晚清时期,南京城内外火灾的频仍给百姓的生命财产带来了极大威胁。火油的普遍使用、节日用火疏忽、拜教燃火和歹人纵火是火灾多发的几个因素。扑救大火,主要有官方和民间两种力量,其中由城市士绅领导的水龙局在灭火活动中起到了关键性作用;但是,官府和驻防军队在维护灭火活动中的秩序,抢救受灾民众的生命财产中发挥重要作用。而且,官府保持着对水龙局的牢牢控制。官府可以直接插手水龙局的人事任免,裁决水龙局运作中产生的纠纷,也可以依据各水龙局在灭火过程中的表现给予奖励或者惩罚性的措施。在灾后,除了对“火头”采取惩罚外,官府也采取了诸多措施对受灾民众进行钱粮物资上的赈济。但是,在对遭受火灾的民众赈济问题上,当时好像并没有形成一个规范的制度和具体的抚恤标准。在踊跃救火之余,水龙局还创立了专为灾民提供临时居所的暂栖所。在火灾预防上,南京城实行了太平水缸制度。同时,南京城防火措施的实施也充分了发挥保甲组织的高效功能。 In the late Qing period, the frequent fires inside and outside Nanjing City frequently brought tremendous threats to people’s lives and property. The widespread use of oil, holiday negligence, worship fire and bad guys worship arson is a fire multiple factors. The fight against the flames, mainly involving both official and non-governmental forces, was led by the city’s gentry, which played a key role in fire-fighting activities; however, the government and the garrisons maintained order in fire-fighting activities and rescued the lives and property of the affected people In the play an important role. Moreover, the government maintained a firm control of the water bureau. Officials may directly participate in the appointment and dismissal of the Bureau, decide the disputes arising from the operation of the Bureau, or give rewards or punitive measures based on the performance of the respective offices in the process of extinguishing the fire. After the disaster, in addition to punish “Fire Head ”, the government also took a lot of measures to provide relief for the affected people money and grain supplies. However, it seemed that at the time there was not a normative system and a specific standard of pensions for the relief of people suffering from fire. In addition to actively fighting the fire, the Bureau also created a temporary shelter specially designed for victims of temporary shelters. In the fire prevention, Nanjing City, the peaceful water tank system. In the meantime, the implementation of fire safety measures in Nanjing City has also given full play to the high-efficient functions of Baojia Organization.