XR
Engine Driver... Engine Driver.. Engine Driver. Foreman Foreman.... Assistant Foreman Assistant Foreman Assistant Foreman Assistant Foreman
T. Campbell
.G. Hennessy J.Flynn
W. Whitehead
J. Grant Native
Staker
Stcker
Firemen
Firemen
Firemen
Watchmen
Watchinen
Watchmen
$144
R. Moggridge
$96
J. Livesay
$96
.G. Orley ...
806 i
J. Cleaver
$96
$72
$72
$72
$72
$240
.Native
$1.92
.17 at $50 per annum
$350
46 at $18 per annum
.30 at $12 per annum
$828 $360
2 natives at $94 por ann. 8169
7 natives at $72 per unn. $504
2 natives at $60 per ann. 8120
Total annual salaries..
$7,438
Thus leaving about $5,000, one-half of which would he need for repairs to appliances and extra coolie hire, ,, and the other half for new engines, &c., if the rule of 18/8 be still followed.
ANALYSIS OF PRESENT FORCE OF 126 MEMBERS.
$ Inspectors of Markets, &c.
28 European police constables Attendanco
46 Native police constables...
30 Market coolies
4 Interpreters....
1 Clerk......
1 Overseer of Water Werke.
108 Members, with-
1 Superintendent
2 Assistants Superintendent
1 Engineer
1 Assistant engineer
19 Native watclimen & stokers
126
ancer.
tain,
"Non-combatant."
To be relied on.
+ MANCHESTER.-Ares of the City (proper) 114 square miles. Rentala of City £1,387,815. Average number of fires during 14 years, 173 per annum. Fire Establishment-1 Superintendent, 6 permanent Fire- men, and 4 dupers,, who follow other callings. Fire Stations, 10 Haud-Engines, each with 600 yards Hose; also between 5,000 and 6,000 Hydrants, each catable of throwing a jet of water 100 feet high over the highest buildings. Total cost of Fire Establishment £2,000 per aunum. With such means 97 per cent, of the fires were put out by the use of the hydrants alone, the engines being in almost every case used as hose carriages and fitted up to carry an immense quantity of hose. The power of obtaining water is within the control of the Brigade at all times. Three men will attach a stand-pipe, hose, and jet to a plug in the street, 2 remain with the branch and dircet its operations; that jet is equal to the largest Haul-Engiue made, worked by 4 or 5 firemen and 45 men to pump. The irregular firemen, or "Supers.," are generally bricksetters, slators, &c., &c., and the Superintendent said: In
all large cities I should prefer having a special body of men for fire purposes alone, and I do not think the material out of which policemen are generally made is the heat material. I think that artisans, men who have a knowledge of the roofs and other parts of buildings, are a better class of material out of which to make firemion."
LIVERPOOL.-Population 475,000. Rateable pro- perty £1,750,000. Fire Establishment. Director (The Bead Constable of Police), 1 Superintendent, 1 Inspector, and 148 firemen, taken out of the ordinary Polica. It is a sort of reward, and the men got 28. per week extra, viz. -22s. per week in all. There are 17 Stations, in 5 of which 15 Hand Engines are placed. Expense of Fice Brigade #2,871.0.0. There are a so 11.880 Hydrants and Plugs throughout the town, with plates on the walls indicating where they may be found by night or day. The water is brought 24 miles and conveyed through the town in Mains from 21 inches to 7 inches diameter. The pressure rnus from 50 to 75 lbs., and will send a jet 120 feat high. When there is a 50 lbs. pressure it is equal to the most powerful (Hand) Engine with a 9 inch gynder, a 9 inch stroke, and worked by 24 men. Practically the use of Engines in the lower part of the town is dispensed with--the hose is screwed to the hydrant and that is sufficient. It had been in con- templation to add Steam Fire Engines to the Estab- ishment, but the superintendent considered the then existing appliances sufficient.
