Description of a Machine for saving Persons and Effects from Fire. HIS machine, in its most simple state, consists of pole, a rope, and a basket.

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any

The pole is of fir, or a common scaffold pole, of convenient length from thirty-six to forty-six feet; the diameter at bottom, or greatest end, about five inches; and at the top, or smallest end, about three inches. At three feet from the top is a mortice through the pole, and a pulley fixed to it of nearly the same diameter as the pole in that part.

The rope is about three quarters of an inch diameter, and twiec the length of the pole, with a spring hook at one end, to pass through the ring in the handle of the basket when used; it is put through the mortice over the pulley, and then drawn tight on each side to near the bottom of the pole, and made fast there till wanted.

The basket should be of strong wicker-work, three feet and a half long, two feet and a half wide, rounded off at the corners, and four feet deep, rounding every way at

the bottom. To the top of the basket is fixed a strong iron curve or handle, with an eye or ring in the middle; and to one side of the basket, near the top, is fixed a small cord, or guide-rope, of about the length of the pole.

When the pole is raised, and set against a house over the window from which any persons are to escape, the manner of using it is so plain and obvious, that it needs not to be described.

The most convenient distance from the house, for the foot of the pole to stand, where practicable, is about twelve or fourteen feet.

If two strong iron straps, about three feet long, rivetted to a bar cross, and spreading about fourteen inches at the foot, were fixed at the bottom of the pole, this would prevent its turning round or slipping on the pavement.

And if a strong iron hoop, or ferule, rivetted (or welded) to a semi-circular piece of iron spreading about twelve inches, and pointcd at the ends, were fixed on at the top of the pole, it would prevent its sliding against the wall.

When these two last mentioned irons are fixed on, they give the pole all the steadiness of a ladder.

And because it is not easy, except to persons who have been used to it, to raise and set upright a pole of forty feet or more in length, it will be convenient to have too small poles, or spars of about two inches diameter, fixed to the sides of the great pole at about two or -three feet above the middle of it, by iron eyes rivetted to two plates, so as to turn every way; the lower end of these spars to reach within a foot of the bottom of the great pole, and to have ferules and

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short spikes to prevent sliding on the pavement, when used occasionally to support the great pole, like a tripod.

There should be two strong ash trundles let through the pole, one at four feet, and one at five feet from the bottom, to stand out about eight inches on each side, and to serve as handles, or to twist the rope round in lowering a very heavy weight.

If a block and pulley were fixed at about the middle of the rope, above the other pulley, and the other part of the rope made to run double, it would diminish any weight in the basket nearly one half, and be very useful in drawing any person up, to the assistance of those in the chambers, or for removing any effects out of a chamber, which it might be dangerous to attempt by

the stairs.

It has been proved, by repeated trials, that such a pole as we have been speaking of can be raised from the ground, and two or three persons taken out of the upper windows of an house and set down safely in the street, in the space of 35 seconds, or a little more than half a minute.

Sick and infirm person, women, children, and many others, who cannot make use of a ladder, may be safely and easily brought down from any of the windows of an house on fire by this machine, and by putting a short pole through the handles of the basket, may be removed to any distance without being taken out of the basket. The pole must always have the rope ready fixed to it, and may be conveniently laid up upon two or three iron hooks under any shed or gate-way, and the basket should be kept at the watch-house. When the pole is laid up, the twe

spars should always be turned towards the head of it.

The basket should be made of peeled rods, and the pole and spars painted of a light stone colour, to render it more visible when used in the night.

Watchmen and others should be exercised in the use of it; and it might perhaps be adviseable for parishes to allow five or six shillings to the first pole brought to any fire.

The machine may also be useful to workmen in various branches, who have any thing to do aloft on the outside of houses, and will not be more expensive than a common standard ladder.

Remarks on Fire-ladders.

