Chapter 13

Delivering 1000 gallons into a tank at a true distance of 67 feet, and 27 deg. from the horizon. Depth from which water was drawn, 4 feet 6 inches. The water in the boiler being cold when the signal was given to commence, each engine commencing to work on attaining steam pressure of 100lb. to the square inch.

+---+-----------------+--------------+----------+---------+--------+ | | | | Time of | Time of | | |No.| MAKER. | Weight. | raising | filling | Total | | | | | Steam to | Tank. | Time. | | | | | 100lbs. | | | +---+-----------------+--------------+----------+---------+--------+ | | | T. c. q. lbs.| ' " | ' " | ' " | | 1 | Easton & Amos, | 2 18 3 12 | 13 14 | 6 16 | 19 30 | | | London | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Merryweather & | 2 18 0 8 | 10 25 | 9 42 | 20 7 | | | Son, London | | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Shand & Mason, | 2 17 1 0 | 10 51 | 12 19 | 23 10 | | | London | | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Butt and Co., | 2 14 0 4 | 16 30 | 6 48 | 23 18 | | | United States | | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Roberts, London | 1 19 1 4 | 11 40 | 20 24 | 32 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Nichols | 2 10 1 4 | Did not work. | | | (Manhattan) | | | | | United States | | | | | | | | | | Gray & Son, | 1 18 1 4 | Did not work. | | | London | | | +---+-----------------+--------------+----------+---------+--------+

MERRYWEATHER AND SON began to work at 100 lbs., fell directly to 40 lbs., and continued so throughout; stopped and steam rose to 130 lbs.

SHAND AND MASON--Suction-pipe choked; left off working about 2 minutes.

SECOND TRIAL.

Delivering 1000 gallons into tank at same distance commencing with full steam.

+-----+--------------------+------------+--------+---------+ | | | Steam at | Steam | Time of | | No. | NAME. | Beginning. | during | filling | | | | | Work. | Tank. | +-----+--------------------+------------+--------+---------+ | | | | | ' " | | 1 | Shand & Mason | 100 | | 3 0 | | | | | | | | 2 | Butt & Co. | 100 | | 3 3 | | | | | | | | 3 | Merryweather & Son | 145 | | 3 7 | | | | | | | | 4 | Roberts | 80 | | 12 30 | +-----+--------------------+------------+--------+---------+ Roberts did not fill the tank.

THIRD TRIAL.

Delivering into large tank at a horizontal distance of 40 feet, a vertical height of 40 feet, a true distance of 56 feet, and at an angle of 45 degrees from the horizon, the depth from which water was drawn being 16 feet 4 inches.

Key: A--No. of Deliveries Open. B--Length of Hose. C--Average Steam Pressure. D--Average Water Pressure. E--No. of Gallons Delivered.

+-----+-----------+---------+---+---+--------+----+----+-------+-------+ | | | | | |Size of | | | |Time of| |No.| Name. | Time. | A | B |Nozzle. | C | D | E |Raising| | | | | | | | | | |Steam. | +---+-------------+---------+---+---+--------+----+----+-------+-------+ | | |hr. m. s.| | | | | | | | | 1 | Merryweather| 1 24 55 | 2 |440| 1-1/2 | 91 | 89 |16,086 |10' 32"| | | & Son | | | | | | | | to | | | | | | | | | | | 80lbs.| | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | Shand | 2 0 0 | 2 |440| 1-1/2 &| 96 | 62 |12,917 |11' 21"| | | & Mason | | | | 1-3/8 | | | | to | | | | | | | | | | |120lbs.| | | | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Roberts | 2 0 0 | 1 |420| 1-1/4 | 75 | 75 | 9,936 |11' 20"| | | | | | | | | | | to | | | | | | | | | | | 80lbs.| | | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Butt & Co. | 0 46 50 | 2 |440| 1-1/2 | 78 | 78 | 8,280 |14' 10"| | | | | | | | | | | to | | | | | | | | | | | 45lbs.| | | | | | | | | | | | | 5 | Easton & | 1 32 35 | 2 |440| 1-3/8 | 98 | 41 | 3,036 |12' 30"| | | & Amos | | | | | | | | to | | | | | | | | | | | 90lbs.| | | | | | | | | | | | | 6 | Nichols | 0 4 55 | 2 |420| 1-1/2 | -- | -- | None. |13' 09"| | | (Manhattan) | | | | | | | | to | | | | | | | | | | | 45lbs.| +---+-------------+---------+---+---+--------+----+----+-------+-------+

MERRYWEATHER AND SON--Fire lighted at 4h. 1m. 55s.; gauge moved at 4h. 8m. 20s.; engine started at 4h. 12m. 27s.; water drawn in about 10 revolutions; pumps not primed, valve box leaked slightly, and engine worked satisfactorily in every respect.

