Brigade and its work which we published a few days ago drew from correspondent a pertinent inquiry with regard to the fire alarm boxes. "T have been here ten years," he writes, "but I have not the remote est idea where they are located, or what they look like." Obviously, as far as our correspondent is concerned, the fire-alarm system may be regarded as non-existent, and there may be many others who would be equally at a lose in an emergency necessitating use of the fire alarm boxes. As a matter of general information, then, it may be stated that the alarm boxes will be found attached to electric lighting standards at the following street corners: Nankiang-Honan roads; Nanking. Chekiang roads; Nanking-Shanse roads; Chekiang-Peking roads; Peking-Fokien roads; Honan-Peking roads; Foochow-Hoopeh roads; Hankow-Canton roads; Canton-Chekiang roads; North—Chekiang-North w roads; North Honan-Boone roads; North Szechuen-Haining Roads; East Seward-Singkeipang roads; Broadway-Wuchang road; Broadway-Hwakee road; Broadway-Dent road; Bubbli Well-Mohawk roads; Sinza-Park roads; Sinza-Park roads; Carter roads.
Tt must be said that the boxes are small, and boast neither design nor decoration calculated to strike the eye. Appliances of thie character ought to be extremely conspicuous. They should be so designed and situated that he who runs may see them.
Whilst on the subject, it may be recalled that in his report for 1913, Chief Officer Pett drew attention to the unsatisfactory state of the street fire alarms. "In the first place," he wrote, "the transmitting boxes are too small and not prominent enough. The system of wiring is also defective because it is on the open circuit system, and is liable to a number of accidental false alarms. Little can be done with the present arrangement, and a modern up-to-date system should be installed dri its Place such as is now in use at Manila and Singapore. With such system, apart from other advantages, it will be possible to fit auxiliary alarms in conjunction with the street alarm service. Thereby large business houses, warehouses, hotels, ete., will be able to have auxiliary alarms fitted on their premises, providing " direct signalling call to the Brigade, and thus obkiating the delay and confusion of telephonic message." The system spoken of in operation at Manila and Singapore is known as the Gamewell system, said to be the most efficient yet invented, and one of its features which should be especially useful in Shanghai is that instructions in the use of the alarm are printed on the sides of the box in several languages."
Inquiries are being made as to various systems in use elsewhere, and before long we may expect to hear that a new installation has been decided upon.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.