The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-16 00:00:00

FIRE AT BUCKINGHAM-PALACE.

Last night, shortly after the arrival of their
Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, with
their distinguished suite, at the state ball given by com-
mand of the Queen, an occurrence took place which
might have been attended with serious consequences.
In order to give due éclat to the decorations carried out to
adorn the extensive ball-room, one of the great windows
in the north-east corner was illuminated by means of
pa. Whilst the company was still arriving, and the
state ball was just about to commence, it was
found that from the too great heat of the gas
the glass cracked, and fell to the floor, and the flame of
the gas had commenced to attack the wooden framework.
Fortunately the contractor and two men were in attend-
ance. and they at once ran to the main and turned the
gas off, the band striking up at the moment the
quadrille, " La Grande Duchesse,"consequently very few of
the royal and distinguished visitors were aware that any-
thing wrong had happened. Such, however, was not the case
outside the palace, for, owing to the many persons who
were witnessing the arrival of the company, they
saw the whole of the occurrence, and fearing
that the palace would be destroyed, they sent
off for the engines of the Metropolitan Brigade, and in a
very few minutes four or five land steamers by Shand,
Mason, and Co.. with a number of manual power machines,
arrived nt the entrance to the palace, but fortunately
the services of the firemen were not required, as all further
danger was over. Captain Shaw, the chief officer of the
Metropolitan Brigade, describes the damage done as fol-
lows : Wood frame of the illuminated window damaged by
fire, and glass broken in north-east corner of the ballroom.
Cause of fire—heat from gas.

Costa*: tuts DISEASZS.—A memorial has been
presented to the Lord President of the Council, signed by
Dr. Alderson, president of the Royal College of Phy-
sicians. Mr. J. Hilton, president of the Royal Col-
lage of Surgeons, and other distinguished phy.
sicians and surgeons, expressing their opinion
that the principle of the Contagious Diseases
Act, 1866, should be extended to the civil population by
providing proper hospital accommodation for women suf-
fering from diseases of the kind referred to, and giving
power for their detention in hospitals. These mea-
sures, it is urged, do not involve any system
of licensing prostitution ; but they are intended
to be purely restrictive and sanitary in their operation.
The objects of the memorial are heartily approved by Dean
Stanley, the Vice-Chancellors of Cambridge and Oxford,
Canon Selwyn, and other dignitaries of the church, and by
Admiral Sir W. F. Martin, Major-General Murray, and
Sir John Bowring.
THE Lars ELECTION AT BalsroL.—The follow-
ing is e copy of a letter which Mr. Samuel Morley has
forwarded to the liberal electors of Bristol :—" Dear sir,—
I cannot allow the events of the late election to pass out of
remembrance without offering some more defiiiite expres-
sions of gratitude for the untiring and earnest support
which I received from the liberal party in your city.
I make no further reference to the gross and illegal acts
of our opponents, which led to our defeat, than to express
the hope that by a searching exposure something may be
done to check practices utterlyoubvenive of everything like
fair play, and which, if submitted to, must render all ap-
peals to intelligence conviction, or political principle
utterly futile. I gladly, however, confine myself to the
more congenial duty of thanking, from the bottom of my
heart, the 4,977 electors who recorded their votes in my
favour, and especially the many members of the various
committees who with such untiring zeal conducted
the canvass and continued their persevering efforts
to the last hour of the poll. I remember with
pride the band of faithful and zealous workers by
whom I was surrounded, and would entreat them to
bear in mind that the principles on behalf of which we
have together contended are eternal, and that we shall
find our best reward for continued fidelity and earnest
effort in their ultimate triumph, which will assuredly
oome ere long, and which, indeed, we are beginning to
realise, and for the full completion of which we must be
prepared cheerfully and perseveringly to strive. To your-
self personally, as one of the above number, 1 tender my
hearty thanks, and remain, dear sir, yours very faith-
fully. S. MOILEV. London, May 8."
Tue 'emu Caution QUESTION.—An enthusiastic
meeting on the Irish church question was held at Stafford
on Thursday evening in the lecture-hall of the Lyceum,
under the presidency of Mr. W. Silvestro, the mayor of
the town. A resolution in favour of disestablishment,
and the adoption of such further measures as may secure
to the Irish people entire'religions freedom and equality,
was moved by Mr. H. W. Gibbon, seconded by Mr. Austin,
and supported by Mr. Mason Jones. An amendment was
proposed, which after considerable delay, was
but on being put to the meeting not single handsle:entid
up in its favour. The original motion was then carried
amid general reclamation. The meeting was concluded
by votes of thanks to Mr. Mason Jones and the chairman,
and three cheers for the Queen and Mr. Gladstone.
- THE BRITISH ARROCIATION.—The arrangements
In connection with the Norwich meeting of the British
Association for the Advancement of Science are making
steady progress. Among the foreigners of distinction
who have announced their intention to be present are
Padre Seochi, Rome, Drs. Beluer and Broca and M. Luist
Jenne, Paris, and Dr. Vogt and_Coloned Moulins, Geneva.
The International ArchoPnal Society intends to honour
Norwich with a visit at the same time as the British
Association. This latter society never bolds a meeting
twice in successive years in the same country.