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8 and quickly at the expense of their neighbours. They were, in fact, the germ from which developed the individual who is a terror to his neighbours, a pest in the community and a source of constant activity to fire departments, by whom he is dubbed expressively a "firebug."

Hence it will be seen that even at this early date the menace of fire in its primary conditions did not differ materially from the modern fire risks in many towns. Under the Republic one of the duties of the Roman "Triumvirs" was to protect the city from fire, and later they came to be called "Nocturns," because of their mounting guard during the night. In this task they were assisted by the "Ædiles," to whom the care of the buildings in the town was entrusted. This constituted the "official" fighting force, but there were in addition private organizations consisting of slaves, whose services were given gratuitously according to the wishes of their masters, who doubtless in this manner hoped to rise in public esteem. This forms an interesting analogy to the methods employed by many so-called philanthropists of the present day who are usually ready to support any public work upon which a liberal amount of limelight is turned.

Little could be expected from a department composed of such heterogeneous elements, ignorant alike of discipline and organization. The Emperor, Cæsar Augustus, realizing the importance of effective fire protection in his capital, introduced the first regularly constituted "fire department" known to history. It consisted of seven cohorts, each numbering roughly one thousand men. Their duties consisted not only in the actual work of fighting the flames, but also in policing the streets contiguous to an outbreak and in preventing robbery and looting. The fire chief was known as the "Præfectus Vigilum." He was assisted by three lieutenants, "Subpræfecti"; seven "Tribunes," forty-nine "Centurions," and a great number of "Principales." This last title was given to every one in the Roman army, who had any species of fixed office, to all those in fact who occupied the intermediate ranks