which insured on the building only, were
163; those which insured on the contents
only, were 72; and the number of uninsured
was 235.

Of the 26 lives lost, 13 were from the
ignition of bed-furniture or wearing apparel;
explosion of fire-works, 5; and 8 from
inability to escape out of burning houses.

An examination of the statistics of fires in
the Metropolis during sixteen years, i.e. from
1833 to 1848 (which document was obligingly
laid before us by Mr. Braidwood), has put us
in possession of a great mass of very curious
and instructive information, from which we
extract the following:—

Apothecaries and dealers in drugs     36
Bakers .      .      .      .      .      .          244
Booksellers, binders, and stationers  137

Of these latter, 96 burnt gas; and the fires
caused by gas amounted to 28.

Cabinet-makers     .      .            .      156
Carpenters and workers in wood .    434
Churches .      .       .      .      .      .      33

Of these last-named, 3 were totally
destroyed, and 10 much damaged; the rest
slightly, or mere alarms. Of the cause of the
fires, 8 were from the stoves, flues, &c., and 2
from lightning.

Drapers, woollen and linen . . 254

Of these, 105 were much damaged; 239
burnt gas; and the cause of 140 of these fires
was carelessness or accident with the gas.

Fire-Preventive Company . . 1

The cause of this was an experiment with
some 'fire-proof plaster,' which ignited in a
most unexpected and insubordinate manner,
and caused great damage.

Fire-work Makers . . . 49

The cause of these fires, all of which did
great damage, was from the nature of the
trade; from the smoking of tobacco; from
boys playing with fire; and from the reckless
trick of a lighted squib or cracker being
thrown into the shop-window.

Gas-works . . . . . 37

From the great care taken, and ready
means of prevention, only 9 of these were
much injured, and none totally destroyed.

Grocers . . . . . 120

Of these, 109 burnt gas; and 26 of the
fires are attributable to carelessness or
accident with the gas.

Gunpowder-sellers . . . 1

Notice the result of a full consciousness of
the danger, and proportionate care. Only
one fire!

Lodgings . . . . . 868

Of the above number, 368 were found to
have been caused by the taking fire of
curtains, linen airing, &c. Some of the rest
were caused by hunting fleas, &c.

Lucifer-match-makers . .  . 101
Lunatic asylums . . . . 2

Observe the great care in these asylums.
All the asylums for lunatics furnishing only
two fires in sixteen years!

Printers and Engravers . . 72
Private houses .   .  . .   3352

Of the above, the immense number of 1302
were discovered to have been caused by the
taking fire of curtains, dresses, airing linen, &c.

Sale-shops and offices . . . 526

Of these, 379 burnt gas; and the fires
caused by gas were 129.

Ships . . . . .    . 82

Caused by stores, flues, cooking, igniting of
cargo, smoking tobacco, &c.

Stables . . . . . 102

Caused by candles, lucifers, smoking tobacco,
intoxication, &c.

Tailors . . . .    . 81

Seventeen of the above were caused by
gas; 13 by candles; and some by smoking
tobacco.

Theatres .. . . . 20

Of the above number, 8 were caused by
gas; some others by smoking tobacco, and
the taking fire of curtains, dresses, &c.

Tobacconists . . . .43

Of the above, 6 were caused by gas; 6 by
lucifer-matches; others by curtains, smoking
tobacco, by a cat, and by rats. A word more
of these incendiaries presently.

Victuallers . . . . . 542

Of the above, there were 21 totally
destroyed; 167 much damaged, and 354 slightly.
Of the causes, 83 were from the flues; 73,
curtains, dresses, &c.; 65, gas; 36, smoking
tobacco; 35, a candle. The remainder comes
under the various heads of lucifers, hot
cinders, intoxication, children playing with
fire, a spark, and a monkey.

Besides this ' monkey,' we have had occasion
to mention several other ' sparks,' concerning
whom some passing explanation may be
needed. Having noticed the word ' cat,'
occurring several times in the list of annual
causes of fire,—' Yes,' replied Mr. Braidwood,
' we often have a cat.' It appears that the cat
sometimes upsets the clothes-horse with things
airing; or, perhaps, in creeping under the
clothes to get inside the fender, drags some of
them with her on her back. The fire caused
by the monkey was attributable to some
prank of his—meaning no harm, perhaps, but
not much caring about that. The incendiarism
of the rats was undoubtedly effected
innocently by their investigation of a box of
lucifers, which included a trial if the matches
were good to eat. Their teeth exploded them
—a feat very easily performed.

Of carelessness with gas in shops and
warehouses, or with candles near bedroom