The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-20 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

cality, but succeeded in arriving at no positive con•
elusion as to the cause of accident, and returned a
verdict of " Accidental death." The funeral of eight
of the sufferers took place on Thursday afternoon in
the churchyard of new Sydenham church. The
day was observed as a solemn holiday in the district,
and there was a total cessation of all work within the
palace. The contractors, Messrs. t"o and Ilender
son, invariably make a provision for widows of
workmen who lose their lives in their service, by a
weekly allowance of from 10s. to continued over
periods of not less than twelve months, and the tirm
invariably take charge of the orphan children, and
introduce them to habits of industry in their own
service. .

A TREMENDOUS FIRE broke out in Dover on Stuiday
evening upon some extensive premises belonging to
Messrs. Walker and Co., oil merchant-1 and seed-
crushers. The buildings were situated under the
cliff, about half a mile from the railway terminus,
and were of great magnitude, containing vast stores
of oil, kc., and seine of the largest. presses in
England, altogether worth many thousand pounds.
Some men of the Rifle Brigade first discovered the
calamity by noticing volumes of smoke issuing from the
roof, whence, long before the engines could be
brought to the spot, the flames poured forth to a
height of many yards, and with an intensity which,
combined with the extremely inflammable nature of
the contents, set all attempts to subdue them at de
fiance'. Late at night, when the energies of the local
appliances were found utterly insufficient, a tele-
graphic message was sent to London, and two power-
ful engines, with a posse of brigade men, were
promptly sent down by special train, arriving at
Dover shortly after two iu the morning. By that
time, however, the whole mill presented nothing but.
a sheet of fire, from whence the vats and casks of oil,
occasionally bursting, sent their contents in a flood
of conflagration over the surrounding buildings. It.
was seven o'clock on Monday morning before the
flames were conquered, or, rather, burnt themselves
out, KS the building in which they originated was
utterly destroyed, with its entire contents, except
such as were hurriedly snatched away early in the
evening. The edifice covered more than three
quarters of an acre, and the total value of the pro.
perty is estimated at nearly 60,000/., of which the
salvage amounts to barely 8,0001., in addition to sonic
further sums covered by the insurances. During the
conflagration a frightful fall of the overhanging cliff
occurred, an immense mass of chalk being cracked
and loosened by the heat, and falling to the extent,.
as it was estimated, of nearly two thousand tons.
The place where it fell was densely thronged with
spectators at the time, many of whom had a very
narrow escape. In the darkness it could not be dis-
covered whether any one was overwhelmed, but. it
was feared that all could not have escaped, and the
inquiries made after missing individuals on the sub-
sequent days confirmed the apprehension that some
had perished. A considerable period must, however,
elapse before the enormous mass can be removed, so
as to ascertain the correctness of this conjecture.
BY Till; UPSFTTINO OF A BOAT Mr. Whitefoord,
purser of the African mail-steamer Faith, was lost off
Lagos on the Ist of July, together with nine
men belonging to her Majesty's ship Waterwitch.
THE EXECUTION OF WILLIAM FLACK for the mur.
der of Mrs. Steggles, housekeeper to the rector of
Bacton, took place at Ipswich on Wednesday. The
convict made a full confession of his guilt.