FIRE BRIGADES' DEMONSTRATION.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 143, 17 June 1874, Page 2

FIRE BRIGADES' DEMONSTRATION.

The Australasian gives the following account of the torchlight procession in which 870 men took part in Melbourne on the Queen's Birthday : — The various brigades mustered between 6 and 7 o'clock in the evening, in Spencer-street, opposite the railway station, ond were formed into column with a band at tho head, and four other bands placed along the line at, suitable intervals. At about halfpost seven, all the men were ready with tbeir torches lighted, and the long line of flaring tongues of firo made a grand spectacle. Suddenly a rocket shot high iuto the air with a noise like (he discharge of v cannon, and thia was followed by another and another, each gracefully arching higher than the last. This was the signal for the march, and as the bands struck up an iuspiring marching tune, the long line wheeled into Bourke-street and proceeded steadily up tbat thoroughfare in capital order. Spencer-street was already crowded, and thousands pressed onward with the glittering cortege along Boutke-street, but the police, mounted and foot, succeeded ia preventing the people from impeding tbe movements of the torchbearers. The public were very good-humored and weie evidently alive to the ueceseity of preserving order— two circumstances which materially assisted iv the prevention ot confusion. The crowd grew more dense ac the procession moved steadily ahead, nnd nt tho postoffiee the first real crush was expeiieuced. The base of the building was covered with a mass of human being., and the section of the street on towards Swanstonstreet was so densely crowded with people who were in comparative shadow, that the procession seemed to be walking into a solid human mas 6 that it was utterly impossible to pass through; but, as if by magic, the crowd gradually but steadily retreated as the groceesiou advanced, and moved en masse up towards the* Parliament houses. Every window along tbe route was filled with eager faces, and devices in gas and fireworks were exhibited from many buildings. All through the march the firemen kept up an almost continuous fusillade of bluelights and golden star rockets, and this greatly heightened the general effect. Seen from a height, the spectacle was one to be remembered, aud one to compare with which nothing had been seen in Melbourne previously. The brilliant line of torch-bearers, clad for the most part in bright red uniform, moved on like a huge fiery centipede, over which arched and couuterarched lines of blue fire and showers as of molten gold, while at intervals many-hued rockets rose whizzing to a giddy height, and burst into crimson and purple constellations. The young moon was hidden behind light clowds, and tho night was therefore dark enough to enable the sight to be witnessed to the best advantage. Ahead of the procession by about 100 yards blazed at every intersection of Btreets a colored fire — now red, now blue, and again of an unearthly pale greenish white, which turned faces to a ghostly hue and produced a strange weird effect, which was heightened by the appearance on the suddenly illuminated walls on either side of huge phantom-like figures, tho magnified shadows of the surging crowd. The line reached from Russell-street nearly to the Parliament bouses, and the torchbearers marched not always iv a straight line, but now and again sinuously, with serpentine windings, and interlacings, which caused the torches to veer about and throw their lurid gleam full ou the faces of the swaying crowd which jußt before had been half-concealed in the smoky glare. From the top of the Parliament houses blazed the electric light, throwing a white radiance clearer than that of the Australian full moon, but cold, and causing a strange feeling of unrealness. Its brilliancy completely dimmed that of the procession as it marched within the radius of the light, but it brought out with wonderful distinctness the extent and character of the crowd, enabling a spectator in an elevated position to see the expression on every face and the color of every article of dress with marvellous clearness. It was only then, as the glittering line of torches slowly wound its sinuous way, and the close packed mass of humanity, struggling and pushing onward, sought to keep pace with tbe firemen in their passage under the light, that one could realise what an immense mass of people had assembled to behold the sight. As the slowly moving mass passed into and beyond the blaze of the electric light one could see how closely its component parts were wedged together, and to what a distance behind the march it extended. As the concourse gradually thinned after the procession bad passed, it was noticeable that the shadows on the ground and walls were brought out by the light with almost startling clearness, as if their outlines had been determined with a keen blade. At the Treasury a lime light was exhibited. The march was continued down Collinsstreet, up Swanston-street, and aloug Victoria-street, where a gorgeous display of fireworks was made from the top of Latham's Carlton Brewery. There is a very efficient volunteer brigade in connexion with the brewory, and this brigade took part in the procession. A Ions; time before the firemen reached Victoria-street attention had been called to the building by discharge of very fino rockets, and as a

nearer approach was made, it was seen that the whole top of the building was illuminated with red fire, ov.r which arched two strong j_ta of water. The jets were lighted up by the glare, and looked like falling streams of fire. The exhibition was r.peated sever*! times, blue and yellow colors us well as red being employed, aud some very good fireworks of other kinds were "shown. The crowd expressed their approval by giving three cheers, and a short halt was made. A move was then I made down Elizabeth-street, into Collins-street. A very good exhibition of colored fires was made from a building in ono part of Elizabeth-street. In Collins-street the firemen hud just room to draw up between Elizabeth and Swanston streets, nnd here they formed close order, the bands played "God Save the Queen," and after giving three cheers, the brigades separated snd marched to their various stopping-places for tho night.