The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-26 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIV.E FIRE AT STOCKPORT.

(lit Saturday last, about three o'clock in the afternoon, the
factory belonging to Mr. Hope, in the Cans. was completely de-
stroyed by fire, and of all the valuable machinery which it con-
tained not the least portion was rescued from the deetructive ele-
trent. The tire originated in the lowest room, occupied by Mr.
Maritima, and was occasioned by the fricion of a part of the ma-
(Misery which had been allowed to work too long without a supply
of oil ; and upon oil being applied to it in such a quantity at to
compensate for its prerioue deficiency, it immediately ignited, and
in a moment the whole interior of the room was in a lilac. No
time was loot in giving the alarm, at least so it is stated to us ; but
pone ithatanding this the warty/topic who were employed in the
upper pats of the factory were entirely unacquiinted with their
danger witil the thrnee were litetally bursting to upon them. This
way be accounted for, perhaps, by the nature of the business
carried ten in the build'iig, and the great quantity of raw
canon which was contaiiied in the story immediately abcve
the one in which the tire commenced; the extremely filthy
state of the interior, which has long been proverbial, may
have also assisted in increasing the rapidity of the confla-
gration. The building w . of the old construction, the stair-
rise being of wood. and so situated, that immediately after the tint
alarm was given, the work people found it utterly impossible to
effecftheir escape: for when those in the upper rooms attempted to
make their way down stairs, they were driven back by the flame
and smoke in which they were enveloped. The only way of escape I
which was then presented to them, was through the windows; and
teem these numbersprecipitated themselves, regardless of the pro-
noble injury they might receive in the fall, while others who had '
more presence of mind, hastily fastened the leathern strap of the
pi:chi:wry to some secure place within the building, and throwing '
the end through the window, succeeded in landing safely on the
ground. Several almost miraculous escapes thus effected have been
narrated to us, some of them of so extraordinary a nature as to de-
serve recording. One young woman, who worked in the fourth
story, was subject to frequent fainting fits, on the most trivial ex-
citement ; she heard the alarm of fire, and, almost at the same
moment, was sensible that the flames had reached the floor imme-
diately beneath her. liar sensations at that moment were such as
she usually experienced at the commencement of her fainting fits,
and feeling that if she attempted to make her escape by the stairs
she should not retain her self-poseemion sufficiently to allow of her
reaching the door, she darted to die window, and with one sudden
effort she precipttatcl herself to the grwunl, whence she was
raised by the spectators. in a state of insensibility, but without
haying sustained as other bodily injury than a slight wound on
the back of ter had and the dislocation of an snide. A number
id children were employed in the same room, who were deserted by
Ali cagey:mg one individual who could assist them in making these
escape, and he. wish a generous disregard for his own safety, un-
able to resist the distressing appeals made to him by the unfortunate
children, set about providing for their extrication from danger, with
such presence of Mind as could scarcely hate been expected from any
one shore exietence depended upon the exertion of a moment ; he
collected all the cleleit tn together, and dashing the window frame to
pieces, assisted each of theni to descend to the grouud by means of a
snap which he listened in the interior of the building. No sooner bad
he completed this generous deed, and had just trusted himself to the
same trail support, than the floor of the room gave way and the whole
of its previous contents were added to the burning mass beneath.
le the highest story of the building the situation of the workpeo.
pie was vet more haurelous—at the first alarm they rushed in a
body to the staircase, where their progress was soon arrested by the
names, which were raging with ungovernable fury, and they were
forced to return, without any prospect of escape. The overlooker,
however, fortunately recollected that a communtestion had formerly
resisted between the room in which they then pure and an adjoin-
ing factory, and setting himself to work he succeeded in opening
a passage into it, through which every individual in the room es.
cored safe and uninjured. Immediately after the alarm was given
she engines mere on the spot : but notwithstar.ding that a
plentiful supply of water was at hand, every exertion was unavail-
ing to stop the progress of the flames. So rapid, indeed, was the
co:.nragretion, that in less than an hour the whole of the building
was one reruns of ruins, a part of the outside walls alone remaining.
Saloum Leers were entertained for the safety of the adjoining fac-
tory, and, indeed, the llsmes had communicated to it ; but the ex-
ertions of the firemen were so well directed, that it suffered but
let :ie injury. The building, we understand, was insured ; but as
it was occupied by a number of small tenants, whose livelihood de-
pended entirely on the employment which a few machines afforded
them, it is impossible to calculate the amount of the loss sustained.
Many of them are utterly ruined by this misfortune ; whilst others
who had taken care to insure their little property, will only suffer
the iocoovenience arising from a cessation of their employment.
Upwards of one hundred men, women, and children, have been
deprived of the means of providing for their livelihood, and their
disireesing situation demands for them the deepest sympathy of the
public.
Before re cenclude this article, we wish to impress upon the at-
teittott of all mill-owners, the necessity of sunplying their buildings
with ladders, that in cm- of accideet may afford means of escape to
the ntirrerous individuals whose lives are endangered by such an
occurrence.

