In a recent article under the above caption we said : “It is essential that all couplings of 2 1/2 inch hose—the kind generally found in Fire Departments—should be uniform, so that hose may be interchangeable between Departments, and that the hose of one make may be used in connection with that of any other. This cannot be done if each maker of couplings is permitted to follow his own inclinations.” A manufacturer of couplings thinks we do injustice to the coupling makers, and declares that it would be greatly to their beriefit if all Departments used the same thread upon their couplings. The fault, he claims, lies with the Departments themselves, which have adopted different standards and will not change. If the threads of couplings were all of one style the manufacturers of the different couplings could keep a stock on hand ready to fill orders at a moment’s notice. As it is, however, they make their couplings uncut, and on receiving orders for them have to ascertain the style of thread desired before they can fit them up for use. This causes delay in supplying hose, and tends to keep up the price of couplings. Our friend contends, however, that the standard adopted by the National Convention of Engineers is an unreasonable one, and unlike any now in use. This standard has been laid down for use at the National Tournament, but our friend declares that not even Chicago’s couplings are cut in the manner prescribed, and that, consequently, Chicago companies, as well as others, will be excluded from the contest.

The fact that uniformity in couplings is a “ consummation devoutly to be wished,” has been too frequently illustrated to need further costly demonstration of the same character. While the great conflagration was raging in Boston, steamers came from neighboring cities to render assistance. But it was soon found that they could not attach their hose to any hose in use in Boston, nor to the hydrants, because the coupling threads were not cut to the same pattern. All they could do was to take suction in such cisterns as they could find, and work independently of their city brethren. The same thing occurred at Providence not long ago, and other Departments have had similar experience. The result of all these different patterns of couplings—or, rather, of the cutting of so many different threads—is that Departments are precluded from rendering that assistance to each other in cases of emergency that they might otherwise do. In case of a great conflagration in New York it is doubtful if Brooklyn, Jersey City, Newark, or any of the neighboring cities, could either make connections with our hydrants or with our hose, simply because the threads of their hose couplings are cut in a style differing from ours. This should not be so. While there is room for an honest difference of opininn regarding the excellence of the various couplings in the market, there is no valid reason why they should not all have the same cut of threads. The advantages to be gained from such uniformity are innumerable, while nothing can be said in favor of the diversity that now prevails. The subject is of sufficient importance to warrant the Fire Commissioners of the different cities taking the matter under consideration, with a view to establishing a uniform thread to be applied to all couplings. New York, as well as Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia, has seen the time when the assistance of neighboring cities was eagerly sought for the suppression of conflagrations. Such emergency is liable to arise again at any moment, and it would but add to the calamity if those neighbors were unable to assist us in our hour of need, simply because their hose couplings were not cut the same as ours. The simple cutting of a thread on a piece of brass seems too insignificant a thing to attract so much attention, but the fact remains that if all the steamers of Boston and Philadelphia were to come to New York to help us in subduing a great fire, it would be found that none of them could make connections with our hydrants or any of our apparatus for this simple reason.

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