The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-02-27 00:00:00

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DRURY-LIA-7911.1111111111111.111111111141111111111M 771 ATRE. TRE: UM- 2ilB.
TO TUX EDITOR. ••• We tkiek it prep,' to ilitflaras Or roosts,- kaailk sad
Anne well, ha. rvolaig ow dew there Raw ens en jog roan
StaTlie many accounts I hare welt of the
am ip;%,, Tew HIST!. if Pasts Nonriper sager ft: he owe
dread rid catastrophe of the (lest:lit:Sion of Drury- ssysd to the *wart, y thato4 vaermanl c •se,es,, is emotes+
LIM Theatre, impel n,e to state to you %% hat Cass.. Issa as orAer mienaiaz Vnisercipe, tray, far cad repast.
tinder stir vie.,, by way of narrative. I.l,algiag m 11 y sale ?dada, of .Is,papers aka da l nanagiatre that at
integrity for the truth of the aastrtatiat.-01, t ri- Mot always re warkable for twig ),a.Slientaar, that e. •
to 1.1
day ev 4 Levi, about ten o duck. I laid bast. dP_llesdati the..P.ElPce,reß.Tre". eS
MRR. it .
wlt ale
oust, with one or tits, Aleeliaitists of the Thelitri. tar-
, tort Paper
awl called at the st•ge-door of the same, that very in? tree f ieji and impari Aaj.c• Few• the
desired ham to meet toe there. I :onnd lout Innalp,al at 'tics, and, partita'a, la, so • taut remised cionaoll•
Icitchint•ii thee—Brown, tihrvii, Tier. pottitelit,. IticatioNs tonlategzc a rlec:!6•Lia T,ta
sisal a hoe. Itrawn was t set of putting out can-
TlA:PlisePterr Irscati sfoilasliCy Waisd that et it ost,
Me, in a lances. ask -if tile ivatchtnen if thry
.er re
heels touted the Theatre? and we.ansevertt! in the *gh:•,%; p•rAapa tamer three ,eleil-rs Nouipeperi se term,
miflrtnative, and that all was safe. I returned to h tie Aires is seem e:Aer Newpape,s, Gaul nadnaaahr I.
house, coitl t.tl retiriii4 to my bed. heard pettemts e4tlrveti
their
HE
oßa ITS 1118..r.aysa, sea a rou
rhaU :
passing my door swiftly ; n short time lifter I was ';',7"i ~hos, :Ler. hger,:c44l,
0,"
informed oy a boy that a tire had broken out near rill write I."the ofce and wo.Zil „pry I, a pm
•
tit. I went out into the street, mid tmia
aa•ar
cifici,st mm 4.4 irespLyieg fair, iayargal. gait re-
repaired to the Tneatrr, and perceived the 11 ttttt es epa:•444l Newsmen, tower arra i=re.
gis , out Of """ thl" of the tw°'.l"lll"4 g"1- Of the sisr-r—% from :spans mii.l Port wok who
eery. is went into the theatre, by the setseAt -door. and
Landed at Portsmouth, the number of (frail)* does
on the stairs, found Carter, the tnirpenter, attempt-
, not exceed' O. Neatly 600 of the troops Ist re t ets.
toist the hove tit the water-engine. 1 tered, and, as clutitiog arrives for them, are daily_
could &believe the flames, through the small glasses • -
off to

in the front-box clouts, to be to file einfer-roOM. I
went to it by toe way to the pit fruin the stage,
passed the doors leading to the stew Chinese 11411,
which was not 'lieu oil Are, mad gut to the boxes, to '
the Prince's room, a here I met the fire Geeing its
way from the enure-room mild bares. I returned
to tie stage 44111 foetid Mr. Powell, the prompter,
attempting to rare his books, but in vain. I wished
to go to the wardrolw, out the stairs were ail on
fire; 1 returned to the stege, and forced Carter
from the attempt to remove the clock. Mr.
Th tttttt P4Ol a eirtinent bring then on lire, I
found Mr. Johestrine, the inechnuist, there, wars
persisted in going to his apartment, which was en-
ve.oped au tunes; the fire was then fortasig its way
through the veatiletore mid all the cerdege that
sa,e.orts the borders, &c. was on tire, the counter- ,
weig.hts down, atiil the who.e of the box and
.*ry in • complete blaze; the pit was then on
tire, mud shortly after the figure of Apollo fell down
with a most tremendous crash, the smoke coming.'
up the. rivers filial the magazme floor.-1
then insisted that Carter, Sheffield, Appleby. and
ties • . ..0, slimed retire. 1 met Alr. ender-
wood, tame master carpeister, 401,15 to hie room. I
solicited hien net to venture for 111,4 hooks; he per-
sisted, anti the flames which had then got pce,sea-
einii of the flies, lost him to toe in smoke; but 1
anerwards found he had made his escape throagli
the am:cue-room to Inc end of Huseell-street.
