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simple and effectual mode of securing every kind of buildingagainst all danger of lire: lie divides it into three parts, namely,under-flooring, extra-lathing, and inter-securing. '1 lie first partor method is either single or double. In single underliooring, acommon strong lath, one quarter of an inch thick, should benailed against each side of every joist and main timber, supportingthe floor winch is to be secured. Similar laths are then to benailed on the whole length of the joists, the ends of which abutagainst each other. The lop of each lath or fillet, ought to be aninch and a half below the top of tire joists or timbers, against whichthey are nailed, so at to form a small ledge on every side. Whenthese fillets are nailed on, they should he laid in a rough plaster,which should he laid on the tops of such fillets, so as to leave novacant sjiace between them and the joists. Short pieces of com-mon laths are next to he nailed closely together, in a directioncontrary to that of the joists ; the ends of the former are to rest onthe ldlets, and to he well bedded in rough plaster, hut not fasten-ed with nails. -They are m-xt to he coated once with the plaster,which is to he spread over them to the tops of the joists. Indouble-flooring, the lillels and short pieces of laths are applied inthe manner already described; the coal of rough plaster ought,however, in this method, to be somewhat more than half as thickas that in Single-flooring. While the rough plaster is laying on,some additional short pieces of laths are to be inserted betweenthe joists upon (he first coat, a; closed v to each other as possible,and in the same diucUou as the first layer of laths. Over this se-cond layer ol short laths, another coat of rough plaster should hespread, which ought to he trowelled level with the tops of thejoists. As soon as the plaster-work between the joists is per-fectly dry, it should he inspected, in order to ascertain whetherthere he .my small cracks, especially next to the joists- Shouldany occur, it will be requisite to close them, by waslfmg them overwith a brush wetted with mortar-wash, which may he prepared bymixing two mea-ures ot qtcck-lime and one of sand in a pail, and'tempering the whole with water till it acquires the consistence of athick jelly. Previously to laying down the flooring-hoards, asmall quantity ol dry common sand should be strewed over theplaster work, and struck smooth with a hollow rule in the samedirection as the joists are laid, so that it may he rounding betweeneach pair ot joists. Particular attention should he paid to theplaster-work and sand, that they he perfectly dry before the hoardsare laid, lest the latter become infected with the dry-rot. Themode of under-flooring may he successfully applied to a woodenstair-case; but no sand is then to he laid upon the plaster-work.

he methods ol extra-lathing may he practised on ceiling-joists,sloping-roofs, and wooden partitions. The third method, namely,inter-securing, is similar to that of under-flooring; hut no sand isatterwards to he laid over it. Inter-securing is applicable to thesame parts of a building as the method of extra-lathing ; hut it isseldom necessary to he employed. Lord Mahon made severalexperiments, which shew the utility of this invention; but we canonly refer the inquisitive reader to the sixty-eighth volume of theulosophical '1 ransaclions of the lfoyal Society,” for 177S;’here he will find a satisfactory account of the manner of prepar-es the mortar, as well as the result of numerous trials made by thePventor. See also Architecture and Fire-Proof. "The°st expeditious way of extinguishing fire is a matter of equal im-portance, as the security of buildings from that destructive agent,j ence various machines, and chemical preparations, have beeni lven *- c ^ hy ingenious men, in order to promote so useful an ob-J c > one of the earliest contrivances was a barrel tilled with cer-; n 11 ’| 1, ’& rt; dients, first proposed by M. Fuglis, a German physician,\ v i • 'f :’ ear 173-i; and which effectually answered the purpose forthis . was A similar invention was introduced into

of COl,lltr y hy a Mr. Zachary Greyl, whose machines were madeSev'>°i alld con f a ' n cd only water ; they were exhibited beforej u 5 ra l h e uohility, hut it did not meet with encouragement.ev le y ear G61, Dr. Godfrey produced certain vessels which in'7 ’ es P ect suc; <'ceded. They are supposed to have been anfille\ UV< ^ 1 v li:n ^ 011 r ' Greyl’s, were constructed with wood, andSa |_^ " , *“ l a chemical liquor, consisting of water, oil of vitriol, and!Riri> mi "i° nlac ' ^ ^. en P' 1 ' 0 " 11 into rooms and other places that werepletel*. Set lue ’ thc y Burst, and hy their explosion coin-Wert' ? L ‘:''‘ 1 - 1 nguisliedtbe flames: it is to be observed, that theyuseless alter the roof had fallen in. These contrivances,

