 #ba #aef 99,fenton1 ,samuel 0 ,feb4 #e #caj ,parnell1 ,michael ,leopold 0 ,march #bh #gdd ,daniel1 ,alfred 0 ,april #ba #iej 99,dortet1 ,jules 0 0 #bd #ihi ,blacket1 ,frank ,william 0 ,june #ah #adcf ,tucker1 ,walter ,henry 0 ,july #a #aedd 99,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent 0 0 #ah #afij ,leuchars1 ,william 0 ,aug4 #g #ahfj 99,weber1 ,lionel 0 ,dec4 #aa #bidd ,miles1 ,william ,player 0 0 #bf #cjff 99,newburgh1 ,sidney1 and ,steinhart1 ,charles #aheg ,jan4 #h #fh ,harris1 ,james 0 0 #ae #abj ,hobbs1 ,alfred ,charles 0 ,april #b #iaf ,morrison1 ,duncan1 and ,lilley1 ,samuel 0 0 #ae #ajgj ,safran1 ,jacob 0 ,may #f #abhd ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 0 #ab #acca 99,cotterill1 ,edwin 0 ,july #ac #aidb 99,hinks1 ,joseph ,lester1 and ,day1 ,john ,rock 0 0 #bh #bjei ,dortet1 ,jules1 and ,dnis1 ,andr ,barthlemy 0 ,dec4 #bd #cafj ,hart1 ,george ,william #aheh ,jan4 #bj #id ,nixon1 ,christopher ,nugent 0 0 #ba #aaj ,wilson1 ,peter2 ,northall1 ,samuel2 and ,james1 ,thomas 0 ,feb4 #bc #cee ,white1 ,george ,frederick 0 ,march #ca #fhb ,duce1 ,joseph ,warner 0 ,may #bd #aafj 99,hamilton1 ,george1 and ,nash1 ,william ,henry 0 ,june #aa #accb ,hart1 ,george ,william 0 0 #cj #adgj 99,wheatcroft1 ,william ,smith1 and ,smith1 ,james ,newton 0 ,july #f #aeac 99,davies1 ,john ,taylor 0 ,sept4 #a #aihi ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 ,oct4 #e #bbab ,hamilton1 ,george1 and ,nash1 ,william ,henry 0 0 #aa #bbfc 99,platt1 ,joseph 0 ,nov4 #i #bejf 99,henry1 ,michael 0 0 #aa #becc ,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent #ahei ,jan4 #ag #acb ,brooks1 ,edward 0 ,march #af #ffj ,ash1 ,isaiah 0 0 #af #ffi 99,hamilton1 ,george1 and ,nash1 ,william ,henry 0 ,april #bg #ajei 99,hamp1 ,charles 0 ,may #g #aadi ,henry1 ,michael 0 0 #ag #abbh ,law1 ,charles 0 0 #bf #acjb ,young1 ,john 0 ,june #bc #aeac 99,prince1 ,alexander 0 ,aug4 #ac #ahfi 99,clegg1 ,robert ,dawson1 and ,saunders1 ,thomas 0 0 #ag #ahie ,brooman1 ,richard ,archibald 0 ,oct4 #ad #bcdc ,price1 ,george 0 ,nov4 #be #bfgb ,tildesley1 ,matthew #ahfj ,jan4 #b #b ,luis1 ,joz 0 0 #f #dc ,fowler1 ,john 0 0 #aa #gh ,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent 0 ,march #e #eih ,price1 ,cyrus 0 ,april #bd #ajba 99,brodie1 ,james 0 0 #bg #ajga 99,withers1 ,george 0 ,may #aa #aaeh ,price1 ,george 0 0 #af #abjh ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 0 #bh #acjh ,chatwood1 ,samuel#e 0 ,june #b #acfj ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 0 #ae #adfj 99,mackrow1 ,isaac 0 0 #ai #adhg 99,brooman1 ,richard ,archibald 0 0 #bf #aeej 99,hudson1 ,wm4 ,henry1 and ,evans1 ,john 0 ,july #ag #agca ,loysel1 ,edward 0 ,aug4 #bc #bjcb ,spence1 ,william 0 ,sept4 #h #bagb 99,hoare1 ,deane ,john 0 0 #ae #bbej ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 0 #af #bhbg 99,morrison1 ,alfred 0 ,dec4 #ac #cjga ,chubb1 ,john1 and ,hunter1 ,ebenezer #ahfa ,feb4 #i #cbd 99,grimshaw1 ,o',donnell 0 0 #ah #dja ,price1 ,cyrus and ,elihu 0 ,april #aj #hhb 99,morel1 ,auguste ,victor 0 ,may #b #ajih ,winkler1 ,michael 0 ,june #ai #aegg ,pradel1 ,peter 0 ,july #bb #ahce 99,mennons1 ,marc ,antoine ,franois 0 0 #bd #ahej 99,hirschfeld1 ,ferdinand 0 0 #cj #aijb ,hart1 ,john ,matthias 0 ,aug4 #e #aidc ,brooman1 ,richard ,archibald 0 ,sept4 #e #bbjf ,mc,connell1 ,robert 0 ,nov4 #bj #biae ,croxford1 ,joseph ,cooper 0 ,dec4 #ag #caei ,tucker1 ,walter ,henry #ahfb ,jan4 #bj #adj ,mappin1 ,walter ,sandell 0 0 #be #bjj ,lefort1 ,franois ,joseph ,lalmand 0 ,march #ae #gbc ,hamilton1 ,george 0 ,april #ab #ajeg 99,sweet1 ,andrew 0 0 #ai #aade ,loysel1 ,edward 0 ,may #e #acbh ,allman1 ,herbert 0 0 #ag #aejd 99,tessier1 ,charles ,hippolyte 0 ,june #ag #agia 99,pringle1 ,archibald 0 ,oct4 #ac #bgej ,chatwood1 ,samuel 0 0 #af #bgia 99,berry1 ,george 0 0 #af #bgif 99,harold1 ,thomas ,george 0 0 #bg #bhhi ,pilgrim1 ,thomas 0 ,dec4 #a #ccdi ,phelps1 ,william #ahfc ,jan4 #i #gc ,tucker1 ,walter ,henry 0 0 #ac #aji 99,tildesley1 ,matthew 0 0 #ae #aca ,barraclough1 ,thomas ,critchley 0 0 #bf #bbh 99,smith1 ,andrew 0 ,feb4 #g #cdg ,parigot1 ,claude1 and ,grivel1 ,antoine 0 0 #af #dag ,mc,entee1 ,withers1 and ,withers 0 ,march #bf #gij ,parnell1 ,michael ,leopold 0 ,april #ad #icd 99,berry1 ,george 0 0 #ae #iea 99,morton1 ,john ,sanderson 0 0 #af #iei ,oldfield1 ,william 0 ,july #h #agjb ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 ,nov4 #e #bgdb 99,hancock1 ,henry1 and ,vickers1 ,william ,henry #ahfd ,jan4 #e #bh ,fenby1 ,joseph ,beverley 0 ,feb4 #ac #cgi ,bedford1 ,joseph 0 ,march #ab #fcc 99,hancock1 ,henry1 and ,vickers1 ,william ,henry 0 ,july #f #afgi ,von ,rathen1 ,antony ,bernhard 0 ,sept4 #f #bagd ,weaver1 ,frederick 0 0 #bg #bcfg 99,adams1 ,arthur ,john 0 ,oct4 #e #bddf ,bonneville1 ,henri ,adrien 0 ,nov4 #be #bied 99,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent #ahfe ,jan4 #aa #ib 99,heather1 ,john ,fry 0 ,march #a #egj ,whitfield1 ,samuel 0 0 #bj #ggh ,chatwood1 ,samuel 0 ,april #d #idd 99,nabbs1 ,richard 0 0 #g #iii 99,kimberley1 ,nathan ,gold 0 0 #ab #ajdc ,walker1 ,john 0 0 #ab #ajde ,hart1 ,john ,matthias 0 0 #bi #aaid 99,tucker1 ,walter ,henry 0 0 #bi #abja ,clark1 ,william 0 ,may #bb #adjb 99,gedge1 ,william ,edward 0 0 #bb #adjf 99,hodson ,william 0 0 #bg #adfb ,diele1 ,ludwig 0 0 #cj #adhe 99,grafton1 ,sidney 0 0 #cj #adhg ,calvert1 ,john 0 ,june #i #aegh ,meek1 ,g4 ,e41 and ,howes1 ,w4 ,h4 0 0 #bi #agce ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 ,july #f #aghb ,carter1 ,george 0 0 #h #ahab ,heather1 ,john ,fry 0 0 #ba #aijb ,walton1 ,james 0 ,aug4 #ab #bjib ,newton1 ,william ,edward 0 0 #bf #baih ,hodgson1 ,edmund ,dorman 0 ,sept4 #bh #bdhd ,price1 ,cyrus 0 ,nov4 #d #bheb ,gardner1 ,william 0 0 #h #bhgi ,rain1 ,jules ,adolphe 0 0 #ba #biia ,pope1 ,frederic 0 ,dec4 #i #cafi 99,grivel1 ,antoine1 ,jun4 0 0 #bc #ccbd 99,groves1 ,joseph1 and ,robinson1 ,george1 ,jun4 0 0 #cj #cchb ,newton1 ,william ,edward #ahff ,jan4 #f #dh ,tolhausen1 ,frederick 0 ,march #ag #gii ,hinton1 ,frederic 0 ,april #bj #aaah ,allen1 ,james 0 ,june #d #aede ,fenby1 ,joseph ,beverley 0 0 #ab #aeig 99,kurz1 ,frederick ,william 0 0 #af #afce 99,macdonald1 ,archibald 0 0 #af #afch 99,hopps1 ,george ,henry 0 ,july #b #agej ,bonneville1 ,henri ,adrien 0 ,nov4 #ad #bihg 99,clark1 ,william 0 ,dec4 #bi #cdbj 99,adams1 ,arthur ,john 0 0 #ca #cdda 99,allman1 ,herbert #ahfg ,march #h #fed ,pope1 ,frederic 0 0 #bi #icg ,wolverson1 ,joseph1 ,jun4 0 ,may #f #acbf ,lake1 ,william ,robert 0 0 #g #acec 99,saxby1 ,henry ,john 0 ,july #bg #bahd ,jones1 ,thomas 0 ,nov4 #i #caff ,hall1 ,samuel1 and ,whittingham1 ,maurice #ahfh ,feb4 #g #dbb ,lake1 ,william ,robert 0 0 #bf #fea 99,dowell1 ,william and ,james 0 ,march #bg #ajfa ,hughes1 ,henry1 and ,jones1 ,charles 0 ,april #d #aadd ,nabbs1 ,richard 0 0 #bg #acgb 99,tidmarsh1 ,samuel 0 ,june #e #ahdb ,clark1 ,alexander ,melville 0 0 #h #ahgd ,coffey1 ,dominic 0 ,july #aa #baii ,brooman1 ,clinton ,edgcumbe 0 ,sept4 #h #bgfd ,fraser1 ,alexander ,john 0 ,oct4 #ae #caec ,gumpel1 ,charles ,godfrey 0 ,nov4 #bc #cedi ,la ,penotire1 ,william 0 ,dec4 #c #cfgf ,marchal1 ,louis ,jules 0 0 #ad #cgif 99,brooman1 ,clinton ,edgcumbe 0 0 #ba #chhg ,whitaker1 ,richard #ahfi ,april #bb #abde ,lake1 ,william ,robert 0 0 #bg #abic ,lake1 ,william ,robert 0 ,june #ah #ahgh 99,andrew1 ,matthew 0 ,sept4 #h #bfcf ,hodges1 ,richard ,edward 0 0 #aa #bfgb 99,andrew1 ,matthew 0 0 #ae #bgjj 99,clark1 ,alexander ,melville 0 0 #cj #bhdf ,dewe1 ,john 0 ,oct4 #ab #bifc ,andrew1 ,matthew 0 ,nov4 #aa #cbej ,lake1 ,william ,robert 0 0 #aa #cbef ,harris1 ,william 0 0 #aa #cbeg ,wilson1 ,peter 0 0 #ae #cbij ,brampton1 ,frederick 0 0 #af #ccjj ,tucker1 ,walter ,henry #ahgj ,jan4 #ba #ahg ,whitfield1 ,frederic 0 ,april #cj #abdb 99,massi1 ,charles 0 ,july #g #aibg 99,murdoch1 ,hunter ,henry 0 ,sept4 #i #bddj ,tildesley1 ,james 0 ,oct4 #bb #bghe ,samels1 ,abel ,edgar 0 ,nov4 #bf #cajh ,murdoch1 ,hunter ,henry 0 0 #bh #caad ,abel1 ,charles ,denton 0 0 #bh #caae ,abel1 ,charles ,denton 0 ,dec4 #bb #ccef ,morrison1 ,james #ahga ,jan4 #ab #hg ,pocock1 ,alfred ,willmer 0 0 #cj #bdj ,lawrence1 ,charles ,lewis 0 ,feb4 #a #bfe 99,harvey1 ,henry ,cummins1 and ,walton1 ,thomas 0 ,may #a #aafj ,imray1 ,john 0 ,june #h #aead 99,hutchins1 ,henry ,edward #ahgb ,jan4 #be #beb ,mills1 ,benjamin ,joseph ,barnard 0 ,march #bb #hha ,brolly1 ,william ,stuart 0 ,may #ah #aebc 99,pichery1 ,jules ,landre 0 ,july #aj #bjgd ,lancaster1 ,henry 0 ,aug4 #bj #bdgb ,brodie1 ,james 0 ,sept4 #ah #bgfd 99,osborn1 ,william 0 ,oct4 #e #bidj ,kromer1 ,theodore #ahgc ,march #ba #ajeg ,morgan-,brown1 ,william 0 ,may #bi #aicb ,fox1 ,howard ,busby 0 ,june #bf #bbai ,mansbridge1 ,thomas 0 ,july #be #bede 99,greenwood1 ,henry ,brown 0 ,aug4 #be #bgic ,hunt1 ,bristow 0 ,sept4 #af #cjbi 99,edwards1 ,john 0 0 #ai #cjha ,harrington1 ,john 0 0 #bg #caei 99,vaughan1 ,henry 0 ,oct4 #bd #cdec ,ratcliff1 ,daniel ,rowlinson 0 0 #ca #ceej ,chatwood1 ,samuel 0 ,dec4 #ag #daci ,barton1 ,charles #ahgd ,jan4 #c #dd ,harrington1 ,john 0 ,feb4 #ai #fdb ,worrell1 ,thomas ,boyle 0 ,march #e #hah ,clarke1 ,henry 0 0 #cj #ajie ,whitworth 0 ,april #af #acbj ,turner 0 0 #ba #acgg ,wheeler 0 0 #bi #adie ,rutter 0 ,june #f #aigd ,faddy 0 0 #bc #bagd ,titley ,,list ,,of ,,patents ,,for ,,safes1 ,,etc41 ,,and ,,apparatus ,,for ,,protecting ,,the ,,contents ,,of ,,the ,,same4 ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------------- ,year ,day ,no4 of ,name ,chief ,claims ,patent ---------------------------------------- ----------------------------------- #ahja ,feb4 #aj #bdgg ,scott1 ,richard ,fireproofing #ahcd 0 #ac #feee ,marr1 ,william ,fireproofing #ahce ,may #a #fhcb ,chubb1 ,charles ,case-hardening plates #ahci ,june #aa #hajj ,chubb1 ,charles and ,well safes ,jeremiah #ahdj ,feb4 #bf #hdja ,milner1 ,thomas ,fireproofing #ahdc ,nov4 #be #iifc ,tann1 ,edward2 ,edward1 ,fireproofing4 ,a disclaimer ,jun41 and ,john afterwards published of certain parts #ahea ,march #c #acedj ,milner1 ,william ,fireproofing and bolts #ahec ,nov4 #g #behg ,newton1 ,alfred ,vincent ,chilled cast-iron #ahed ,july #ab #aecc 99,gardissal1 ,charles ,for postage and other ,durand stamps 0 ,dec4 #bj #bfhd ,milner1 ,william ,wood for lock-cases #ahee ,jan4 #ca #bcf ,price1 ,george ,painting interior and case-hardening exterior 0 ,aug4 #ba #ahhh ,longsdon1 ,robert ,hydraulic apparatus 0 ,nov4 #bb #bfcb ,price1 ,george ,steam-tight chests #ahef ,april #bd #ihi ,blacket1 ,frank ,william ,fixing locks and detachable heads to keys 0 ,aug4 #af #aiai ,lilley1 ,samuel ,chilled cast-iron4 7,newton1 #ahec1 ,no4 #behg47 #aheg ,jan4 #bj #agb ,johnson1 ,john ,henry ,a ship safe 0 ,april #af #ajge 99,crook1 ,samuel ,thomas ,casting and welding 0 ,sept4 #be #bdha ,chubb1 ,john ,steel plugs and corrugated steel 0 ,nov4 #be #bidg 99,hogg1 ,james ,revolving shutter for door #ahei ,march #ba #gag ,rhodes1 ,william ,water for fireproofing #ahfj ,april #bg #ajga 99,withers1 ,george ,welding iron and steel plates1 c4 0 ,may #bh #acjh ,chatwood1 ,samuel#f ,fluid metal run in between two plates 0 ,sept4 #ac #bbaa 99,price1 ,george ,coating doors with steel #ahfb ,jan4 #bi #bcb 99,pulv1 ,louis ,wool and sand fireproofing ,alexandre 0 ,oct4 #ac #bgej ,chatwood1 ,samuel ,tee-iron frame4 ,nine claims 0 ,dec4 #ab #ccbg 99,winiwarter1 ,george ,fireproofing4 ,tubes bound with straw1 clay1 c4 #ahfc ,march #c #eid ,price1 ,george1 and ,angle-iron frame4 ,dawes1 ,william ,electro-gilding lock #ahfd ,oct4 #aj #bdhe ,gardner1 ,william4 ,false bottom #ahfe ,jan4 #i #ga ,wiese1 ,friedrich ,fireproofing 7,milner1 #ahdj1 ,no4 #hdja7 0 ,feb4 #f #cbf ,shaw1 ,robert ,shop-window safe 0 0 #i #cfd ,chubb1 ,john ,recessed door1 c4 0 0 #ae #dci 99,clark1 ,alexander ,chilled cast-iron1 c4 7,lilley1 #ahef1 ,no4 #aiai47 0 ,feb4 #af #dej ,thompson1 ,joseph ,solid flanges1 c4 0 0 #ag #dei 99,fergusson1 ,james ,sliding doors 0 0 #bb #dii 99,shore1 ,george ,curved edge to door ,nathaniel 0 0 #bc #ejg ,whitfield1 ,samuel ,screw-bolts 0 0 #bc #ejh 99,mappin1 ,walter ,flanged plates and rivets ,sandell 0 0 #bc #ead 99,taylor1 ,henry ,kinden ,exposed safe 0 0 #bg #edc 99,tucker1 ,walter ,henry ,casting and welding 0 0 #bh #eei ,hart1 ,john ,matthias ,holding bolts 0 ,march #b #ehe ,chatwood1 ,samuel #ae claims4 7,shore1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #dii2 and ,whitfield1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ejg47 0 0 #f #fai 99,varley1 ,cromwell ,fleetwood ,electric apparatus 0 0 #f #fba 99,phillips1 ,samuel1 and ,groves1 ,joseph ,undercut angle-iron1 c4 0 0 #h #fec 99,taylor1 ,arthur ,edwin ,sliding door 0 0 #i #ffj 99,harris1 ,joseph ,thomas ,fire-resisting doors 0 0 #aa #fie 99,tann1 ,john ,ten claims 0 0 #ac #gjb 99,hill1 ,henry ,sliding door4 7,taylor1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #fec47 0 0 #ad #gad 99,hodgson1 ,edmund ,sliding door4 7,hill1 #ahfe1 ,dorman ,no4 #gjb47 0 0 #ae #gbh 99,loysel1 ,edward ,spiegel-eisen1 c4 7,chatwood1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ehe47 0 0 #ca #ijc 99,milner1 ,william1 and ,ratcliff1 ,daniel ,rowlinson ,ribs1 hooks1 c4 0 0 #ca #ijd 99,cook1 ,thomas ,circular door 0 ,april #d #idf 99,thompson1 ,george ,curr ,screw-bolts4 7,chatwood1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ehe2 ,whitfield1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ejg47 0 0 #g #ajjj ,skidmore1 ,thomas ,inner angle-iron frame 0 0 #ab #ajde ,hart1 ,john ,matthias ,actuating bolts 0 0 #ac #ajef 99,chubb1 ,john1 and ,projections on door ,goater1 ,robert 0 ,june #bj #afeg ,parish1 ,james2 ,dovetailed door ,thatcher1 ,charles2 and ,glasscock1 ,thomas 0 ,july #bb #aiaa 99,diaper1 ,william ,z iron frame2 revolving steel rods47,tann1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #fie47 0 ,aug4 #b #aiie 99,andrew1 ,thomas2 and ,screw-bolts4 7,thompson1 ,taylor1 ,james ,whiteley #ahfe1 ,no4 #idf1 c41 c47 0 0 #b #bjjf ,allman1 ,herbert ,chilled cast-iron1 c4 7,thompson1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #dej47 0 0 #aa #bjha ,kjellberg1 ,peter ,suspended safe ,carlsson 0 0 #ag #baba ,phillips1 ,samuel2 ,dovetails1 curved edge1 c4 and ,groves1 ,joseph 7,chubb1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ajef2 ,shore1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #dii47 0 ,sept4 #b #bbfe ,chatwood1 ,samuel ,casting with soft metal 0 0 #g #bbid ,hart1 ,john ,matthias ,joining plates by metal in tubes 0 0 #i #bcah ,nordenskild1 ,adolf ,connecting safe with ,eric1 and water-pipes ,smith1 ,john ,william 0 ,sept4 #bf #bdeg 99,parigot1 ,claude1 and ,grivel1 ,antoine ,locking apparatus 