The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-02 00:00:00

About half-past sift on Sunday night a fire waft
discovered in the bottom story of the warehouse concocted
. with the premises of Meears. Briggs and Co., flaxliners,
Hunslet, and before the flame,. could be estingui the
whole of the building in which the fir* originated, with its
contents, was destroyed. The building thus destroyed is
known as the Silk Mill, adjoining the Hunslet Railway
Station, and it consisted of a large warehouse and dwelling-
house, 110 feet loot by 30 in depth, the former being three
stories high, exclusive of attics. At the other extremity it
adjoined a new warehouse, and both these, at the time the
fire broke out, were filled with raw material, the firm
having • large sod valuable stock of flax and tow on hand.
Fortunately it was disconnected with the mill premises,
which stand at • right angle, being separated by an
open passage and court, or the damage would have been
much more serious than it is. The fire was first discovered
by Mr. William Briggs, who occupied the dwelling-house,
and an ahem was immediately given. Mcssengeni were
despatched to Leeds for the engines, and the workpeople in
the oeighbourhood were soon on the spot, but the almost
inevitable delay which occurred before anything hie ade-
quate assistance could be obtained gave to the names a
mastery which it was afterwards found impossible to over-
come until the building had been gutted. The inflammable
nature of the material mined the fire with astoniabing ra-
pidity from one story to another, and the flames Mast the
windows and the roof with • force which nothing could
check. Finding it impossible to save the building, the at-
tention of the firemen was directed to the adjoining ware-
house, and the roof and floorings of the old building having
fallen in, they gradually brought the fire under control,
and about one o'clock all danger was past, the new ware-
house having escaped with but alight injury from fire. Some
few boards next to the wall of the old warehouse, as well as
a small quantity of flax, were burnt, but the chief injury was
caused by water, a large quantity of flax being damaged in
that way. The books and furniture were saved, the latter
being very much broken in the process of removal, but with
this exception the building and its contents became a heap
of ruins. The debris, largely mixed with flax, continued to
smoulder the whole of Monday, and workmen were
engaged in removing such parts of the burnt flax as they
could recover, but it will not be of much value. The tire
is supposed to have originated from spontaneous com-
bustion. The damage is roughly estimated at from 11,0001.
to 12,000/., which is covered by insurance to the extent of
two-thirds in the Lancashire and Imperial offices. The new
warehouse is insured in the Caledonian. Seriou4 complaint
has been made as to the want of organization and unity of
action in the fire brigades. One engine was frozen, and
nearly an hour elapsed before it could be brought into play,
and there was a great wont of direction and judgment. There
was a water-plug on the premises, but it was practically use-
less, as there was not sunk:lent pressure toforce the wator on
the fire.

FURTHER. DETENTION OF THE INWARD MAILS
THROrtal SNOW AND FLOoD.—Yesterday morning, the
principal officer of the circulation department of the Poet-
office, reported the absence of mail bogs from the following
places, viz. :—Downham, Lynn, Petworth, Abergavenny,
Brecon, Crickhowell, Poot-y-pool, Wrexham, Llangollen,
Ruabon, sod West Hartlepool. The effects of the late severe
mow fall are, therefore, now manifestly felt in the malt-
bonrhood of Norfolk, and North and South Wales. In the
midland and north-western counties, the flow of water from
the highlands caused by the sadden thaw, has caused floods
which have already seriously retarded the traffic on the
lines of railway. By a distinct announcement issued yes-
terday at the Poet-tam, the public were informed " that
the delivery of letters that (Tuesday) morning, commenced
at • later hour than usual, in consequence of the late
snivel of the North Western and Midland Railway trains.
THE BIRKENHEAD STREET RAILWAYS AND THE
CABMEN.—At • special meeting of the Birkenhead Commis-
sioners yesterday some discussion took place relative to the
annoyance offered by the cabmen of Birkenhead to Mr.
Train's street railways, by walking their vehicles in front of
the railway cars, and thus causing conaiderable incon-
venience to passengers. The chairman (Mr. J. Lain!) said
that the law clerk was of opinion that the commissioners
had power to punish the misbehaviour of cabmen, sod that
thq were at all events determined to try the question. He
believed also that in the next tension a bill would lie in-
troduoed into parliament granting corporate bodies and
commissioners permissive powers relative to the layiug
down and management of street railways. One of the mem-
bers of the board (Mr. Geo. Harrison) said that if the cab-
men of Birkenhead persisted in their conduct in reference
to the railways. he and several other gentlemen were de-
termined to start a Limited Cab Company in opposition.
SCHOOL OF ART Fox BISEENHEAD.—At the
meeting of the Birkenhead commissioners, yesterday, Dr.
Baylis, chairman of the library committee, mad that the COM.
mittee had declined to take charge of the school of art, as
they did not feel justified in incurring the responsibilities
attached to it, while they were also short of funds. Not-
withstanding this the board had sent down a master from
London.Mr Land, chairman, said that be and Mr. Hern-
iae had arranged to open a school of art in the township on
to the
isothrileirm%iwsie toner foursitbhileituseY' "of ihsomeyeinoftetatiheedvaranatpply rooms in
the Monk's Ferry Hotel. They also intended to apply to
the London board to seed a second Master.
CRYSTAL PALACE. —ONE SHILLING BAT.
TmestiAT, JAN. I.—Admissions on payniant, 9,141; ditto
hy eareeMidain, 6111.—Total visitors, 2,70