The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-22 00:00:00

THE FIRE IN WHITEFRIARS.

TO TEI &MOE OP TEI EXPRIMS.

es
SIR,—In your impression of the 21st instant, I su
notice that the " Royal Hotel was severely damaged by at
water, &c." lam happy to state that the damage done to the 111
hotel is very trivial, and in no way suspends or interferes la,
with the business. By inserting this letter, you will not only 8;
relieve the anxiety of many friends both here and abroad, gi
but also correct an impression which would do considerable ei
injury to my hotel. —I am, &c.,
London, Nov. 22. POLYDORE DE KEYSER. 2,2

BURNING OF A CHURCH IN THE CITY. --(THI8
Dell—This morning, shortly after midnight, a fire broke im
out in the floe old Dutch Reformed Church in Austinfriars. yi
At first it was thought that the fire could be easily ex• EC
tinguished, but it was subsequently ascertained that the 1/1
flames had wormed their way into a range of offices nam- 94
bored 4, in Crown court, Old Broad-street, the property of 7,!
Messrs. Lister and Beck, as well as another pile of offices at
10, Austiufriars, the property of Mr. J. T. Romania. Even-
tually the flame extended to the roof of the church, and as
the burning pieces of wood fell below the costly fittings and
lower pews became ignited. Nothiag ha t the most persevering
efforts of the firemen could now save any portion of the sacred
edifice. The gallant Captain Shaw and the Duke of
Sutherland cheered on the firemen, and after a desperate
struggle the fire began palpably to diminish, but it was not
entirely extinguished until between 9 and 10 o'clock in the
forenoon. The damage done is eery considerable. The roof
of the church is nearly destroyed, and the remainder of the
building and the fittings severely damaged. It
appears that a number of workmen had been
engaged in redecorating the church, sod it is not impro-
bable that one of them might have dropped a spark from
the candles upou the lining under the roof, as it is quite
clear that the fire bad been smouldering for hours before
the flames showed themselves. The building was the pro-
party of Mr. J. Wyman, of Mincing-lane, and it is at pre-
sent unknown whether it was insured or not. The offices
of Messrs. Lister and Beck. No. 4, Crown-court, and those
of Mr. J. T. Romania, No. 10. Austinfriars, are also
damaged by fire, water, km. The last two owners it is stated
were uninsured.
FIRE IN BREAD-STREET, CITY. —TIGS (Saturday)
morning, about three o'clock, a fire broke out on the pre-
mises of Mr. J. W. Wallace, lace-manufacturer No. 36,
Bread-street. Cheapside, City. Captain Shaw, with a body
of firemen and four engines of the brigade soil one of the
lend steamers, soon an ended, and the fire was confined to
the fourth floor and trifling damage to the third floor, in the
tenure of Messrs. Beau mid Co., warehousemen, by water.
Finn AT MILE-EN D-ROAD. —Another fire hap-
pened in the premises belonging to Mr. H. Macksey, cos
fectioser, No. Y. Bancroft-place, Mile-end-road. The loss
will fall upon the Sun Fireeffice.
Two other fires also took place—one at Pimlico
and the other at Peter-street. St. James's, but the damage,
owing to the timely arrival of the parish and brigade fire-
men, was fortunately not great in either case.
VOLUNTEER ENTERTAINMENT AT THE Cows-
sEum.—Performances on a very extensive scale, in aid of
the funds of the 29th North Middlesex Volunteer Corps,
are to take place at the Colosseum next Monday afternoon
and evening. In addition to the ordinary attractions of the
establishment there are to be special ones, dramatic,
musical, &c., in which many of the members of the corps
will take a prominent part.
MUNIFICENT Girr.—A benevolent lady has pre-
sented to the National Lifeboat Institution 3401., to pay
for the new lifeboat and transporting carriage which

for 1.-
the society had just sees to Fleetwood, on the
Lancashire oust, in lieu of a previous small
boat there, which wu found unsuitable for that
dangerous station. The new lifeboat is to be called the
Edward Waxes, after Captain Waaey, It.N., who while
in command of the Fleetwood coast guard district bad
often put off io the lifeboat, and had rescued 27 shipwrecked
persons under the most dangerous circutustances, and
occasionally duriag a midnight storm.
LE' the Leeds charities