Fs thoitonirit.
Oia this watchmen taking their second round, a
little before eleveu o'Llock, they were alarmed by
a smell of lire, the cause of which they taint(' r, t
ascertain kg a CUI/Stat 1311.01 tittle ; they at last die-
covered the coffee-room on the ...erotidl tier to be in
a to nutter blaze, which is supnoae:l to have ori-
"tinted from the carelessness sows plumbers
who hail previeusly beer at work in soldering
rouse part of the reservoir, which hail that moron',
beet, emptied for the purpose of bring ti.auitehtel,
and for winch a tire sad Laren lighted in this
erviest room, ailesionig toe reaervou, wiser*, it ap-
pears, the tire broke oat. The dames immediately
maim ~,, i t .ated to the boxes. The t y, with
the rale of hoildiegs adjoinisig, must inevitably
have fallen, ha I not the unreinittiiig attentions of
tie Wesenoister eligaie continued to play on the
two woo len pitlars that support a party wall be-
tNee,i Ike treasury and the theatre. Nothing was
wool from toe Ammo cxe-pting the book al:CUallt/
of the theatre, and some property. of Messrs. De
Ciee • awl M 0i1...v.6.3nd of %In.. Jordan.
Among the valuable losses which Mr. Sheridan
has sueteiued, and wiiien he most dearly held,
N spo fortes, formerly belonging to the
I.oe Vlra. Sots id ana tor our of which .11r. Slie-
retail had hero (alerted 1,0001. wheel) he refused to
take. A very valuate clock, which mood between
the green-roma sod Inc private boxes, formerly the
propery of VV. Garrick, which was worth 7001.
awl which reviiiir.ol weidin4 up but once a year.
An ()Nall. winch stood on the stage. of Handers,
worth WM. ; and the whole of Mr. Sheridan's
maguiticeat furniture, which was conveyed there
when Mr. Sheridan left Somerset House. An
exemivation took place at Mr. Graham's house,
on Saturday, respecting the cause Of the lire, which
tended to strengthen the idea that it originated
from the neglect or carelessness of the plumbers.--
Another will take place Mr* oily, at :Vir. Graham's,
at which Mr. Sueridan is to be present. There is
tome apprehension that one life is lost, as a well-
fireweed man was seen on the stairs. leading to the
Theatre from the Vinegar-Yard door, apparently
senseless, either from taittocation or fear, nor hate
we beard of any such person having been brought
out.
Several circumstances hare been stated, all tend-
leg to excite a suspicion that the are was wilful
and malicious. Among these, it is said, that a mast,
muffled up in at great cost, was seed to enter the Thea-
tre by the great door in }Lulea:ll-street, about test
o'clock; upna a signal given the door opened, he
entered, and the door closed suddenly upon him. It
is also said that on the day after the tire at St. J 11111.11%
Palace, his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales
received an anonymous letter, assuring him that he
should +eon hear of the destructiou and some other
public building*, in a like way. All the Nobility,
and other people of. fashion, in the West end of the
tows. veeterdey, visited the ruins of this once
splendid theatre. in the afternoon the part of
the wall, on the side of Drury-lane. which had
survived the flames of Friday slight. fell in. During
the whole of 7.-..sterday. the engines contioutd to
play upon the sinakial reins.
The change of venal and weather, so ardently
wished far, came on Tuesday last, since wheels a
number of ships which had beeu long detained at
Portsmouth. have sailed. The wind, liewever,
though int-lined to the eastward, his heen light nod
hailing. which has prevented the lost convoy there
angler orders to sail, from g0ut,,..--that for Madeira
sod the Brazils, under charge of the Brilliind.
Captain Sloven, The Cagier frigate. Capt. Ho-
e:Cars; mail the Brmzen,Captaitt SACPULKD, with
the West Italia convoy, expect orders to wail to a
few s.
The Vrows Iles been Nicene re-
taken, and wised at Dumcr.

marching, , j it• regime:its is thiereeit gallf.•
ters. There are unto Itt POrbaaralth 1650 sick and
wounded; of these 750 are in Hadar Hospital. (ia•
Yefllturat have sea down eigist phyla:Ater and R
star surgeons. the surge-me of the. Horse and Font
Gil:web, with several surgeons of cite militia regi-
rotas, and surgeons from London. who hare vo-
lunteered their oervices to nttessil the ass lc.
A I irge force of artillery, is biirtde of the Foot
Guards, a battalion or the Scots Royals, with se-
veral corps, are order, d to prepare for immediate
Pere ice. . .
