The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-08-21 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES IN LONDON.

During the whole of Sunday the greatest confusion
prevailed throughout the parish of Shadwell and the
hamlet of Rateliff, owing to the raging of a fire which
lasted upwards of twelve hours, and during that period
property valued at many thousand pounds sterling was
reduced to ashes. With the exception of the fire that
occurred on Friday night, in the West Kent-wharf, on
the Surrey side of London-bridge, this is the largest
that has occurred in the metropolitan district during the
present year.

In Phoenix-place, Ratcliff-cross, stands—or, more cor-
rectly speaking, stood on Saturday night—a large range
Of manufacturing premises, termed the Ratcliff-cross
Wharf, situate in Narrow-street, but extending into Phoe-
nix-place, which was formerly known as Ratcliff-high way.
The premises were in the occupation of Messrs. Parkin-
son and Salmon, wholesale biscuit bakers to the army and
navy, and were termed the Phoenix Mills. At the end
of the mills stood two houses, which communicated with
the principal portion of the factory, three storeys high, and
used as stores. In these houses a vast amount of stock
ready for shipping off or for delivery in town was
deposited. In fact, every floor, it is stated, was filled
with goods ready for shipment for the expedition to
China. The next premises on the eastern side belonged
to Messrs. H. Kempton & Co., leather merchants and
durriers. They formed two houses, numbered 3 and 4,
and the workshops and dtyirtg-hdlises covered a great
space of ground. The adjoining house was fortunately
unoccupied, but it belonged to the firm of Parkinson &
Co., the owners of the mills.

The flames crossed completely over the carriage road,
and attacked with full violence the Phcenix Tavern, the
property of Mr. Thomas Brooks, licensed victualler, as
well as the premises of Messrs. liernpton, the curriers
and leather merchants, the Queen's Head Brewery, and
also three houses on the opposite side, numbered 2,3,
and 4, let out to a large number of poor people.' From
that print the flames extended to Nos. 12, 13, and 14,
in Ratelift:cross..

About an hour after the gre broke out the immense
roof of the mills fell in, the weight of which caused the
floor below also to fall, and then the fire rose higher.
Even so late as six o'clock last Sunday evening the
firemen were obliged to pump over the fire, it being far
from entirely extinguished, altheugh nineteen hours had
elapsed from the first discovery. All danger, however,
of any'farther extension of mischief was over.
At seven O'clock on Sunday evening the fire which
broke out on Friday night in the premises known as the
West Bent-whart; on the south side of London-bridge,
belonging to Messrs. Hartley & Sons, was not entirely
extinguished, and it was doubtful whether it would be
before the middle of yesterday (Monday).

LIVERPOOL POLICE COURT.-YESTERDAY.

(Before Mr. RAFFLES.)
REASONS FOR AN ASSAULT.

A sailor, named James O'Brien, 'was. charged for having
violently assaulted an old man named James Dougherty. The
complainant said be was in Whitechapel on Saturday night,
when the prisoner, whom he had never known before, came up
to him, and without saying a word struck him a violent blow
on the mouth, which knocked him down, and when down he gave
him a kick on the head which cut him severely. Mr. Raffles :
What have yeti to say td this charge 3 Prisoner : I am going to
sea this morning. Mr. Raffles : I ask what you have to say to
the charge of having assauited the old Mart in the violent
manner described? Prisoner : I was robbed by a lot of girls in
Peter-street. Mr. Raffles : Is that a reason for your having
brutally assaulted the old man ? Prisoner : Yea ; I was robbed
in Peter-street, and I ran into Whitechapel and knocked down
the first man I met. Mr. Raffles : And then kicked him when
down ? Prisoner : No ; the policeman came up and prevented
me. The officer said he saw the prisoner kick, complainant
when down. Mr. Raffles said the prisoner was a very brutal
fellow, and he sent him to gaol for two months, in default of
paying Ab fine.
CHARGE OF CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE NAVY.
John presser was charged, fora conspiracy under the follow-
ing circumstances. Mr. Parr appeared for the prosecution,
and Mr. Black for the prisoner. It appeared that the prisoner
was employed by Captain Mends to procure boys for the Royal
Navy,. and that in doing so it was necessary that boys should
have the consent of their parents, next of .kin, or guardians,
and a certain form had to be filled up and signed to that effect.
It appeared that some time ago a boy named Samuel Bromley,
the son of parents residing at Dudley, in Worcestershire, left
home without their consent, and on coming to Liverpool he
went on board the Hastings, when he met the prisoner who
induced him to sign the paper and say that his parents were
dead, and that he had the consent of his uncle, named Withers,
who was alleged to be alive, ha he has been dead over twenty
years. Subsequently the parents of the boy heard of him and
came and claimed him. The Rev. Mr. Connor proved that the
signatures to the paper were acknowledged before him. There
were two other similar charges against the prisoner, and the
facts being proved, he was sent for trial. On the application
of Mr. pluck, his worship said he would take two sureties of
£lO each for his appearance.