THE

LONDON QUARTERLY REVIEW.

VOLUME XCVI.

JANUARY-APRIL, 1855.

AMERICAN EDITION.

NEW YORK:

PUBLISHED BY LEONARD SCOTT & CO.,
79 FULTON STREET, CORNER OF GOLD STREET.

.1855.

H

THE

LONDON QUARTERLY REVIEW,

No. CXCI.

FOR JANUARY, 1855.

ART. L-1. Annual Reports of Mr. Braid-
wood to the Committee of the Fire Brigade.
2. Healthy Homes. A Guide to the proper
Regulation of Buildings in Towns as a
Means of Promoting and Securing the
Health, Comfort, and Safety of the In-
habitants. By William Hosking, Archt.

& C.E. London. 1849.

3. On Fire-proof Buildings. By James
Braidwood, Associate of the Institute of
Civil Engineers; with an Abstract of the
Discussion upon the Paper. London.

1850.

4. Preservation of Life from Fire.
eenth Annual Report of the Society.

1854.

5. On the Means of Rendering large Sup-
plies of Water available in Cases of Fire,
and on the Application of Manual Power
to the Working of Fire-Engines. By
James Braidwood. Abstract of Paper and
Discussion upon it. Second Edition.
6. Mr. Baddeley's Reports on London Fires.
In the Mechanic's Magazine.

7. Paper in the Statistical Journal (vol. i.,
1851) on the Fires of London. By R. W.
Rawson, Esq.

leaf, than the Fireman dash for the first ruddy glow in the sky. No sooner comes the alarm than one sees with a shudder the rush of one of these engines through the crowded streets

the tearing horses covered with foam-the heavy vehicle swerving from side to side, and the black-helmeted attendants swaying to and fro. The wonder is that horses or men ever get safely to their destination: the wonder is still greater that no one is ridden over in their furious drive.

Arrived at the place of action, the hunter's spirit which animates the fireman and makes Eight- him attack an element as determinedly as he would a wild beast, becomes evident to the spectator. The scene which a London fire presents can never be forgotten: the shouts of the crowd as it opens to let the engines dart through it, the foaming head of water springing out of the ground, and spreading over the road until it becomes a broad mirror reflecting the glowing blaze-the black, snakelike coils of the leather hose rising and falling like things of life, whilst a hundred arms work at the pump, their central heart,-the applause that rings out clear above the roaring flame as the adventurous band throw the first hissing jet-cheer following cheer, as AMONG the more salient features of the Me- stream after stream shoots against the burning tropolis which instantly strike the attention of mass, now flying into the socket-holes of fire the stranger are the stations of the Fire Bri- set in the black face of the house-front, now gade. Whenever he happens to pass them, he dashing with a loud shir-r against the windowfinds the sentinel on duty, he sees the 'red frame and wall, and falling off in broken artillery' of the force; and the polished axle, showers. Suddenly there is a loud shrill cry, the gleaming branch, and the shining chain, and the bank of human faces is upturned to testify to the beautiful condition of the instru- where a shrieking wretch hangs frantically to ment, ready for active service at a moment's an upper window-sill. A deafening shout notice. Ensconced in the shadow of the goes forth, as the huge fire-escape comes full station, the liveried watchmen look like hunt- swing upon the scene: a moment's pause, ers waiting for their prey-nor does the hunter and all is still, save the beat, beat, of the move quicker to his quarry at the rustle of a great water pulses, whilst every eye is strained