0 ,nov4 #bj #bigi 99,fenby1 ,joseph ,beverly ,expanding bolt 0 ,dec4 #a #cjhe 99,batho1 ,william ,fothergill ,stamped safe 0 0 #i #cafi 99,grivel1 ,antoine ,keyless lock1 c4 0 0 #ba #ccje ,blackman1 ,john ,william ,connecting safe with water-pipes4 7,nordenskild1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #bcah47 0 0 #bc #ccba ,chatwood1 ,samuel ,casting safes 0 0 #bc #ccbd 99,groves1 ,joseph1 and ,robinson1 ,george ,projecting pieces1 c4 7,phillips1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #baba47 #ahff ,jan4 #aa #if 99,rudling1 ,william ,atkins ,electric apparatus 0 ,feb4 #ba #eda 99,deakin1 ,william ,projections on doors1 c4 7,groves1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ccbd47 0 0 #bc #eeb ,haddan1 ,j4 ,c41 and ,haddan1 ,h4 ,j4 ,circular safes1 and vitrifying exterior 0 ,march #b #fda ,tansley1 ,james ,interlocking doors 0 0 #c #fdh 99,hosking1 ,albert ,gaslight detector 0 0 #f #fhe ,chubb1 ,john ,tie-bars1 rivets1 and hinges 0 ,march #g #fid ,price1 ,george ,plate-iron frame projections1 c4 7,tann1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #fie47 0 0 #i #gag 99,moxon1 ,thomas ,bewsher ,electric apparatus 0 0 #ac #ged ,jessop1 ,joseph1 and ,warburton1 ,william ,serrated edge to door 0 0 #ag #gib ,sagar1 ,thomas1 and ,keighley1 ,george ,cylindrical safe4 7,haddan1 #ahff1 ,no4 #eeb47 0 0 #ag #gii ,hinton1 ,frederic ,circular door4 7,sagar1 #ahff1 ,no4 #gib47 0 0 #bg #hie 99,bracher1 ,john ,frame and angle-iron 0 0 #bi #iaa ,noake1 ,reuben ,joining edges4 7,bracher1 #ahff1 ,no4 #hie47 0 0 #ca #icj ,hindshaw1 ,george ,serrated door1 c4 7,jessop1 #ahff1 ,no4 #ged47 0 ,april #d #ied 99,maddocks1 ,john1 and ,dunn1 ,william ,sliding doors and dovetailed bars 0 0 #ai #aajf ,evans1 ,daniel ,welding and joining plates4 7,hart1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #bbid47 0 ,may #af #achg ,gisborne1 ,john ,sacheverell ,electric and clockwork apparatus 0 0 #af #acij ,price1 ,elihu and ,cyrus ,moveable bars2 fireproof inner door 0 ,june #g #aegj ,grivel1 ,antoine ,nine claims4 ,locking apparatus 0 0 #aa #aehg 99,baxter1 ,john1 and ,hunt1 ,john ,serrated door and casting ,no4 safe4 7,hindshaw1 #ahff1 #icj2 ,tucker1 #ahfe1 ,no #edc47 0 ,june #ab #aeih 99,kurz1 ,frederick ,william ,double sliding-doors4 7,maddocks1 #ahff1 ,no4 #ied47 0 0 #bb #afga ,peyton1 ,edward ,circular door 0 ,aug4 #a #aigg ,billing1 ,edwin ,isaac ,spherical safe 0 0 #b #aiic 99,chillcott1 ,isaac ,eldon ,serrated door4 7,baxter1 #ahff1 ,no4 #aehg1 and others47 0 0 #bb #baeb ,minns1 ,henry ,royall ,claw-bolts1 and fireproofing4 7,milner1 #ahdj1 ,no4 #hdja47 0 ,sept4 #c #bbef ,hosking1 ,albert ,whitford ,gaslight detector4 7,hosking1 #ahff1 ,no4 #fdh47 0 ,nov4 #c #bhef ,chubb1 ,john1 and ,chalk1 ,william ,henry ,diagonal bolts1 and overlapping frame 0 0 #g #bhid ,goodbrand1 ,walter1 and ,holland1 ,thomas ,eccles ,gaslight detector4 7,hosking1 #ahff1 #bbef4 0 