Not a single ladder could be procured on this occasion: and al-
though the calamity has been providentially attended with no loss
et lite, sufficient precaution can scarcely be exercised, especially
in bulletin?" the construction of which renders them particularly
liable to similar accidents. _ _

A subseription has been set on foot for the relief of the unfortu-
nate individuals who have been deprived of alt their worldly pos-
sessions by this calamitous .vent.—Stock-ort Advcrliem

We understand that the gentleman who presented the
birds to the Ashmolcan Museum was the Hon. and Rev.
Chas. George Perceval, Rector of Culvcrton, Bucks, and
not the lion. Arthur Perceval, of All Souls' College.—Oz-
fird Herald.

SHANNON NAVIGATION.—The long talked of Shannon
Navigation Company is at length formed and in activity.
No measure that has been yet devised for the improvement
of this part of Ireland is of greater importance than this ;
or more likely, within a short period, to be eminently pro-
fitable to the uodertakers. The Shannon, though dividing
the centre •of Ireland for a considerable portion of its
length, and rendered navigable, at great expense, by the
Irish Parliament, has hitherto been almost entirely useless
for all purposes of conveyance or communication, owing to
the great breadth of the river and the extent of the hikes
through which the line of navigation passed, and where the
barges were exposed, as in an open sea, to be delayed by con-
trary winds. It has always appeared to us very extraor-
dinary, that while steam-vessels were in every direction
crossing the seas—while there was a strong competition of
uteam conveyance in the principal ports of Ireland—so long
a period should elapse before the powers of steam were ap-
plied to the navigation of the Shannon. It was neither a
doubtful nor heavy undertaking. The intercourse between
Dublin and Limerick would, alone, support a steam esta-
blishment on the river. not to speak of the whole interme-
diate line of country with its towns and villages, and with-
out taking into account what is now so well known, that a
hicillty of conveyance creates intercourse. The projectors
of the present Company deserve the thanks of the country ;
and we have Ito doubt they will derive from the under-
taking all the profit they descry. No city required greaser
exertions than Limerick to lift it out of its own littleams,
and those contracted habits which incompassed it, like its
ancient walls, mil almost as impregnable. We should
hope that the projected swam communications, on Cie one
side with Dublin and the Irish sea, on the other with
Valentia and the Atlantic, will excite a new spirit of enter-
prise and improvement.—Limeri4 Observer.
A painful occurrence between two brothers in this town
(Shrewsbury) caused considerable sensation ou Tuesday
night. Immediately after returning from the race on
that evening, Mr. Jones, saddler, a respectable tradesman
in Ma-dol, in this town, was attacked by his brother, who,
it said, has been subject to fits of partial insanity. With-
out 0:e smallest provocation the younger brother seized one
o. tl:e large circular knives used for cutting leather, and
anted a blow at his brother's breast ; the latter warded it
off with his arm, but the second blow took effect on his left
ti,igh, where it made a frightful gash, half a foot in
length, dividing the main artery, and Laying open the flesh
to the very bone. The monster was not even content with
this, but inflicted another severe wound on the right leg.
Messrs. Clement and Griffiths were instantly on the spot,
and tied up the artery ; and we are glad to hear there is
a prospect of recovery. The ferocious young man, not-
withstanding he threatened to execute summary vengeance
on the surgeons, and also to repeat theattack on his brother,
sou allowed to go free till yesterday, when, we believe, he
was apprehended.—Shrearritery
AI:TLENt IN IVialrecaoss- TTT L T.—Aboat eleven
o'clock on Saturday morning, the falling of two unfinished
houses in Whitecross-street caused the greatest alarm
(Imo ighout that neighbourhood. It being known that a
great many men were, at work on the buildings, most exag-
gerated statements of the destruction occasioned amongst
titers were quickly circulated ; but upon inquiry we find
drat the personal injury sustained is much less than under
the circumstances could have been expected, there. having
been only one person seriously hurt ; he was a cementer,
and occupied in the lower part of the building when the
accident happened, and was buried in the ruins. The
cries of the poor fellow, as the fatting materials were seen-
ovulating over him, were truly distresaing. Being after-
visits dug out of the ruins, he was conveyed to' St. Bar-
tbolomen's Hospital, where it was ascertained that his hip
wasdislecated. 'Cho other men„ who were at tedek on the
top of the building, escaped with some slight contusions.