Domestic Encyclopædia (1802)/Alarum

ALARUM, a term employed to signify any instrument, or contrivance, for the purpose of awakening persons from sleep, at a certain hour, or of alarming them when exposed to danger. In the former sense, it is generally a part of clock-work, and deserves here no farther notice; but, in the latter, we strongly recommend the utility of alarums to every family, whether living in towns, or in solitary situations in the country.

Many ingenious suggestions have been devised, for affording security to the industrious, against the audacious attempts of house-breakers: the most common of these are, hanging bells to the windows, or larger bells and rattles kept in readiness for giving early notice to the watchman absent from his duty, or to the peaceful neighbour whose aid is required.

In the year 1771, Mr. Henry invented a curious alarum, which was highly approved of by Sir John Fielding. All burglaries being perpetrated at night, this piece of mechanism deserves peculiar encouragement. On being fixed up by a bell-hanger, with wires fastened to the windows and doors, it will, upon the least attempt to break into the house, go off with a noise sufficient to awaken the family. As every clock-maker is acquainted with the construction of this alarum, we think it unnecessary to give a particular description.