Since the above contrivance has been offered to the public, I have observed that an intended improvement has been made to several of the fire-ladders, (which the different parishes in this metropolis are, by act of parliament, obliged to keep) by adding spars to the ladders as described to the fire pole; but through the ignorance or inattention of the people employed to fix them, these spars are of no manner of use; on the contrary, they must rather obstruct those employed in raising them on any emergency; for such ladders as I have seen with these additional spars, have them fixed within a few feet of the top of the ladder, with the ends so long, as to reach almost to the foot of it; but to render these serviceable, they must be fixed about three or four feet only above the middle of the ladder, according to the length of it, with the opposite ends lying along the small part or top of the ladder, in the manner described in the account of the fire-pole; by

FIRE.

destruction

WHEREAS great often happens by fire for want of a speedy supply of water and engines; and as it has been found that, for the sake of rewards given by act of parliament, a combination has lately been entered into amongst the keepers of parish engines to prevent immediate notice being given to the owners and keepers of private engines, who have horses and every means of quick conveyance in that dreadful calamity of fire; in consequence of which delay, fires very often arise to a great head: therefore for the preventing of such delay in future, the following gentlemen, brewers, viz. Mr. Cox, Baynbrigg-street, St. Giles's; Mess. Hammond, Gifford, and Co. Castle-street, Long Acre; Mr. Mason, Broad street, St. Giles's; and Mr. Hucks, Bloomsbury, do give this

public notice, that they will not permit or suffer any of their servants to claim or take any of the rewards given by the said act for bringing their engines to fires; which they hope will not only be the means of preventing the said combination in future, but also stir up every person to give immediate notice to the gentlemen above-named on the first

breaking out of any fire within a reasonable distance from their respective brewhouses, who will not only order their engines out, with proper assistance, but also send with them a quantity of water on their drays, in casks, to work them until a sufficient supply of it comes into the different plugs belonging to the several water companies; which may be a means of preventing that dreadful havock which is often occa sioned by the want thereof.

its efficacy as yet, but hereafter to make trial of, as experience teaches knowledge.

The recipe is cheap, and its application easy. If that theory be true, that such infectious diseases originally proceed from animalcula preying upon the blood and juices, it is highly probable this safe mineral water, may not only cure the cattle after infection, but if previously applied to, may even prevent the catching the disease also.

Was it for no more than its many 'well known virtues in venereal cases; in curing scald heads; opening obstructions; washing ulcers; killing worms; and all other vermin, whether internally or externally subsisting, by drinking it freely in the first case, and washing the skin often therewith, in the last; it is well worth recommending as a general, neat, safe, cheap, and easy preparation of simple mercury, an excellent medicine of many virtues, fit for all ages, climates, and seasons, much to be wished for, and greatly wanted, and is no more at last than simple rain water impregnated with the most minute smooth particles of pure mercury, or quicksilver; as safe to use, both internally and externally, as mother's milk, and yet as insipid as water itself was before put thereto.

Boil two gallons of soft water on one pound of purified quick-silver till half the water is wasted, or a lesser, or greater quantity at time, and that proportionably, as needed; after which pour both into a bottle, to be ready for use; shake them well first every time when about to use it; give to either man, or beast, as much and often, as they can well drink, to kill worms in the stomach, intestines, bowels, and

blood, either by itself, or dashed with milk, or white wine, both for change and stomach's sake; and for cutaneous feculencies, to wash the skin of both with the same mercurial decoction, warmed every day, as freely as with plain water, which wipe not off, but let dry in.

It was of service once in preserving the farmers calves, when there was some time ago a mortality among them, occasioned (as was discovered by opening them for examination) from wornis found in their bowels; from a recipe of this kind, published by me in the Gentleman's Magazine.

This simple and safe preparation, makes a very neat cure for the itch, scab, scurf, and all other foulness of the skin, and is likewise a safe, clean, and excellent cosmetic lotion for ladies' faces. For such uses make it thus.

Boil two quarts of water on four ounces of quick-silver till half the water is wasted; put both in a bottle fo use. The same quicksilver will serve to boil again the same way as often as fresh mercurial water is needed.

But not to take my single word for it. To be better credited in what I write, I will quote two good authorities therefore, one no less than the late excellent philosopher, the honourable Robert Boyle, Esq; from page 392 of his Sceptical Chemist, as it should be spelt, (and not chymist, as it most commonly is) who, near the end of his treatise, writes thus thereon:

"Quick-silver itself also, though the corpuscles it consists of be so very small as to get into the pores of that closest, and compactest of bodies, gold, is yet (you know) altogether tasteless; and our Her

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