blishment, their readiness to turn out, their discipline when on duty, and their attention and obedience to the orders they may receive, the Committee are likewise bound to express their satisfaction. Some instances of disorder amongst the firemen have occurred; but they have been very few; and in all these instances the men have been forthwith dismissed; and the Committee, as well as the master of engines, have taken the utmost pains to impress upon them the indispensable necessity of strict discipline, sobriety, and obedience to orders when on duty, without which their efforts cannot possibly be expected to be directed with that efficiency which is required.

It is due to the men to state, that they have very generally displayed an earnest zeal to learn and to practise the duties incumbent upon them, so as to render themselves expert upon occasions of fire; and it has been very gratifying to observe the increasing energy, skill, and confidence, which the firemen have exhibited in consequence of their judiciously-managed training. They have lately begun the practice of the gymnastic exercises at leisure hours, and show a great fondness for it. This must tend materially to increase their individual. powers and usefulness; and the Committee have not only reason to be satisfied with the conduct of the men in these respects, but consider themselves justified in reporting to the Board, that their appearance when called out, their readiness to undertake any duty which may be required of them, and the expertness with which they perform it, are most satisfactory and praiseworthy.

In the formation of a new establishment of this description. much trouble and correspondence were unavoidable; and no efforts have been spared by the Committee in endeavouring to obtain from all quarters, both at home and abroad, the best advice and information, to enable them to organize it upon the most approved and efficient principles; and they think they are justified in saying, that their apparatus, in plan and workmanship, is at least equal to, and may safely vie with that of any other establishment of a similar description, whilst many of the most useful parts of it have been planned and executed by their own townsmen. In the conduct of the requisite correspondence, the Committee have experienced the most unwearied zeal and attention on the part of Mr Lees, the clerk of police, whose services have been indefatigably and cheerfully bestowed at all times, in such manner as to have merited and received their marked approbation.

The Committee regret that their efforts to obtain a recognition of the Fire-engine Establishment, under the explanatory Police Act, lately passed, proved unavailing; and they would

op

recommend that this should be attended to at the earliest portunity which may conveniently occur, as it would greatly tend to strengthen their powers, particularly in those cases where the engines require to be sent beyond the bounds of police: but they must, at same time, state their conviction, that the objects in view, in placing the establishment under their superintendence and control, have been realized to as great an extent as their most sanguine projector could have anticipated; and that the unity of management, order, and regularity, which have been established, have produced the most beneficial results, by affording to the public better protection against fire, and remedying the previous confusion and alarm which seldom failed to occur upon such occasions, and almost always tended to increase the evil. They are therefore of opinion, that the present system, which was set on foot only as one of experiment, ought to be continued, if the proper arrangements for this purpose can be made and sanctioned by any future Police Act.

Upon the question of expense, it is no doubt undeniable, that the Board has been burdened with a much larger expenditure than was originally contemplated, and for which no provision was made, by authority, to assess for this specific purpose; but the benefit derived by the public from the system as now organized, which concentrates the whole force under one controlling and superintending power, is, on the other hand, highly important, while the expense that has been incurred in original outfit is now got over, and not likely to recur to any considerable extent.

The single exception from this part of the present report respects the propriety of forthwith procuring a proper enginehouse for the Southern Districts. When the great and daily increasing extent of this portion of the city is considered, it seems obvious that an engine-house in that quarter is indispensable; and the Committee have been long engaged in endeavouring to find a situation suitable to the purpose, though their efforts have not hitherto been successful. They are desirous that the engine-house should, if possible, be combined with, or at least adjoining to the district watch-house, because thereby the engines and apparatus may be considered as at all times under a safe and proper charge, the access to them rendered easy in case of emergency, and the readiest means afforded of giving immediate notice to the head-office of any fire which may occur. Perhaps a similar arrangement for the New Town would be an improvement; but it is not so necessary, seeing the Board have at present a coach-house hired for the purpose, which, though not adjoining to the district watch-house, is situated at no great distance from it,