construction of the high-level tanks proposed in the report in your hands would not occupy more tan four months, and I
Am cor-
tainly of the minion, as okpruzzed in the re- pou, that this water supply should be un- dertaken at present entirely independent of the proposed Tytam Took works, because the want is so pressing. And even if the Tytam Took works are ultimately carried out, these in- dependent water works will be necessary for fire purposes. I believe it is the opinion of some gentlemen that with the large pressure of water that will be on the mains, supposing the Tytam Took works to be finished, the pressure would not be lessened by being tapped to the extent on the plan which is now proposed of supplying every house with a tsp. but I disagree with that. I think we ought to have a supply for fire purposes and nothing else. It might be used, perhaps, for Bushing drains and other sauitary purposes when rains might be reasonably expected, but beyond that I think the water in the proposed
tanke should be used for no other purpose thau This anbject of the
that of ortingdishing fires. Fire Brigade is not a new one to me, as perhaps ! your Excellency is aware, but I bave great con- fidence that now, after the way in which it has been placed before your Excellency, it will re- ceive adequate attention.
HIS EXCELLENCY replied-Gentlemen. I have not received a deputation since I undertook the Government of the colony in whose sentiments I so entirely concurred as I do in those just! now stated, and I can at once assure you that I entirely agree with the general views you have expressed. I believe it will be in my power, with the assistance of my Council, to carry out in the main the various suggestions that bare been made. The two points you have laid stress upon have also attracted my attention for some time past. First, as regards the re- organisation of the Brigade, I think it is important we should have at the head of the Fire Brigade & thoroughly competent and skilled man, and accordingly I have written to the Secretary of State asing him to con- sult Captain Shaw, of the London Fire Brigade, and to send ont somoons who will undertake the important duty of being at the head of our Fire Brigade. You have expressed the opinion that this gentleman abould also be a skilled engineer. and that the two functions, in fact, should be combined in one individual. I think it is quito possible yon may see the advisability of, haring a skilled engineer able to take charge of the engines, as well as a gentlema at the head of the Fire Brigada department, and therefore I have asked the Secretary of State to consider bow far he can appropriate, or allow me to appropriate, £1,000 a year in additional salarios for the head of the departarent and for a subor- dinate officer to be the engineer. It is a small sum I think for such salaries, say £650 for the first and £350 for the second, but whatever the amounts may be will depend upon Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's decision, and also, possibly, to some extent on Captain Shaw's recommendation I also think we must take in hand the further details of the Fire Brigate, especially one point mentioned by Mr. Keswick, that is, the employ. ront of the Police. I don't think the Pulice are the best class of men who can be obtained for that work. Men who are employed in building 1. rogard as more fitted for that purpose than the Police, and I have now before me the report and suggestions of Mr. Creagh made in respect of the items of the present your, in which be deals with that subject, and I find in his re- port a good deal that is worthy of attention. However, these are details on which I should like to reserve my opinion until I have the oppor- tunity of consulting with the person who, I have very
little doubt, will be sout out from England. He will be a skilled gentleman. thoroughly conversant with what is required at fires, and of course the practical judgment of a man of that stamp upon the reorganisation of our brigade will be of very great importance. The second subject to which you call my atten tion is one that porhaps is even of greater im- portance, and that is the water supply. Now, on that subject I don't know that I can put the case more clearly to you as regards the position of the Government than by reading t you a few minutes and some correspondence. The first is from the Colonial Socretary to the Superintendent of the Fire Brigade.
SIR, His Excellency the Governor is under the impression that on the occasion of the Fire on Christ- mas night you expressed an opinion that at previous fires the Fire Brigade had a much larger supply of water placed at its disposal.
His Excellency will be glad if you will make him a special report on this matter of the relative supply of water on that occasion autopipared with other fires, as it is a point of considerable importance. To that, this reply was received :--
SE-In reply to your letter No. 480 of 15th April, 1879, calling for a roport as to the present water au ply compared with that of former yours, I have the honour to state for His Excellency the Governor's in- formation, that soon after the Fire Brigade was first! established in 1869, forty subsidiary fire posts were selected at different points throughout the lower levels of the town-the highest being, I think. iu Bridges-street. At each of these posts a quantity of hose was kept, together with the necessary appli anees for connecting it with the nearest hydrant, and turning on the water in case of fire. These articles were kept in the nearest shop, and one of shop. men periodically instructed in their use. On the i Queen's-road and other streets near the sea level, the hydraulic pressure from the street plngs haing sui- cient to throw water over the highest houses, these
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