The Express.
London, England, 1861-06-24 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 24, 1861.

of prominence Mood oat in hold relief by the
strong light thrown upon them. The River Thames, however,
presented the most singular appearance of all, as on its
bosom the reflection from the flames and smoke threw itself
into every shape and colour—now an inky black when the
' columns of smoke hung over it ; then like • sheet of silver,
1 when the moon, in combination with the flames from the
saltpetre sulphur and ltpetre explosions, threw its rays on the
waif; and again, as some fresh victim was caught by the
devouring element and the red flame rushed high up in the
' air, shining like a plate of burnished gold. Boats and craft
of every description were moving up and down in hundreds,
1 giving to the whole scene an appearance of • grand aquatic
Mtn with fireworks.

About 10 o'clock, am the evening wore on, and It became
apparent that the fire would burn on through the night,
itio•rent vendors of gingerbeer, fruit, cakes, coffee, and all
the various articles that form the stock-in•trade of the Lon-
don costerrnonger, began to range theuselvee elm the
pavements, and a brisk trade wee carried on, especially alter
the public-Louses lied closed, merry of which, however,
taking advantage ot,the occasion, kept open door all night.
The scene continued without intermissioe until after three
o'clock yesterday morning, at which hour thousands of
people were still congregated on the bridge and in its neigh-
bourhood. Any one who Gould have shut hie eyes
to the calamity that was raging a few yards
from him, would easily have imagined himself in
the presence of a great national fete. It is due, however,
to the people to state that there was but little of that
boisterous revelry which would naturally accompany such
am ummice, but that every one aeared to be toned down
into beriottosess by the awful aid terrible destruction of
life and property which was taking place before him.
During the whole of yesterday, up to a late Lour at
night, London-bridge, Billinpgate, the Custom-house-
.4.l9t,_and all the approaches to the fire where the slightest
i!pLore of it maid be obtained, were crowded with spec-

The following is another account of the manner in which
Mr. Braidwood met his death : —About ballast seven
o'clock he entered the gateway leading to the wharf neared
St. Olave's Church, and proceeded down the avenue, where
four of his men were supporting and directing two branches ,1
from the floating engine. By this time the warehouse in
which the fire commenced was gutted, but the enormous
stock of tallow which bad bun stowed in the lower floors
caused the flame■ to rise to • considerable height. At in-
tervals there were loud reports as if from the explosioe of
carboys or barrels of oil, but at the time it did not excite
anypttparticular alarm, as the foreman of the wharf had
the firemen that those warehouses contained no ex-
plosive material, such as saltpetre, but admitted that there
was • large stock in another part of the wharf. The police,
who by this time had got command of the thoroughfares
leading to the wharf, had cleared this western gateway or
avenue, and with the exception of the firemen, there wine
only a few penons standing by. Mr. Braidwood, who had
whited the men several tames previously, seeing the dis-
tressed state they were in from the intones heat and their
great exertions, called his attendants and gave each of them
a nip" of brandy. Suddenly a terrific explosion occurred.
loan instant it was seen that the whole of the frontage of
the second warehouse was coming down, falling outwards
into the avenue. Mr. Henderson, the foreman of the
southern district of the brigade, who was standing within
a few paces of Mr. Bnadwood, shouted for them , ' all to
tun." The men dropped their breeches. Two with Mr.
Henderson escaped by the hoot gateway, and the other
men ran in the opposite direction oar to the wharf, where
they jumped into the river. Mr. Braidwood made an effort
to follow Mr. Henderson, but he was struck down by the
upper part of the wall and buried beneath sans tons of
brickwork. His death must have been instantaneous.
Several of his men would have rushed to extricate him, and
indeed some did so, hopeless as the task was, but another
explosion happening caused the men to fly in great terror.
The sad fate of this gentleman hail • most depressing effect
upon all who witnessed it.
The writer of this account authoritatively states that Mr.
Braidwood is the only member of the fire brigade force who
has perished, all the men having answered to the roll.
At one period the two powerful steam floating engines
were compelled to be hauled away, in consequence of the
flaming matter which poured over the wharf wall, and co-
vered the surface el the river the whole length of the
burning warehouses. As it was, they had lost a large quail.
tity of hose by the walls being blown down.
The two steam land engines, built for the bit-
pde by Shand and Mason, were working vigo-
rously in Tooley-street, but the overpoweriug beat
preveated the men approaching the ruin near enough to be
of any prettied service ; indeed the duty was fraught with
great danger, and they were very properly called off. The
whole of the carriage war of Tooleyetreet was ankle deep
in hot oil end tallowv whisk flowed in all directions from
the wereboase, and the fear was that it would by seine ma.
fortune be brought into contact with turpentine, and get
ignited. At this ensis Mr. Henderson, on whom the re.
sponaible duty of directing the operations of the brigade
had devolved, had a consultation with Mr. logo, another
of the principal officers of the brigade, as to what course
was best to be followed. Remaniable as it may seem,
there was not a single representative present of the direc-
tor. of the insurance offices forming rming the committees who
have the numagement of the brigsak. Mr. Henderson at
once deemed it advisable to telegraph to the authorities at
Deptford and Woolwich dockyards, soliciting aid from thee,
establishments, and that their floating engines might be
towed up with all expedition. The writer understood that
the engines from Deptford dockyard were despatched, but
with regard to Woolwich no notice was taken of the appeal.
The St. Katharine and London Dock Companies at once sent
their floating engines, but the conduct of the authorities
at the lower, where there is • powerful
army of engines, bore a strange contrast, for
not the least assistance was tendered. About this time Sir
ltichard Mayne, the chief commissioner of police, arrival,
and wishing to see the chief officer of the brigade, ittioird
if there was any onewho would take the responsibility of
blowing up the buildings with a view of preventing the fire
extending any further. He was informed that the brigade
declined undertaking such responsibility, but that he (Sir
Ricluirt)as the representativeof the civil power might do so
upon his own responsibility. The commissioner, however,
&grimed to act, leaving the brigade to "perform theirduty."
Wean informed that the government were apprised of the
ealensity, but beyond • very strong body of police no farther
aid was rendered.
Late last evening Mr. Henderson completed • rough re-
port of the extent of the property cketroyed forth' guidance
of the fire offices, but it will be several days before an acou-
rate list of the eufferers and the contenta of the different
warehouses and the insurance companyies interested can be
given. It is scarcely neeessery to say that nearly every office
in the country is concerned, the principal being the chief
London offices. The total amount of the damage his been
variously estimated. It lee been computed at as much as
three millions, but we merely give this as • conjecture.
Anxious inquiries were made throughout the day as to
whether the remains of Mr. Braidwood had been recovered.
At present it a impossible to reach the spot where the un-
fortunate gentleman fell, and from the immense fire which
encircles the place it is doubtful whether any attempts can
be made for several days, and even then it rt feared that
little will be found of him except the metal work of his
accoutrements, and some gold which he had in hie pockets.
The melancholy death of Mr. Braidwood, the respected
chief of the brigade, has produced • profound feeling of re-
gret amongst all cleanse. He was highly respected by a very
large circle of fneads, and his sad end has excited much grief
amongst his men. He was appointed superintendent of the
Loudon Fire Brigade as its establishment in 18:13, and it was
through ha ability and unwearied exertions that the force'
attained the efficiency which now so prominently distin-
, (sashes it. On all matters affecting the security of the so-
. vernment sod other public buildings he was consulted by
the authorities, and of late years he held an appointment
from government as • kind of superintending inspector of
the royal palaces and various public establishments with
reference to their protection from fire. He was conspicuous
for watching over the movements of his nee when they
were likely to be placed in any great peril, and be would
not permit his nun to take up a poeition or to enter any
place unless he was satisfied that they were not exposed to
any unuecoaery risk. lie was in his elat year, sa has left
a widow and six children to lament his sad loss. He was
a member of amend scientific institutions.