however, are evidently more calculated for ships than to be em-ployed on land ; as they would be of gieut service for suppressingfires in vessels at sea, and might he considered as necessary a partoflheir cargo as naval stores, or ammunition. In ti.e twenty-third,volume of Annals ot Agriculture, Mr. William Knox, a merchantof Gothenburg , in bw eden, states that lie had made a variety ofexperiments for extinguishing fire hy means of such substances asare cheap and easily procured, lie divides them into simple andcompound solutions. In the former class, lje proposes to add toseventy-live gallons-of w..ter nine gallons of the strongest solutionof wood-ashes; or six gallons of the finest pulverized put-ashes ; oreight gallons and a half of common salt well dried, and finelybeaten ; or eight gallons and a half of green v itriol or copperas, tho-roughly dried, and finely pulverized ; or eleven gallons and aquarter of the strongest herring pickle ; or nine gallons alum re-duced to powder; or nineteen gallons of clay, perfectly dried,well beaten, and carefully sifted. Among the- compound solu-tions, Mr. Knox recommends to mix seventy-live gallons of wa-ter with ten quails of clay, fen quails of vitriol, and ten quarts ofcommon salt; or a similar quantity of water, with eighteen quartsof the strongest solution of wood-ashes and eighteen quarts ol lineclay reduced to powder; or the same proportion of water, withfifteen quarts of red-ochre, or the residuum of aquafortis, and fif-teen quarts of common salt; or, lastly, to-mix fifteen quarts of thestrongest herring-pickle, and fifteen quarts of rell-ochre, with se-venty-live gallons of water. All these different solutions, Mr.Knox remarks, are equally efficacious in extinguishing lire ; huthe prefers the compounds, as being the “ surest and most-power*-ful for that purpose.” Another of the various inventions for ex-tinguishing tire hy chemical means, deserving of notice, is the-composition prepared hy M. Von Aken, and which consists of.

the following ingredients::

lbs.

Burnt alum. 30

Green vitriol in powder. 40

Cinabrese, or red-ochre, pulverized. 20

Potters, or other clay, finely pounded and sifted.200

Whiter.030

With 40 measures -of this liquor an artificial lire,, which wouldhave required the labour of twenty men, and 1300 measures ofcommon water, was extinguished, under,tl’-e direction of the in-ventor, by three persons. ’File price of this compound solution isestimated at one halfpenny per pound.

Fire, Water Engines for extinguishing. These are eitherforcing or lifting pumps; and as they are made to move u ith greatvelocity, their execution principally depends on the length oftheir levers, and the force with which they are worked. Variousengines have been contrived: from which we have selected the fol-lowing, as they are the must ingenious, and at the same time cal-culated to produce the greatest effects.. In the year 1785, the sil-ver medal and twenty guineas were conferred hy the “ Society-for the Encouragement of Arts,” ike. on Mr. Fui>t, as a rewardfor his contrivance to increase the effect of engines in extinguish-ing fires ; of which the following is a short description ; from aplatform rises an upright pole or mast, of such height as may hejudged necessary ; a gaft slides upon it in an ascending direction,and along both is conveyed the leather hose from the engine. Thebranch, or nose-pipe of the engine, projects- at the extremity ofthe gaft ; towards which an iron frame is fixed, whence two chainsare suspended ; and from these hang ropes, which serve to give anhorizontal direction to the brunch; wbile other ropes, that runthrough proper puliies, and are thus conveyed down the mast,serve "likewise to communicate a vertical motion to it. By thesemeans, the branch or no;e-pipe of the engine is conducted intothe window of any roi m where the fire more-immediately rages;and the effect of the water discharged is applied in the most ef-ficacious manner to the extinguishing of the flames - . A patent wasgranted in January 1790, to Air. Joseph Braham, of Piccadilly,and to Air. Thomas Dickenson, of Bedworth Close, in the county-of Warwick , for a new improved engine on a rotative principle;The merits of this machine depend on its having two wheelsor cylinders of brass, or any other metal; one of which is of agreater, and the other of a smaller diameter, in any proportionrequired; both are nearly of equal length, but may’be increased

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