When we recollect that London presents an area of 36 square miles,
covered with 21,600 square acres of bricks and mortar, and numbers
more than 380,000 houses; that all the riches it contains are nightly
threatened in every direction by an ever-present enemy; that the
secret match, the spontaneous fire, and the hand of the drunkard, are
busily at work, it is evident that nothing but a force the most
disciplined, and implements the most effective, can be competent to
cope with so sudden and persevering a foe.

As late as twenty-two years ago there was no proper fire police to
protect the Metropolis against what is commonly called the
"all-devouring element." There was, it is true, a force of 300
parochial engines set on foot by Acts which were passed between the
years 1768-74--Acts which are still in existence--but these engines
are under the superintendence of the beadles and parish engineers, who
are not the most active of men or nimble of risers. It may easily be
imagined, therefore, that the machines arrived a little too late; and,
when brought into service, were often found to be out of working
order. Hence their employment did not supersede the private engines
kept by some of the insurance offices long prior to their existence.
On the contrary, owing to the increase of business which took place
about this time, the different companies thought it worth their while
to strengthen their former establishments, and this process continued
while the parochial engines, with a few honorable exceptions, were
dropping into disuse.

About the year 1833 it became evident that much was lost, both to the
public and to the insurance companies, by every engine acting on its
own responsibility--a folly which is the cause of such jealousy among
the firemen at Boston (United States), that rival engines have been