adopted for fire-cocks. Each first and third-rate engine should be furnished with a connecting screw, for uniting their hose with that of the secondrate engines, or with the fire-cocks.

I am well aware that this plan cannot be immediately adopted without great expense; but the system is one which may now be partially adopted, and very soon become general. The numberless advantages, and the facility with which every contingency might be met, under this arrangement, must appear so evident, that I need not intrude upon your columns by their enumeration.

Another circumstance to which I would call the attention of your readers, and which has till lately been very much neglected, is the placing of plugs and fire-cocks in our streets. The former are now, I am happy to see, daily giving place to the more convenient latter; but even these appear too often to be erected without any consideration as to the propriety of their situation. Many fire-cocks and plugs have been erected in the most injudicious manner; in many instances, within a few feet, and sometimes even within a few inches of the waste-drain.*

There are so many local circumstances to be considered in determining the most advantageous situation for fire-cocks, &c., that to give any precise rule for that purpose would be impossible; the following general directions may however be followed with advantage.

In selecting a position for a firecock, &c., it should be kept in mind that the supply of water from it is available, in case of fire, throughout the whole of its course from the cock to the waste-drain; the greater, therefore, this distance, the greater will be the extent of such fire-cock's usefulness. It should be an invariable rule, for several reasons, to make the

There is a fire-cock before No. 10, Newgate-street, and also one before the Equitable Life Assurance Office, Bridgestreet, Blackfriars; the water from both of which, passes direct from the nozle of the cock into the waste-drain immediately before them. I could adduce numberless similar examples, but let this suffice.

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fire-cocks most numerous on the highest levels; and also to place them on the lower side of (and then as near as you please to) the sewer-drains.*

By carefully attending to this and similar circumstances, each supply of water may be rendered serviceable over a great extent of ground, and at a very considerable distance, perhaps, from the place at which the fire-cock is situated; this distance may in some cases be very considerably increased by covering over the sewer-drains with tarpaulings, with several of which, every parochial engine station should be furnished for this purpose.

To set an engine to work by suc-. tion from the water-course in London streets, it becomes necessary to bay up the water into a dam or pond, which can at present only be made of a sufficient depth by digging up the paving stones. This has ever been a tiresome and tedious job, but the improvements now taking place in our paving system will render it still more, difficult, if not altogether impossible.†

It becomes necessary therefore to devise, if possible, some means of

Even the sewer-drains themselves appear in many cases to have been laid down without any regard to the propriety of their situation.

The whole of the Poultry, and' part of Cheapside, have been lately repaved. The method there employed, was, to remove all the old stones and a considerable portion of the soil beneath them. A firm bed was then made with broken granite, in pieces similar to those used in Macadamizing, levelled with coarse gravel. Upon this, new stones nicely cut, (technically called sovereigns) about 14 inches long, by 4, wide, and 9 inches deep, were carefully. laid down, the gravel filling-in hitherto used, being omitted. When a considerable portion had been so far finished, a quantity of thin mortar cement was plentifully distributed over the stones, and urged into the crevices between them by repeated sweeping. The paving was then well rammed, and fine gravel strewed over it, completed the process. Although this, like all other good work, is in the first instance ex-. pensive, yet a most beautiful road has been obtained, and. I am inclined to. think that from its increased durability, it will eventually prove cheaper than the clumsy method hitherto employed.

obviating the necessity of breaking up the paving. I have already had the honour of submitting to the consi"deration of your readers several plans

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for the attainment of this most important object. See vol. viii. pages 72, 190, and 412. Several of the fireoffice engines are furnished with a straight board about four feet long, having a piece of canvas nailed to its lowermost edge; with this they bay up the water, but from its escaping at the sides, not to a sufficient depth to supply the engine, until some of the. stones have been taken up. Upon this contrivance, I consider the following an improvement, because with it

the water is stopped in its course, and being kept in by the sides, may be collected in a much greater body than by the former method. In lieu of one long board, I use three shorter ones, from about two to two and a half feet long, and about seven or eight inches deep, hinged together by canvas nailed over the joint. The lowermost edge of each board is furnished with a slip of canvas throughout its length, from about nine to twelve inches deep. Its construction if not already understood, will be rendered intelligible by the annexed sketch, Fig. 1.

...

on its suction-pipe, to be set to work without displacing a single stone.

This, however, will in some measure depend upon the inclination of the road; for should the street be nearly on a dead level, even with this improved apparatus, a sufficient depth of water will not always be obtained; the removal of one stone will, however, in this case give the required depth. To this, the proverb of our Parisian friends, that the first step is the greatest difficulty," applies with full force, for one stone having been displaced, the whole street may be speedily unpaved. It is, therefore, much to be wished that some arrangements were adopted, by which the

"

breaking up of the paving might in all cases be rendered unnecessary.

