Fire-Brigade Matters.
Page 9
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Capt. C. West, Chief Officer of the namsgate brigade, hi his annual report just published, declares strongly in favour of self-propelled plant.
When is Firemaster Inkster, of Aberdeen, going to place his order ? We understand that, nothing has been decided as to the partieular make and type of the motor fireengine which it is intended to buy.
The Fire Brigade Committee of the Woking U.D.C. has endorsed Capt. Sherlock's opinion that a petrol motor fire-engine with turbine pump is required to meet the necessities of adequate protection in the district.
A four-page Dennis circular, recently issued, depicts some of the types of Dennis fire-brigade equipment now in service, and is of a convincing nature, in that it proves the widespread support which has been accorded to Dennis productions by Chief Officers and Firemasters both at home and overseas.
Johannesburg wants two petrol motor fire-engines, and tenders are to be lodged, with the Town Clerk, Municipal Offices, Plein Square, Johannesburg, not later than 12 noon on the 5th May. Specification and forms of tenders may be had from the Council's London agents. Messrs. E. W. Carling and Co., of St. Dunstan's Buildings, St. Dunstan's Hill, E.C.
The Edinburgh Report.
We have before us the text of the report by the deputation, consisting of Firemaster Pordage and Convener Moscrip, of the Edinburgh Town Council, which left Edinburgh on Friday the 24th ult., and was occupied until Saturday the 4th inst. in a tour of inspection, etc. Visits were paid to Guildford, London, Bromley, Birmingham, Sheffield, Salford, Manchester, Stockport, and Liverpool. We have not space to quote from the report, but the outcome is the recommendation that three four-cylinder, 450-gallon engines with reciprocating pumps, one four-cylinder, 350 gallon engine with turbine pump, and one six-cylinder chassis for hose tender, all of Merryweather manufacture, be purchased.
At the time of going to press, this recommendation had yet to go before the Edinburgh Town Council fol. confirmation. The Prince of Wales has promised i:25 towards the acquirement of a motor fire-engine at Launceston.
Horse or Motor ?
A Bolton correspondent writes : "The Superintendent of the Corporation Fire Brigade of Bolton makes no secret of his belief in the
potentialities of the motor fireengine, and a striking illustration or comparison was forthcoming a short time ago when a fii-e broke out at a big school on the outskirts of the brigade's radius. The horsed engine reached the scene of the fire some time after the Euperintendent had gone there on a passing motorcar, and his early arrival enabled him to see that the school appliances were quickly and properly used, whilst the excited lads were marshalled in the grounds adjoining. Latterly, one of the brigade's horses had to be shot through a street accident, and I hear that another of the five animals is not likely to be fit for further active service on account of pneumonia.. Now, what is the moral of these horsey eventuations? Just this— that such animals are not replaced for an old song, and that the money necessary to purchase new 'equine motors' would .go a very long way in the maintenance expenses of steam or petrol motor fire-engines. At any rate, if Bolton brought itself up-to-date in fire-killing apparatus, and even supposing there were some serious mechanical mishap, it would be but rarely if ever that the repair-bill would equal the cost of t■‘ 0 horses." We cordially agree with the views about economy.
Southport's Purchase.
The Dennis fire-engine (turbine pump), supplied to the Southport Corporation, will be tested at the Southport Town Hall to-day (Thursday), at four o'clock, in the presence of numerous members of the Town Council, and it will undergo a five-hour pumping test, at Hesketh Park, to-morrow (Friday). The tests will be made under the supervision of the Chief Constable of Southport, Capt. C. L. Armitage, who has issued invitations for both days.