0 #bb #cjfd 99,nicholson1 ,james ,overlapping door 0 ,dec4 #ab #cbfe ,chatwood1 ,samuel ,locking apparatus #ahfg ,jan4 #bc #agf 99,pinney1 ,john ,chilled casting4 7,tucker1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #edc47 0 0 #bi #bbi ,snell1 ,william ,water fireproofing4 7,rhodes1 #ahei1 ,no4 #gag47 0 ,feb4 #ac #djj ,westwood1 ,jos41 and ,baillie1 ,robt4 ,rebated door1 c4 7,in use many years before47 0 ,june #ad #agda 99,bryant1 ,hezekiah ,hazard ,water fireproofing4 7,snell1 #ahfg1 ,no4 #bbi47 0 ,aug4 #ai #bchb 99,cowper1 ,edward ,alfred ,welding plates 0 ,sept4 #be #bfif 99,ratcliff1 ,daniel ,rowlinson ,angles dovetailed to bars #ahfh ,jan4 #a #b ,lake1 ,william ,robert ,spherical safe1 c4 0 0 #bi #cjg ,snell1 ,william ,wood fireproofing1 c4 0 ,march #ah #ibf 99,wailes1 ,george ,joining angles 0 ,april #bb #acaa 99,fiddes1 ,augustine1 and ,curtis1 ,charles ,john ,locking apparatus4 7,chubb1 #aheg1 ,no4 #bdha2 ,price1 #ahfc1 ,no4 #eid2 ,diaper1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #aiaa47 0 0 #cj #adae ,chatwood1 ,samuel ,welding plates1 c4 7,cowper1 #ahfg1 ,no4 #bchb2 ,chubb1 #ahff1 ,no4 #bhef2 ,bracher1 #ahff1 ,no4 #hie47 0 ,june #ag #aiga ,rhodes1 ,william and ,james ,frames4 7,chubb1 #ahfe2 ,no4 #ajef2 ,chubb1 #ahff1 ,no4 #bhef47 0 ,july #ae #bbbh 99,de ,bergue1 ,charles1 and ,haddan1 ,john ,coope ,circular safes1 c4 0 ,aug4 #g #bdfi ,curtis1 ,charles ,john1 and ,fiddes1 ,augustine ,skeleton frames1 revolving rods1 c4 7,diaper1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #aiaa2 ,price1 #ahff1 ,no4 #fid2 ,wailes1 #ahfh1 ,no4 #ibf47 0 ,april #e #ajbf ,white1 ,william ,george ,hooked bolts1 and trough iron4 7,minns1 #ahff1 ,no4 #baeb2 ,chubb1 #ahff1 ,no4 #bhef47 0 ,may #f #acii ,hart1 ,john ,matthias ,jointless body2 hooked bolts1 c4 7,white1 #ahfi1 ,no4 #ajbf47 0 0 #ai #aeeb 99,fuller1 ,william ,frederick ,screw night-bolt 0 ,sept4 #bb #bgei ,minns1 ,henry ,royall ,hooked sliding bolt4 7,minns1 #ahff1 ,no4 #baeb47 0 ,nov4 #bd #cchh ,mc,neill1 ,andrew ,floating safe 0 ,dec4 #i #cefd ,ballou1 ,russell ,arnold ,lampblack fireproofing #ahgj ,jan4 #ai #afb 99,mawe1 ,william ,circular screw door 0 ,march #i #fid 99,duffey1 ,james ,fireproofing4 7,bryant1 #ahfg1 ,no4 #agda2 ,snell1 #ahfg1 ,no4 #bbi2 ,rhodes1 #ahei1 ,no4 #gag47 0 ,may #e #abhi ,johnson1 ,john ,henry ,fireproofing2 steam safe 0 ,june #g #afdh 99,schfer1 ,frederick ,steel shutter 0 ,july #ad #aiib 99,curtis1 ,charles ,john1 and ,fiddes1 ,augustine ,fireproofing4 7,johnson1 #ahgj1 ,no4 #abhi47 0 0 #bi #bacb ,minns1 ,henry ,royall ,locking apparatus4 7,minns1 #ahfi1 ,no4 #bgei47 0 ,oct4 #f #bfed 99,chatwood1 ,samuel1 and ,tobin1 ,thomas ,william ,air chambers1 c4 0 ,nov4 #a #bhgf ,newton1 ,william ,edward ,electro-magnetic apparatus #ahga ,may #e #abba ,ratcliff1 ,daniel ,rowlinson ,compound hooked bolt 0 ,july #f #agfa ,farrel1 ,john ,spiegel-eisen1 angle-frame1 