Fire-Brigade Matters.
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The Edinburgh City Council has decided to delay the purchase of new petrol motor fire-engines until the beginning of 1912, and then to proceed de novo by inviting new tenders.
The Bristol Private Fire Brigades Association, which has been in existence for close upon two years, held a meeting on the 23rd ult., at the Grand Hotel, Bristol, when the Lord Mayor presided. Captain T. G. Dyson, of London, gave an address in which he traced the progress of fire-prevention methods from the use of squirts to the use of motor fire-engines.
The L.C.C. Brigade.
The Fire Brigade Committee of the London County Council reports that it is desirable that arrangements should be made with a view to certain of the motor (escape) vansin respect. of which provision has been made in the estimates for the current financial yearbeing ordered as soon as possible. The Council, on the 19th July, 1910, decided to accept the tender of " Cedes " Electric, Traction, Ltd., for the supply of three electricallydriven motor (escape) vans. These appliances have now been delivered, and one or another of them has been in use during the last five months. They have so far proved satisfactory in every respect, in districts where the gradients are moderate ; they are extremely handy for a rapid turn-out, and for ease , of manipulation they are superior to any other form of traction. The committee proposes that six additional appliances of the same type shall be obtained. In 1910, when tenders for electrically-driven motor (escape) vans were invited by public advertisement, only two parties besides " Cedes " Electric Traction, Ltd., offered to supply wheel motors without gearing. One of these firms has not hitherto constructed any wheel motors, and the other firm are agents for a company whose works are at Nuremburg. For the three appliances ordered in 1910, the chassis fitted with wheel motors were constructed by the Austrian Daimler Co., of Vienna, but " Cedes " Electri,e Traction., Ltd., has intimated that any further work entrusted to it. by the Council will be executed in England, as arrangements have been made for the chassis and wheel motors to be constructed by Johnson and Phillips, Ltd., of London, under. the supervision of a representative of the Austrian Daimler Co., and the batteries will be supplied by the Tudor Accumulator Co.. of 3lanche8ter. The committee had ac.eordingly been in cornmu n ication with " Cedes " Electric Traction, Ltd., as to the terms on which it would be prepared to supply six further escape vans similar in all respects to those already delivered, and the company offered to supply six vans for 25,471 18s. 7d., including 2120 for extras. In the circumstances, the committee thcught that it would be to the advantage of the Council to accept the company's offer, and it has accordingly done so (subject to the usual sanction). The same committee has provisionally accepted an offer by Merryweather and Sons, Ltd., to purchase from the Council three steam motor engines for 2710 and a horsed engine for 2180, subject to the Council's purchasing from Merryweathcr and Sons a new pet-. rol motor fire-engine for £985. The committee adds that the motor of the new engine is to be of a standard type by a first-class maker.
St. Helens (Lancs.), The new Morris fire-engine, for the St. Helens (Lancs.) Corporation, has been delivered. The capacity of the turbine pump is 450 gallons a minute, and this was tested, in the presence of several members of the St. Helens Watch Committee, at Sutton, on the 25th ult., and again, in Victoria Square, St. Helens, on the following day. The engine has frequently been out on the road " exercising," with a 55 ft. escape in position. .