SHAND AND MASON--Fire lighted at 11h. 25m. 46s.; gauge moved at 11h. 32m. 53s.; engine started at 11h. 37m. 7s.; pump primed at 11h. 45m. 48s.; drew water at 11h. 47m.; water first through the nozzle at 11h. 48m. 59s.; in hood at 11h. 49m. 19s.; shifted nozzle (3-1/4m. delay); high wind.

ROBERTS--Fire lighted at 11h. 17m.; engine, started at 11h. 28m. 20s.

BUTT AND CO.--Fire lighted at 5h. 55m. 10s.; started engine at 6h. 9m. 20s.; repeatedly stopped from slide valves not acting, and stopped entirely at 6h. 46m., from cylinder cover breaking.

EASTON AND AMOS--Fire lighted at 2h. 2m. 35s.; gauge moved 2h. 10m.; started engine at 2h. 15m. 5s.; pumps primed, worked till 2h. 54m. 5s.; stopped to shift plungers; went to work again, and stopped entirely at 3h. 35m. 10s., from two fire bars falling out.

NICHOLS (Manhattan)--Fire lighted at 10h. 51m. 14s.; gauge moved at 10h. 59m. 20s.; drew water directly; steam up to 140lbs. at 11h. 8m. 45s.; stopped two minutes; started again; made a few revolutions, and fly-wheel broke.

FOURTH TRIAL

Vertical Jet against Tower.

+-----+--------------------+---------+-----------------+ | No. | Name. | Size | Greatest Height | | | | of Jet. | Thrown. | +-----+--------------------+---------+-----------------+ | 1 | Shand & Mason | 22/16 | 180 ft. | | | | | | | 2 | Merryweather & Son | 26/16 | 180 ft. | | | | | | | 3 | Roberts | 14/16 | 150 ft. | | | | | | | 4 | Lee & Co | 21/16 | 55 ft. | +-----+--------------------+---------+-----------------+

GRAY'S engine lighted fire at 7h. 7m. 40s.; steam 9lbs. at 7h. 17m. 0s.; got to work at 7h. 23m. 40s. to blow fires; at 7h. 27m. 0s. water through hose. Owing to some of the pipe connected with the steam gauge breaking, no further experiments could be made.

SMALL CLASS.

FIRST TRIAL.

Delivering 1000 gallons into a tank at a true distance of 50ft. and 37 deg. from the horizon. Depth from which water was drawn, 4ft. 6in. The water in the boilers being cold when the signal was given to commence, each engine commencing to work on attaining steam pressure of 100lbs. to the square inch.

+---+---------------+---------------+-----------+---------+--------+ | | | | Time of | Time of | | |No.| Name. | Weight. | raising | filling | Total | | | | | Steam | Tank. | Time. | | | | | to 100lbs.| | | +---+---------------+---------------+-----------+---------+--------+ | | | T. c. q. lbs.| ' " | ' " | ' " | | 1 | Shand & Mason | 1 9 2 0 | 11 36 | 5 24 | 17 0 | | | | | | | | | 2 | Lee & Co | 1 10 0 0 | 11 55 | 6 3 | 17 58 | | | | | | | | | 3 | Merryweather | 1 10 1 12 | 12 15 | 9 14 | 21 29 | | | & Son | | | | | +---+---------------+---------------+-----------+---------+--------+

Owing to a broken bolt, there was great leakage in water cylinder of Lee and Co's. engine.

SECOND TRIAL.

Delivering 1000 gallons into tank at same distance, commencing with full steam.

+-----+--------------------+------------+--------+---------+ | | | Steam | Steam | Time | | No. | Name. | at | during | filling | | | | Beginning. | Work. | Tank. | +-----+--------------------+------------+--------+---------+ | | | | | ' " | | 1 | Shand & Mason | 85 | -- | 5 49 | | | | | | | | 2 | Lee & Co. | 125 | -- | 5 50 | | | | | | | | 3 | Merryweather & Son | 100 | -- | 6 17 | +---------------------------------------+--------+---------+ The leakage in Lee and Co's. engine was remedied.

THIRD TRIAL.

Delivering into large tank, commencing with Full Steam. At a horizontal distance of 40ft., a vertical height of 40ft., a true distance of 56ft., and at an angle of 45 deg. from the horizon; the depth from which water was drawn being 16ft. 4in.

