A FIRE in one of the College buildings is something often talked of, but seldom seen. Our experience this week puts us in condition to consider understandingly our position in regard to such occurrences. What we have seen is this: A fire, caused by some defect in a chimney, breaks out an hour before noon; the two fire-extinguishers kept in the building are produced and found utterly useless; the city fire department is called upon, the building is drenched with water from top to bottom, and, after three hours' work, the flames are extinguished. The manner in which the fire department did its work has been criticised, - too severely, undoubtedly, and yet not altogether unjustly. We shall not enter into a discussion of the matter, for in our report of the fire we have given sufficient facts to enable every one to form his own opinion. The firemen worked with alacrity and with unbounded pluck, but they showed great need, particularly at first, of some one able to give directions. It has been often said that, in case of a fire at night in one of the buildings, no one would be safe. This was before a theory; it is now unfortunately a proven fact. That we utterly lack any means of preserving our lives or property, in case of a fire under less favorable circumstances than that of Wednesday, has been pretty clearly shown. In such a building as Weld a fire on the ground floor would be drawn up to the roof in less than a minute; no means of escape is provided; the extinguishers in the proctor's rooms have been proved useless; the engines require eighty pounds of steam to enable them to throw a stream on to the roof of such a building, and to acquire this force it takes several minutes when every second is precious.

These facts, we trust, the Corporation will give its attention to. The fire in Hollis, bad as it was, might have been much worse. Those who roomed in the building will suffer much inconvenience, but their pecuniary loss is small, thanks to those who were so energetic in rendering assistance. It has been suggested that a subscription should be made for the sufferers, but it seems to us that there is little need of such aid. What is needed is rooms for those who have lost their quarters. The best manner of supplying this need seems to be for the men who now room alone, and would be willing to take a chum, to leave their names with the Bursar, to whom the late occupants of Hollis should apply for other rooms.