Among the many great improvements which were made in fireengines during the seventeenth century, the addition of flexible hose was perhaps the greatest; as it admits of a stream of water being carried through long passages or over the tops of houses, and applied to those parts of a building where a fire is raging, and which, but for this invention, would have been wholly inaccessible to the utmost exertions of the firemen.

Having on several occasions witnessed the great advantages obtained by elevating the hose, I have wondered that some better means of supporting it has not been contrived. The hose is frequently carried direct to the top of a high house, in which case the whole weight of the hose and column of water contained therein, tends to nip or pinch the hose together at the part which rests upon the parapet or window-sill, &c., from which it hangs. This nipping most materially increases the friction of the water-way, and consequently the labour of the men at the engine; to say nothing of the liability of the strain to burst the hose, or otherwise derange the mechanism of the engine. In addition to this, several hands are required aloft, to support the hose and prevent its falling to the ground, and also to keep as much of the weight as possible from the man who holds the branch. The hose is sometimes carried up a ladder, and sometimes supported by being tied with ropes; but in none of these cases is the nipping of the hose guarded against.

For the removal of this evil, several methods have suggested themselves, but I consider the following the most simple, cheap, and effectual. Upon a strong leather strap about two or three feet long, secure at one end an iron hook, c, (fig. 3.) at the other a square metal ring or eye, d, large enough to admit the hook to be passed Go through it.

Fig 3.

When it becomes necessary to elevate the hose, screw a sufficient quan

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tity of it together, taking care that the last piece is a short or half length;* put the leather strap round the connecting screws, between the lugs or ears, and pass the hook through the eye, drawing the strap tight up to the screws. The hook may then be attached to the most convenient object that presents itself, such as copingstones, window-sills or frames, ladders, &c. The ladder is, when at hand, the most eligible of all. In fig. 4, a piece of hose is shewn supported in the manner just described. Fig. 4. odviqqua

A common strap, several of which accompany every engine, having been buckled round the connecting screws, between the lugs as before directed, the end of the strap is to be passed through the buckle on the hook-strap, fig. 5, when the hose may be immediately supported as before. I am, Sir,

Your's respectfully, WILLIAM BADdeley, Jun.

August 15, 1829.

PEWTER COLLARS FOR LATHES.

Sir, Having repeatedly heard those metals complained of, which are commonly used for the collars of turning lathes, I beg to recommend pewter as being a composition to be depended on for that purpose. This, I can do from experience, having in my possession, a lathe with a pewter collar, which has been in constant use for all sorts of work twelve years.

The mandril being properly adjusted, the collar was cast around it, and afterward separated with a tenon saw; this completed the very simple process of fitting, and it has not required the least alteration since.

I am, Sir,

Your's, &c. GEORGE CLAMPIT.

THE NUMBER SEVEN.

Seven is composed of the two first perfect numbers, equal and unequal

three and four; for the number two consisting of repeated unity, which is no number, is not perfect.

Hippocrates says that the septenary number, by its occult virtues, tends to the accomplishment of all things, is the dispenser of life, and fountain of all its changes; and like Shakspeare, he divides the life of man into 7 ages. In 7 months a child may be born and live, and not before; and anciently it was not named before 7 days, not being accounted fully to have life before that periodical day

The teeth spring out in the 7th month, and are shed and renewed in the 7th year, when infancy is changed into childhood-At twice 7 years puberty begins at thrice 7 years the faculties are developed, manhood commences, and we become legally competent to all civil acts-At four times 7 man is in full possession of his strength; at five times 7 he is fit for the business of the world-At six times 7 he becomes grave and wise, or never-At 7 times 7 he attains his apogee, and from that time decays At eight times 7 he is in his first climacteric At nine times 7, or 63, he is in his grand climacteric, or year of danger; and ten times 7, or three-score years and ten, has by the Royal Prophet been pronounced the natural period of human life. The 7th year, as well as 7th day, was directed to be a sabbath of rest for all things; and at the end of 7 times 7 years commenced the grand Jubilee. Every 7th year there was a general release from all debts, and all bondsmen were set free. Every 7th year the law was directed to be read to the people→→→→ and by that law, man was commandtimes; but the meekness of the last ed to forgive his offending brother 7 revealed religion extended his humility and forbearance to 70 times. 7. "If Cain shall be revenged 7 fold, truly Lamech 70 times 7." The Rabbins say, that God employed this number to perfect the greatness of Samuel, his name corresponding to the value of the letters in the Hebrew tongue, which signify 7; whence Hannah, his mother, in her thanks says, "that the barren had brought forth 7." The 7th son was formerly considered as endowed with pre-eminent wisdom; and the 7th son of a 7th son is still thought to possess the power of healing diseases spons taneously. Finally, perfection is likened to gold 7 times purified in the fire.