de, and generally he may take any measures that appear
expedient for the protection of life and property, with
power by himself or his men to break into or through, or
take possession of, or pull down any premises for the
purpose of putting an end to a fire, doing as little damage
as possible; he may also on any such occasion cause the
water to be shut off from the mains and pipes of any
district, in order to give a greater supply and pressure of
water in the district in which the fire has occurred; and no
water company shall be liable to any penalty or claim by
reason of any interruption of the supply of water occasioned
only by compliance with the provisions of this section.

All police constables shall be authorized to aid the fire
brigade in the execution of their duties. They may close any
street in or near which a fire is burning, and they may of
their own motion, or on the request of the chief or other
officer of the fire brigade, remove any persons who
interfere by their presence with the operations of the fire
brigade.

Any damage occasioned by the fire brigade in the due
execution of their duties shall be deemed to be damage by
fire within the meaning of any policy of insurance against
fire.

_Expenses._

13. Every insurance company that insures from fire any
property in the metropolis shall pay annually to the
Metropolitan Board of Works, by way of contribution toward
the expenses of carrying this Act into effect, a sum after
the rate of thirty-five pounds in the one million pounds on
the gross amounts insured by it, except by way of
reassurance, in respect of property in the metropolis for a
year, and at a like rate for any fractional part of a
million, and for any fractional part of a year as well as
for any number of years for which the insurance may be made,
renewed, or continued.

The said payments by insurance companies shall be made
quarterly in advance, on the 1st of January, 1st of April,
1st of July, and 1st of October in every year; the first of
such payments to be made on the 1st of January one thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six, and such first payment and the
other payments for the year one thousand eight hundred and
sixty-six to be based upon the amounts insured by the
severa