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APPENDIX No. XXVI.

The construction of the floor, admirable for getting rid of (lust which dropped through theopenings left between the boards, also unfortunately allowed the passage of shavings and otherhighly inilammablo fragments, the unavoidable accumulation of which was a source of muchanxiety.

Considering the frightful consequences of a fire, or oven an alarm of fire, among theenormous crowd of visitors sometimes in the building, it behoved the Executive Oommittoeto spare neither pains nor expense in securing the public against such a calamity.

The following account of the precautions taken lias been prepared by Captain Gibb, RoyalEngineers, who under tho immediate control of Sir William Reid, and with the advice of Mr.Rraidwood, the Superintendent of tho London Fire brigade, was in charge of this departmentduring the whole timo the Building and its contents were in tho custody of the RoyalCommissioners.]

Captain Ginn’s Report,

Royal Sappers As early as January 18/51, while tho Building was still under tho control of tho Contractors,ami Miners’ a party of four men of the Royal Sapporo and Minors patrolled the Building and its workshopsnightpicquet. every evening after work, remaining until they had seen every fire and light properly

extinguished, exeopt those in tho Ollices, where tho great press of work rendered it necessaryto allow fires and lights to bo kept up during tho night. With tho addition of a partyof tho London Fire Brigade, this arrangement remained in foreo until tho opening of thoBuilding, when a picquot of 24 men of tho Royal Sappers and Minors was mounted intho Building at 8 p.m. ; this party on arriving at tho Exhibition was marched round it, to alltho stations where tho different fire-engines, fire-cocks, tanks, buckets, &c., were placed, thusevery individual ascertained that all tho stores were in tho proper place and ready for use.Tho whole of tho 200 men of tho Royal Sappers and Minors had been drilled to tho tire-engines and made acquainted with all tho arrangements undertaken to provide for tho imme-diate extinction of any fire. These 24 men slept in tho Building every night, one manremaining on sentry to bo in readiness to rouse tho men in case of alarm, and a non-com-missioned officer and two men patrolling tho Building every two hours. They camo off dutyat (i A.M., whon another party of tho Sappers camo for tho usual daily duty. This arrange-ment continued until tho 4th November 18(51. The number was then reduced to 12 men, ontho lltli November to 2 men, who remained all night in the Building until it was again givenover to the control of tho Contractors, Messrs. Fox and Henderson, in December 18/51.

Two non-commissioned officers wore selected, one for each side of the Building, Foreign andBritish, whose sole duty it was to take charge of the men who were told off for the lire party,and in conjunction with the men of tho London Fire Brigade on duty at tho Building theywere held responsible for all the stores connected with the fire department, that everythingwas in its proper place and ready for immediate use ; the water on, and tho pressure not lessthan (50 feet, the regulated height. When tho body of Royal Sappers and Miners was marchedto work in the Building each day, a party of 12 or 15 men was allotted for each side of thoBuilding, and placed under these non-commissioned officers, who distributed them among thovarious tiro stations, shown in tho accompanying plan, and visited them during the day tosvi '' ' '' " ‘ ’ ' ’ '

London Firo Brigade attended daily at tho

nud Miners’ Building. On tho (itli March three moro men were added to tho number ; and from this timoduty by day. four men remained on duty night and day in tho Building. Shortly after tho opening of tho

Building to tho public, an acting engineer of the London Firo Brigade, was appointed, horemained on duty the whole day, taking especial charge of all the arrangements connected

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with tho placing of the stores, tho distribution of tho men, &e., visiting tho different stationsduring the day, and reporting immediately to tho Officer of the Executive Committee anythingirregular, or stores or tiro-cocks damaged. A register of tho pressure of tho water was kept by

tho Hub-engineer on duty every hour by night and every half-hour by day, taken from thopressure-gauge. Thus tho exact amount of pressure in tho pipes was seen at a glance at anytime, and the certainty of tho water being always turned on by night and by day ensured.

Tbe London A party of boys, varying from 1(5 to 4 in number, were engaged and constantly employed

Fire Brigade, in clearing away the shavings which had accumulated during the preparations under the floor

boards. The use of oiled tow to clean tho machinery being considered liable to spontaneouscombustion, every Exhibitor of machinery was called upon to provide a metal box to hold itwhen not in use, and particular pains wore taken to keep tho under sido of tho floor clear.

Smoking was not allowed under any circumstances, either during the Exhibition, or duringtho arrangements. Tho use of lucifer matches was forbidden. Gas was tho only combustibleallowed, and it was used to warm, as well as light, the offices, and to heat tea and coffee in thorefreshment rooms. Besides tho lamps fixed for Police purposes, and those just alludedto, the use of gas was only allowed in a lew very exceptional cases, such, for instaneo, as in tholighthouses, where no danger could be apprehended.

It will be seen that although numerous engines and other mechanical appliances wore pro-vided, tho greatest reliance was placed on tho simplest possible arrangements. There wore40 cisterns kept constantly full, most of them fed by pipes, and round each cistern were ranged