The Express.
London, England, 1864-08-05 00:00:00

TOTAL DESTRUCTION OP COLONEL

MIfURDO'S MANSIOR:

We regret to state that the mansion of Colonel
lellurdo, the inspector general of volunteers, on the
banks of the Thames, at Fulham, was yesterday en-
tirely destroyed by tire. It should be stated that the
moues, which had a thatched roof, contained from 1$ to
20 rooms, some of them of great size. The principal re-
ception-mom. being nearly 40 feet long, was most
gorgeously famished, sad the walls were hung with pic-
tures of some of our greatest military heroes and other
subjects. The rich tapestry and articles of vertu that
*domed this portion of the building were worth some
thousand pounds, whilst the drawing-rooms and other
*nutmeats were fitted up in the Name costly manner ; but
nothing sow remains excep) the walls, and of the richly-
carved furniture scarcely a vestige can be seen.
At the time of the outbreak, 12 o'clock at noon, there
were two gardeners at work in the grounds and two females
in the mansion, the colonel and his lady being then from
home. All of • sadden one of the gardeners perceived
smoke rising from the thatched roof nearest the river side,
which was immedi►tely afterwards followed by • large
sheet of flame rising into the air. An alarm was home-
dignity given, and the servants and she (sidemen made an
attempt to remove the valuable pictures and some of the
furniture, but owing to the dry state of the thatch the fire
spread completely over the whole of the roof, sad the hern-
ias embers falling upon the floor below caused it to ignite,
and the fire dropped into the lower floor so rapidly that every
room became fired in • space of time so brief that scarcely
any article of value could be carried out without jeopardis-
ing the live, of those engaged in their praiseworthy efforts,
and they in consequence were obliged to leave everything
to its fate.

Three parish engines quickly ertiared, followed by two
brigade mines from tows, ander the direction of Mr.
&gamer Handyn. The engioes were taken to the banks
of the Thames and set to work, but it at aloe became
apparent that the mansion end its tremors" were doomed
to destruction, mid the firemen therefore exerted them-
selves to save the vinery, greenhouse', and ooneirvatoriiiii,
and to some extent they were surmaseul, The choke
exotics and other ewes plants were destroyed.
The firemen and parish engineers stock to their work
for several hours, but in spits of this the flames roe-
tiouad to mount high above the tops of the opposite
houses, and all of • sudden a loud and fearful mash was
heard, which upon inquiry was found to have been caused
by the falling of the floors and the descent of two immense
fire-proof sues, each of the latter weighing several
hundredweight. In MOPS cafes were deposited in the
the plate sad in the other the jewels of the family. They
both fell into the midst of the great body of flame ; but
whether any of the valuable &melee in either of the two
have been saved is at precut unknown, for both the chaste
wore red hot, and the firemen, owing In the great body of
fire that is likely to last for novena bows will not be able
to remove tad open them until late to-day.
As to the origin of the fire nothing is positively known.
The only fire that had been used dunog the week was io the
grate in the cookery, but it is speculated upon that a spark
from the chimney from that department of the establish-
ment might have flown oat of the chimney shaft and have
falls. upon the thatch of the roof, or the spark from the
furnace of a planing steamer might have ceased the same
disastrous resulta. The matter, however, will be fully in.
quired into by the brigade autheritim.
Owing to the absence of the gallant colonel it was impos-
sible to tell whether the property was Inured or not, bet
the fireDlllo were informed that none of the pictures bad
ever been insured.