Key A--Number of Deliveries open. B--Average Steam Pressure. C--Average Water Pressure. D--No. of Gallons Delivered. +--------------+---+---------+---+--------+---------+-----+----+------+ | | | | | Length | Size of | | | | | Name. |No.| Time. | A | of | Nozzle. | B | C | D | | | | | | Hose. | | | | | +--------------+---+---------+---+--------+---------+-----+----+------+ | | | h. m. s.| | | in. | | | | | Shand & | 1 | 1 0 0 | 1 | 420 | 1 & | 146 | 80 | 8142 | | Mason | | | | | 1-1/4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Merryweather | 2 | 1 0 0 | 1 | 420 | 7/8 | 86 | 45 | 4885 | | & Son | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Lee & Co. | 3 | 1 0 0 | 1 | 420 | 3/4 | 80 | 60 | 4278 | | | | | | | | | | | +--------------+---+---------+---+--------+---------+-----+----+------+

SHAND AND MASON--Steam ready at 150 lbs.; started at 7h. 3m. 32s.; stopped at 7h. 12m. 5s. to put on an additional length of hose; worked well throughout.

MERRYWEATHER AND SON--Steam ready at 110 lbs.; commenced work at 3h. 43m. 30s.; pumps primed.

LEE AND CO.--Steam ready, started at 2h. 1m. 0s.; worked well, without any stoppage.

AWARDS.

At a meeting of the Committee held on the 8th July, 1863, his Grace the Duke of Sutherland in the Chair, the following prizes were awarded:--

LARGE CLASS.

Messrs. Merryweather & Sons, 1st Prize, 250_l._ Messrs. Shand & Mason 2nd Prize, 100_l._ Mr. W. Roberts, highly commended.

SMALL CLASS.

Messrs. Shand & Mason 1st Prize, 250_l._ Messrs. W. Lee & Co. 2nd Prize, 100_l._

(Signed) On behalf of the Committee,

SUTHERLAND, CHAIRMAN. E. M. SHAW, HON. SEC.

From the above trials it was found that the first prize large-class engine weighed 6504 lbs., and delivered in one hour 11,366 gallons, being at the rate of 196 gallons for each hundred-weight of the engine; while the first prize small-class engine delivered in the same time 8142 gallons, or 276 for each hundred-weight of the engine, showing that the latter engine delivered nearly one-half more water in proportion to its weight, than was delivered by the large one, the conditions of the two trials being the same.

As the greatest amount of power in the smallest possible bulk and weight, was considered most available for use at London fires, the Committee of the London Fire Brigade, although not in a position, for the reasons already stated, to purchase additional steam fire-engines, commenced hiring Shand, Mason, and Co.'s prize engines, and at the close of 1865 had four such in use in this manner.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade, an extension of the late London Fire Brigade, has now (May, 1866) the following steam fire-engines in use:--The Floating Steam Fire-engine, by Shand and Mason, in 1855; a Land Steam Fire-engine by Easton and Amos, which was worked at the Crystal Palace trials, and is now used in a barge as a floating engine; one by Roberts, which was also worked at the Crystal Palace; three by Merryweather and Sons; and fifteen of Shand, Mason, and Co.'s Land Steam Fire-engines.

METROPOLITAN FIRE BRIGADE.

The disastrous results of the great fire at Tooley-street, in 1861, at which Mr. Braidwood lost his life, fully demonstrated the inadequacy (in men and appliances) of the fire brigade supported by the insurance offices, and as these bodies declined extending their establishment so as to meet the wants of the whole of the metropolis, a Parliamentary inquiry was instituted, which resulted in the passing of the following Act:--

ANNO VICESIMO OCTAVO & VICESIMO NONO

VICTORIAE REGINAE.

CAP. XC.

An Act for the Establishment of a Fire Brigade within the Metropolis. [5th July, 1865.]

WHEREAS it is expedient to make further provision for the protection of life and property from fire within the metropolis: Be it enacted by the Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

_Preliminary._

1. This Act may be cited for all purposes as the "Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act, 1865."

2. For the purposes of this Act the "Metropolis" shall mean the City of _London_ and all other parishes and places for the time being within the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Board of Works:

"Insurance Company" shall include any persons corporate or unincorporate, or any person carrying on the business of fire insurance.

3. The expression "Metropolis Local Management Acts" shall mean the Acts following; that is to say, "The Metropolis Management Act, 1855," "The Metropolis Management Amendment Act, 1856," and "The Metropolis Management Amendment Act, 1862."

_Establishment and Duties of Fire Brigade._

4. On and after the first day of _January_ one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six the duty of extinguishing fires and protecting life and property in case of fire shall within the metropolis be deemed for the purposes of this Act to be entrusted to the Metropolitan Board of Works; and with a view to the performance of that duty it shall be lawful for them to provide and maintain an efficient force of firemen, and to furnish them with all such fire engines, horses, accoutrements, tools, and implements as may be necessary for the complete equipment of the force, or conducive to the efficient performance of their duties.

