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ject. The replies to this circular formed the basis of a
report which was distributed throughout the parish, and also
brought under the notice of the Government, the Metropolitan
Board of Works, and the various Local Authorities in the
Metropolis. The report having been so widely circulated, it
is unnecessary to reproduce it here, but the following extract
being of almost universal application, will bear repetition:—
In the absence of an ideally perfect construction, much can be
done in the way of preventing an outbreak of fire by a continuous
and careful supervision. Thus, flues should be kept
clean, and any defect promptly remedied; gas fittings,
especially such as are jointed, should be maintained in perfect
order; in business houses, especially, gas brackets should
invariably be fixtures, and unjointed; in many cases gas pipes of
soft composition, so commonly used, might with advantage be
replaced with hard metal, for a neglected small escape of gas
would then be less likely to increase rapidly; gas lights in
workrooms, &c., should be protected by iron wire guards, and
these guards periodically cleaned, otherwise inflammable
particles lodging on the wire may catch light. Some of the
replies suggest that the gas should be shut off at the meter
each night, but if this is done, care must be taken to see that
the taps at the various jets are first turned out, or an
escape of gas may result when the gas is turned on at the meter
next day. The storage of oils, wood, and other inflammable
articles should also receive careful attention. The careless
use of lucifer matches is a fruitful cause of fire. The
upsetting of lamps also causes many fires; this might be
reduced by the general adoption of one or other of the different
kinds of lamps which are automatically extinguished
by the very act of upsetting; or by fitting a metal tube
carrying the wick to the bottom of the oil receptacle, and thus
preventing the accumulation of heated vapour in the oil
chamber.
A communication was received from the Metropolitan
Board of Works with reference to several suggestions contained
in the Report, some of which could not be adopted