The report of a recent attempt to assassinate the
Grand Duke CON.ITASTINK, niesitioued io one of
the Peoria, on Saturday, is said to rest On the seri-
dessce of a Seeslisit pilot, who incepted from Sees-
lon.t, the 7.h or Bth of/um:try. Should such be
the date. of the report, it most wee...aril/ be erso-
mous ; as we know h.! was well on the 7ih, and
pcesent al the entry.of their Pat:anis NAJtiolltS
into Petersburgh. There are, besides, letters of a
recent date from St. Petersbureh, by the way of
Gottenburgh, which are totally sileut opqn the
subject. -
The Portuguese Couneils-have asaimed a spirit
of unusual boldness and energy, seep setts they
have been removed to the Brazils. Au egglisfaciom
was fitted out against Etomos Ayres, islimoilloo.
ed in conitequeoce of the recent
events in Spain. it appears, however. tom. ihio
enterprizing spint has nut aliated, hot that'll@ ins
taken a new director:, and has been sent against
Cayenne.
Saturday the Doke of Yoox waited on His •
31aziecry, on particular boners; iu the of letroots
he returned to L00d0...
The Losu ALLYORwiII hold a Coast of Coin-
soon Council. on Tnursday nea. at la n'cleeks to
fee'lli.! a Report respectin4 SinithAeld Market; to
consider motions of thanks to Sir A. Wettzstrir.
with a sword of 200 guineas value. for his conduct
in Portuot ; to Sir DAVID BAIRD, and the Oil%
eers and 'nen, for their conduct at Gorages: sod
to appoint Coin:nitter for the year ewsusag.
Captain MORRIS. late of His MAJESTY. ship
Mdtpset, is arrived in town from the Baltic. with
dispatches from Admiral Kerr* to Government.
and also with the particulars of the loos of thus
*hip in the Baltic. The vessel in which he sailed
hats broti4ht over severe! letters to the 13th ioetants
The Magpie was hsst near Malmo. but the whole
of the crew were saved. The political accounts
from Sweden, by this conveyance, are.highly oaths
factory. Gus-raves, it is said, continues as des
termined as ever to listen to no accommodation
with BONAPARTE, and has no intention whatevet
to make peace with Russia. The Swedish Go.
vernment is actively employed in building gun-
boats and small craft. for the purpose of opposing
the Danish cruisers, who are daily. increasing in
*umbers. .
The Spanish Ambassador, it is said, has received
'lll, account ofan action at Saragossa, about the eoth
lost, its which the French were defeated with a lon
of 7000 men.
On Tuesday last a common Hall was holden at
Boston, when the Rieht lion. Sir JoSEPII BANKS,
Bart..K.B. &c. was notiMmously elected kieeorderof
that Corporation, in the room of his Grace the late
Doke of ANCAhTER, who had filled that office 17
years. A more tit successor to the late venerable
and worthy Duke could not have been selected ;
Sir Joseph BANES having long evinced a strong,
disinterested attachment to the town of Boston ;
and having by his exertions greatly conduced to
the extensiou of the trade and commerce of t
flourishing port.
The Twenty and Ten Thousand Pound Prize*:
besides other Capitels shared and sold by Hoes/s-
-ae and Co. in the last Lottery. are wring in full at
the Old Established State Lottery Offices: Nu. 26,
Cornhill, and St. Mergeret's Hill. Borough; where.
Tickets aed Shares for the present superior Lot-
tery are on sale, The advantages to'the purchasers
are such as to reader them incalculsible. The Pros
are well arruaged. and the 1,500 Estra Chance-sic,
very beneficial, that every one who can with rase
become an adveoturer, no doubt will try theirgood
fortune.
Governor BENTtNett fell front his horse in a Et.
shout tour o'clock, last afteritrin. et the font of
Westminster Bridge'. His clothes were caught by
the spikes of the lintel, and a Lady gassing be
seized the bridle of leis horse. lie was imme-
diately extricated, and conveyed into the Motel,
where medical assistance, was inglitkair orocire'i-
Captain termitic is a near relative of the Dulte
of PORTLAND.
Those distinguished Ofßiers, Sir JAWS! Sang A.
Ear. and Sir SAMUFL Tin00,,,4i1l re-bout their
Nair re, hosed their respective ships. the Kersey.
of 100 guns Copt. DUNlAltile; aid the Ce stair.
of 74 elms, Caso. WEIALST. at Portentneth, and
tiroestel to the Baltic, as soon 1121 that Pea is ors
visteltle- The Cease', is to *eel to the Doom SO
recs. ye Sir RAIRIJEL 111,)4.1A.N NNW.
Friday. Captain Woonottrir. agent for prime g •
of war at Protein:milt. sontuirked 109 Ernie, Ps .-
emers at We. and sir aliens, on board the /)e.Aee
cartel, for Myriads. They are to be sent to Frost .
lin exchange for the same asamber captured by
rowel misers, sad released at sea.

of that