The Rev. Dr. Cumming in the course of his sermon yes-
tonlay, at his church, in Crown-oourt, referred to the death
of Mr. Braidwood, who he observed had been upwards of
lb years pest a mentor of his contregation. Dr. Cumming
stated that Mr. Braidwood had fur many years been • lead-
ing and influential member of the various educational and
benevolent committees connected with his church ; that he
was marked in all his opinions and suggestions by so ordi-
nary good sense, devotedness, and enemy, and that to his
wisdom and discretion he owed much of the success that had
crowned his exertions. The rev. doctor remarked that of
all the men he ever met, Mr. Braidwood was the most
practical, aelf-denying, and disinterested. He had
known him spend two days in investigating the
elements of a difference between two good men an
the same committee, and rejoicing with no ordinary
delight o• finding, or rather cresting • happy
" issue out of alb" His was real genius, whether in dealing
with • material conflagration or a moral dispute. Patieuce,
forbearance, rich common sense, and a general sympathy
that endeared him to all, induced Dr. Cumming to state
that he had lost no common ally on account of his numerous
and suoceuful efforts to do goad—for these were the dis-
tinguishiug excellencies of hi, friend. Dr. Cumming mid
he felt his sudden removal no ordinary calamity to his flock,
his Scottish countrymen, and his labours as a Christian
pastor; " but," said the preacher, "he died on the post of
duty, and whether it was the battle-field, or at the bead of
the Sr. brigade, the holiest place on earth on which to live
or die was not on encaustic soil or on tesselated pavement,
but at the poet of duty."
Between 10 and 11 o'clock last night the flames broke out
with great violence along the whole range of the rains,
rendering it neoessary to bring the engines into requisition
once more. Although an immense body of wider was
poured on the flames they remained unsubdued, and at 12
o'clock a large block of dwelling-houses in Tooley-street,
abutting on Cotton's-wharf, and which escaped on Saturday

evening, were menaced with destruction, and it was only by
great exertion on the part of the firemen, aided by the
wind blowing on to the water that they were enabled to
save them. Repeated explosions have taken place during
the night, and the firemen are working in great danger from
the state of the vaults, and the repeated shocks by the
explosions. Several men are at thin moment down in the
vaults, which run under the street a considerable distance,
with ropes fastened round their waists, playing upon the
burning barrels of tallow contained in them. About one
o'clock this morning one of the men thus en-
gaged had • narrow aicapo from being suffocated
and burnt, but having just sufficient strength left
to call for assistance. be was drawn up in an apparently
lifeless state, but partially recovered after being exposed to
the air. An explosion of the large saltpetre vaults is
looked for every minute. While these lines are being
written the fire is burning with great intensity, and the
reflection is to be seen for miles around.

_ .
No attempt has yet been made to discover the remains of
the late Mr. Braidwood, and a belief is current that there
are at least seven other parsons lying buried in the ruins.