5. The said Board, hereinafter referred to as the Board, may take on lease, purchase, or otherwise acquire stations for engines, stables, houses for firemen, and such other houses, buildings, or land as they may think requisite for carrying into effect the purposes of this Act, and may from time to time sell any property acquired by or vested in them for the purposes of this Act:

The Board may also contract with any company or persons authorized to establish the same for the establishment of telegraphic communication between the several stations in which their fire engines or firemen are placed, and between any of such stations and other parts of the metropolis.

6. On and after the said first day of January one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, all stations, fire-engines, fire escapes, plant, and other property belonging to or used by the fire engine establishment of the insurance companies in the metropolis shall vest in or be conveyed or assigned to the Board for all the estate and interest of the said companies therein, upon trust to be applied by the Board to the purposes of this Act, but subject to all legal liabilities and obligations attaching thereto, including the payment of all pensions that have been granted to the members of the said Fire Engine Establishment, according to a list that has been furnished to the chairman of the said Board by the chief officer of the said fire-engine establishment, and all trustees for the same shall be indemnified against such liabilities and obligations. The Board may also, if they think fit, purchase the stations, fire-engines, and plant belonging to any parish, place, or body of persons within their jurisdiction.

7. The force of firemen established under this Act, hereinafter called the Metropolitan Fire Brigade, shall be under the command of an officer, to be called the chief officer of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.

The chief officer and men composing the said fire brigade shall be appointed and removed at the pleasure of the Board.

8. The Board shall pay such salaries as they think expedient to the said fire brigade. They may also make such regulations as they think fit with respect to the compensation to be made to them in case of accident, or to their wives or families in case of their death; also with respect to the pensions or allowances to be paid to them in case of retirement; also with respect to the gratuities to be paid to persons giving notices of fires; also with respect to gratuities by way of a gross sum or annual payment to be from time to time awarded to any member of the said force, or to any other person, for extraordinary services performed in cases of fire; also with respect to gratuities to turncocks belonging to waterworks from which a supply of water is quickly derived.

9. The Board may by byelaws make regulations for the training, discipline, and good conduct of the men belonging to the said fire brigade, for their speedy attendance with engines, fire escapes, and all necessary implements on the occasion of any alarm of fire, and generally for the maintenance in a due state of efficiency of the said brigade, and may annex to any breach of such regulations penalties not exceeding in amount forty shillings, but no byelaw under this section shall be of any validity unless it is made and confirmed in manner directed by the Metropolis Local Management Acts; and all the provisions of the said Acts relating to byelaws shall, with the necessary variations, apply to any byelaws made in pursuance of this Act.

10. The vestry of any parish or place in the metropolis may allow such compensation as they think just to any engine keeper or other person employed in the service of fire engines who has hitherto been paid out of any rate raiseable in such parish or place, and who is deprived of his employment by or in consequence of the passing of this Act, and any compensation so allowed shall be paid out of the rate out of which the salary of the officer so compensated was payable.

11. The Board may make such arrangements as they think fit as to establishing fire escapes throughout the metropolis. They may for that purpose contribute to the funds of the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from Fire, or of any existing society that provides fire escapes, or may purchase or take by agreement the property of any existing society in their stations and fire escapes, and generally may maintain such fire escapes and do such things as they think expedient towards aiding persons to escape from fire; and any expenses incurred by them in pursuance of this section shall be deemed to be expenses incurred in carrying into effect this Act.

12. On the occasion of a fire, the chief or other officer in charge of the fire brigade may, in his discretion, take the command of any volunteer fire brigade or other persons who voluntarily place their services at his disposal, and may remove, or order any fireman to remove, any persons who interfere by their presence with the operations of the fire brigade, and generally he may take any measures that appear expedient for the protection of life and property, with power by himself or his men to break into or through, or take possession of, or pull down any premises for the purpose of putting an end to a fire, doing as little damage as possible; he may also on any such occasion cause the water to be shut off from the mains and pipes of any district, in order to give a greater supply and pressure of water in the district in which the fire has occurred; and no water company shall be liable to any penalty or claim by reason of any interruption of the supply of water occasioned only by compliance with the provisions of this section.

All police constables shall be authorized to aid the fire brigade in the execution of their duties. They may close any street in or near which a fire is burning, and they may of their own motion, or on the request of the chief or other officer of the fire brigade, remove any persons who interfere by their presence with the operations of the fire brigade.

Any damage occasioned by the fire brigade in the due execution of their duties shall be deemed to be damage by fire within the meaning of any policy of insurance against fire.

_Expenses._