LONDON FIRE BRIGADE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IX, Issue 2960, 9 June 1885, Page 3

LONDON FIRE BRIGADE.

A new serial story, by the author of " John Herring," illustrated by Mr Du Miurier, i 3 0.-mrnoticod in the present number of the Cornhill Magnaine, and one of its central characters, Emmanuel Lanrus, a pawnbroker at Plymouth, promises to become a very striking personage. An article on tho Metropolitan Fire Brigade, which owes its organisation and efficiency to Captain Shaw, whose name has acquired additional celebrity by means of " I»lanthe," gives some instructive information with respect to the Brigade and its work. It costs upwards of LIOO,OOO per annnm, and comprises 589 : firemen. It ha? 55 land stations, and last j year 30,503 journeys were made, covering 160,602 miles ; and 187,000 tons of water | were used in the extinction of confiagra- : tions. London is divided for fire purposes into four districts, the superintendent of each being connected by telegraph and telephone with headquarters, and with ail tho stations nnder his control. But efficient as the system is, it is stated that "if two large fire 3 were to occur simultaneously, or if a mob were to set the city slight in half a dozen places at once, the strength of tho Brigade would not suffice to deal with them all, and aomo would have to be lefc to burn themselves out.'