No. 22, (second class piano,) 8 inch cylinder.... 50 men. No. 42, (second-class piano,) 8 inch cylinder.... 50 men. No. 14, (second-class Philadelphia,) 8 inch cyl.. 70 men. No. 21, (second-class Philadelphia,) 8; inch cyl.. 70 men. No. 5, (third-class New-York style) 6 inch cyl. 40 men. No. 13, (third-class N. Y. improved), 7 inch cyl. 40 men. No. 20, (third-class N. Y. improved,) 6 inch cyl. 40 men.

It will be perceived, that this allotment of men is out of all proportion, the first-class Philadelphia engine having ten men less than the second-class engines of the same style. This has been done by means of special resolutions granting additional men to the companies so favored, not only in these districts, but also in-other parts of the citythus giving one company an undue advantage over others in the vicinity.

On the 16th October, 1852, a resolution was adopted by the Common Council as follows: (previous to which hook and ladder companies were allowed thirty men, and all second class engines fifty men.)

Resolved, That hook and ladder companies be, and they are hereby allowed forty men, and all engine companies, having the second-class Philadelphia engines in use, to increase to sixty men, and that the Chief Engineer accept the returns from such companies accordingly.

Subsequently to the adoption of this resolution, others have been adopted, by which, as above stated, there is no regularity on the subject of the complement of men to the different class engines. I would respectfully suggest the adoption of an ordinance, fixing the number of men as follows:

First class engines, (9 inch cylinder and upward) 60 men.

By the adoption of this, and directing the Chief Engineer to receive no returns of new members in place of resignations for companies intended to be reduced, until the number shall comport with the ordinance, or what would be still more preferable, to transfer the number above the complement, that may be in any company, to such other companies as they may designate, (giving them a reasonable time to do so) those who refuse to so designate a company to which they wish to be transferred, to be removed from the department, taking those last appointed in the company, the department would become equalized more effectually, and first class engines become more popular from the number of men allowed, than they could be by uniting two or more companies as suggested in the resolution of your Honorable Body; and I would recommend that no other than first class engines be built for companies located in those districts when the size of the house will permit.

The Department has been much embarrassed during the past year, from an insufficient supply of hose. At the commencement of the year 1852, (two years since,) I made a requisition on the Commissioner of Repairs and Supplies, for twenty thousand feet of hose, that officer duly presented the claim to the Common Council, who authorized the Commissioner to advertise for proposals for ten

thousand feet, (just half the complement,) this was furnished, but was totally inadequate to supply each company then in the department, and many new ones have since been established. One year since, I applied for fifteen thousand feet, not a foot of which has been furnished, and the consequence is, that the hose (very deficient in quantity) is in a most wretched condition.

Some few weeks since, ten thousand feet were ordered, none of which, however, has been supplied. Subsequently a resolution was adopted, to supply twenty thousand feet, but to which resolution was coupled a provision which virtually negatived it. This provision was, that they be subject to a test of three hundred pounds to the square inch; any one, at all conversant with the strength of leather, must be aware that it is utterly impossible to obtain any that would stand any thing like this pressure, indeed it would require pretty good iron to do so. The Croton Board only require their four-inch iron pipe to stand a pressure of three hundred pounds.

The hose made by contract is not generally to be depended on, it is true, but to make it subject to a heavy pressure as a test, I should object to, as much of that which apparently stood the test would be so strained as to be ruined. The true plan to obtain good hose, in my opinion, is to purchase the leather and rivets of the proper quality, and have it made up in the public yard. The labor of making hose is comparatively trifling, the principal object being to reject such leather as is unfit for use instead of putting it in such places as can best be hid from the eye. One man would perform all the labor necessary in mak ing hose for the whole department.

The supply, or rather the force of water is daily becoming less, and it is not sufficient to supply a second class engine at the present time: that a remedy must be applied to increase the quantity and force before long, is certain, and I would urge upon your Honorable Body, the necessity of early action in the matter. For the remedy I beg leave to refer to the following extract from the Annual report of the Chief Engineer, September 1st, 1852:

"I shall make no recommendations in this report nor even further discuss the important subject of divorce with you, referring you to iny past documents as the basis of any favorable legislation you may vouchsafe to the Fire Department,

"But there are two or three matters of such vital importance to the half million of souls for whom you were elected to legislate, that I should consider myself deeply reprehensible if I did not call your most serious attention, as well as the public at large, to their immediate consideration. I allude to frozen hydrants, and to the scarcity and waste of water. I would have called your attention to these matters last winter, but the severity of the weather was so unceasing, the hydrants were so generally frozen, and the water was so scarce, that I did not deem it prudent to discuss them, least the incendiaries might take undue advantage of it, and fire the city at several points at the same time. But this being a more auspicious season for their consideration, I will now partially disclose the peril of the city during the past winter, and recommend efficient remedies.

"Inasmuc has the pipes on the High Bridge have not the capacity to supply the city with sufficient water, I would recommend that its side walls be carried up and arched, to the height of the aqueduct, and that two lines of pipe, of the capacity of the aqueduct, be laid on the arch, the present pipes to remain precisely as they are. By connecting the new pipes to either side of the aqueduct, just above its terminus, by placing a coffer-dam in the aqueduct, the whole work can be effected without depriving the city of the present supply of water.

"The entire work, if commenced immediately and prosecuted with uncommon energy, might be completed by December. Until this be effected, I would earnestly request our citizens to exercise the most rigid economy in the use of water. And to utterly check the immense waste of water by inconsiderate persons connected with the shipping and steamboats, and to entirely prevent its waste by the public fountains, I would propose that the basins of the fountains be enlarged, and that pipes be laid from each to the rivers, with hydrants on the docks, from which to enable the shipping and steamboats to obtain their supply. The fountains could then play daily for the gratification of citizens and strangers, without any waste of water."

Every citizen should carefully read the following extract, from the last annual report of the Croton Aqueduct Department-Board of Aldermen, Doc. No. 81:

"The construction of the reservoir itself is a matter that may or may not be deferred, as the wisdom of the Common