c47,chatwood1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #ehe2 ,price1 #ahfc1 ,no4 #eid47 0 ,nov4 #af #cajh ,haseltine1 ,george ,electro-magnetic apparatus 0 0 #ah #cabh ,corliss1 ,william ,spherical safe4 ,fourteen claims #ahgb ,feb4 #ad #deh 99,cottam1 ,edward ,supporting safes 0 0 #bj #edb 99,nickson1 ,philip ,henry ,hammond ,mica lining4 7,snell1 #ahfh1 ,no4 #cjg47 0 ,march #d #ffh ,fothergill1 ,benjamin1 and ,rumble1 ,thomas ,william ,constructing safes4 7,see all patents relating to steel1 chilled iron1 c47 0 ,may #bh #afaa ,hobbs1 ,alfred ,charles1 and ,hart1 ,john ,matthias ,use of steel1 c4 7,fothergill1 #ahgb1 ,no4 #ffh47 0 ,july #f #bjdh ,elwell1 ,james ,fenton1 and ,grove1 ,joseph ,knuckle-bolts 0 0 #ab #bajc 99,chambers1 ,john ,wilkinson ,electric signals 0 ,oct4 #g #biec ,gardner1 ,william ,securing safe to floor #ahgc ,jan4 #ae #afe ,hipkins1 ,edward ,tee-iron frame1 c4 ,chatwood1 #ahfb1 ,no4 #bgej2 ,tann1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #fie47 0 0 #ag #aid ,perman1 ,charles ,hayward1 and ,whitaker1 ,richard ,lids of boxes 0 ,jan4 #ah #bbf ,lake1 ,william ,robert ,water fireproofing4 7,duffey1 #ahgj1 ,no4 #fid1 c47 0 ,may #ba #ahdf ,chatwood1 ,samuel ,air-pipes round safe 0 ,june #i #bjdh ,whichcord1 ,john1 and ,anderson1 ,william ,constructing safes4 7,fothergill1 #ahgb1 ,no4 #ffh47 0 0 #aj #bjej ,hayward1 ,walter ,frank ,angles and doors4 7,phillips1 #ahfe1 ,no4 #fba2 ,phillips1 #ahfe1 #ahff1 ,no4 #baba2 ,chubb1 ,no4 #bhef2 ,price1 #ahfc1 ,no4 #eid2 ,price1 #ahff1 ,no4 #baba47 0 0 #ai #badi 99,easton1 ,edward2 ,pole1 ,william2 and ,whichcord1 ,john ,doors sliding by hydraulic pressure 0 ,sept4 #ah #cjfe ,cottam1 ,edward ,series of safes 0 ,nov4 #ac #cfhi 99,fear1 ,henry1 and ,wilson1 ,peter ,hinges and hooked bolts4 7,white1 #ahfi1 ,no4 #ajbf1 c47 0 ,dec4 #aj #djff ,taunton1 ,john ,richard ,cromwell ,rotating steel discs #ahgd ,jan4 #bd #cbj ,chubb1 ,george ,hayter1 and ,chalk1 ,william ,henry ,fixing lining1 and locking apparatus4 7,chubb1 #ahff1 ,no4 #bhef47 0 ,feb4 #ac #eeb ,goater1 ,john ,general construction4 ,ten claims 0 ,june #aj #bjbi ,brannon ,,london3 ,,printed ,,by ,,spottiswoode ,,and ,,co41 ,,new-,,street ,,square ,,and ,,parliament ,,street ,,footnotes3 #a #8,construction of ,locks and ,keys1' by the late ,mr4 ,john ,chubb4 ,read before the ,institute of ,civil ,engineers4 #b ,a curved edge had been previously patented by ,shore1 ,february #bbnd1 #ahfe4 #c ,mr4 ,braidwood was at the head of the ,london ,fire ,brigade2 and1 after a hardworking and useful life1 was killed at the post of duty during the great ,tooley ,street ,fire in #ahfa1 by the sudden collapse of a wall4 ,this fire burnt for a fortnight1 and caused the loss of property valued at #b1jjj1jjjl4 sterling4 #d ,see #8,fire ,surveys1' p4 #gc4 #e ,extended until #ahgi1 by ,judicial ,committee of ,privy ,council4 #f ,extended until #ahgi1 by ,judicial ,committee of ,privy ,council4