148

TESTIMONIALS.

a bundle of deeds, bank-notes, or gunpowder, witha view of preserving them from being burnt %Within each of these depositories, a sentinel enginemay be supposed always attendant and self-acting,ready not only to extinguish, but prevent, tire, withits pipes charged and laid into the most valuableproperty which a public, professional, or mercantileoffice, or private dwelling, contains—property nn-insurable, and yet often exceeding in value all thatis deemed needful to insure—the fire itself, in itsfirst approaches, letting loose, and arousing, in con-centrated operation within the box, its only efficientantagonist. T. M. and S. have now briefly toallude to the insecure state of the monetary anddocumentary property of the country, from thecustom-house, excise, and public offices, with theirfire-proof (1) iron safes, strong rooms, with irondoors!—surrounded by piles of desks, cupboards,office furniture, and floors sufficient to make thesafes and doors red hot ten times over —burning themout with red-hot safety !—the banks and extensiveprofessional offices, consisting of rooms, storeysupon storeys, whole piles of massive buildings, fullof wooden chests, drawers, secretaries, deed boxes,and iron safes and closets, little better—the wholeproperty in which an hour’s strong fire would sweepinto destruction; and lastly, to the immense amountand value in commercial books and documents,without any more efficient protection than theworthless depositories which are sold as ‘ fire-proof,’