It is needless to say that there was more danger of fire then than now; and the inhabitants of London, very many of whom must have had a vivid remembrance of that awful fire in 1666, were not altogether neglectful of their interests in this matter. In 1710 an Act was passed amending an Act made in the sixth year of Anne's reign, 'for the better preventing of Mischiefs that may happen by Fire.' This Act dealt with parochial fire-engines, rewards, rates for water supply and maintenance of same, the thickness of party walls,' etc., and contained one very useful little clause. 'It is further enacted, That there shall be left at the House, upon which there is a Notice of a Fire Plug, a Key to open the Stop Cock, and also a Pipe for the Water to come thereout, to be made use of as Occasion shall require.' They were also fully alive to the necessity of keeping life-saving appliances in their houses. 'This is to give Notice, That the Rope Ladders and other Ropes, so useful for preserving whole Families from the dismal Accidents of Fire, are to be sold,' etc. There were three fire insurance companies, whose leaden badges used to be nailed on to the houses, to show they were insured, and in what office; and a reward was offered by the Friendly Society on July 14, 1705, for the discovery of persons who had stolen some of them. These three insurance companies were: first, the Phœnix, which was at the Rainbow Coffee House, Fleet Street, and also by the Royal Exchange, established about the year 1682, and the assurers in 1710 numbered about 10,000. The system was to pay 30_s._ down, and insure 100_l._ for seven years. Second, the Friendly Society, in Palsgrave Court, without Temple Bar, which was the first (in 1684) that insured by mutual contribution, where you could insure 100_l._ for seven years by paying 6_s._ 8_d._ down, and an annual subscription of 1_s._ 4_d._ In 1710 the number of assured was 18,000. And thirdly, the Amicable Contributors, at Tom's Coffee House in St. Martin's Lane (commenced about 1695). Here a payment of 12_s._ would insure 100_l._ for seven years, at the expiration of which time 10_s._ would be returned to the assured--who in 1710 numbered over 13,000. This society seems to have changed its name to the Hand-in-Hand Fire Office, who gave up their two establishments at Tom's Coffee House and the Crown Coffee House, behind the Exchange, for more suitable premises in Angel Court, Snow Hill, and notified the change in the _Gazette_ of Jan. 1, 1714. [Illustration: A Fire.] All these employed several men in liveries, and with badges on their arms, to extinguish fire. The accompanying contemporary illustration is very rude, but it gives a vivid representation of a fire at that time. Gay gives the following graphic description of a fire, so that we may almost fancy we see the firemen at work.