The annual expenditure has certainly considerably exceeded the calculation upon which the contributions by the Insurance Companies were founded; and, from the experience of the last two years, it is now quite apparent, that in place of L.500 per annum, as originally contemplated, the establishment cannot be kept up with proper efficiency under at least L.800 a-year. The principle upon which the contributions. of the Town and Insurance Companies were originally fixed was, that these bodies should defray two-thirds of the annual expenditure, leaving the remaining third to be paid out of the police funds; and, considering the advantages derived by these Companies, the Committee are hopeful they may be disposed to increase their subscriptions to the extent requisite to follow out the original arrangement. Should this not be done, it is still open to the Board to abandon the charge, though the Committee are not at present prepared to recommend that they should do so, as, after all, even if the whole annual expense were exclusively defrayed from the police funds, it would not exceed one halfpenny per pound on the rental of the town, which is altogether unimportant, when viewed in reference to the manifest advantages arising from such an establishment being under efficient superintendence and control. At same time, they are decidedly of opinion, that the Insurance Companies ought to contribute a fair proportion of the expense; and they hope that these Companies may readily meet the wishes of the Board in this respect.

WM. DOUGLAS, Convener.

Edinburgh, 4th December, 1826. At an adjourned Meeting of the General Commissioners of Police, Mr SHERIFF DUFF in the chair,

The Commissioners approved of the foregoing Report, and unanimously voted their thanks to the Fire-engine Committee, for their unwearied and successful exertions in the formation of an establishment so generally approved of; and in a special. manner to Mr Douglas, chairman of that Committee, for his unremitting attention to the duties of that office, and for preparing so distinct a Report of their proceedings, and of the views entertained by the Committee.

The General Meeting remitted to same Committee to get their Report printed and circulated, and therearter to meet with the Managers, or Directors, of the different Insurance Companies, for the purpose of obtaining from them an increased annual subscription for the support of the establish

ment.

Extracted by DA. LEES, Clerk.

Note. The amount of the annual subscriptions has been diminished, by one of the offices having withdrawn their subscription entirely, and two of them having diminished their subscriptions in amount.

The British Commercial Fire Office is the one which has withdrawn its subscription entirely.

The Beacon Fire Office subscribed L.20 for the first year, but diminished it to L.5 for the second year; and the Dundee Fire Office, which subscribed L.5 for the first year, reduced it to L.3 for the second, thus causing a defalcation in the original subscriptions to the amount of L.22 annually.

No V.

Report of the Fire-engine Committee for the Year from October 1826 to October 1827, to the General Board of Commissioners of Police.

Edinburgh, 8th January, 1828. THE annual report in regard to this establishment has been delayed somewhat beyond the usual period, in consequence of the accounts not having been got framed and passed so early as in the preceding year.

With reference to the detailed report of last year, the Committee have much satisfaction in stating to the Board, that they have every reason to be pleased with the attention that has been paid to this important branch of the establishment, and that the same zeal and assiduity has been displayed on the part of Mr Braidwood, the master of engines, which formerly received the approbation of the Board. The benefits then anticipated to arise from the appointment of an assistant to the master have, in the opinion of the Committee, been realized; and as they have every reason to be satisfied with the conduct of James M'Donald, the present individual employed in that situation, they recommend that he should be continued in it.

The attention of the men, and the expertness displayed by them on occasion of being called out, are deserving of approbation; and the best evidence of the value of the establishment, as well as of the increasing skill and energy exhibited by all departments belonging to it, is to be found in this circumstance, that although a great many fires have occurred in the course of the year, none of them have gone to any alarming extent, and by far the greatest part have been very early

subdued.

The annual expenditure has not only not decreased, notwithstanding of the reduction which was made, with the approbation of the Board, in the number of men permanently employed, but has been more considerable during this last year than