The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-28 00:00:00

DREADFUL FIRE.

We have obtained the following further particulars of the de-
struetive fire which broke out on Thursday evening in the exten-
sive wharfs and warehouses of Messrs. Pickford and Co. on the
banks of the City Road Basin. The fire was first observed in the
interior of the middle row of warehouses, and so rapid was its pro-
gress as to defy every effort to prevent it from spreading destruc-
tion around, and in a short time it communicated to the budding.
At this time vast crowds of persons thronged the exterior of the
building, while as many more were observed Instating from all
parts of London, guided by the column of flame, which was visible
many miles ; the persons employed in the interior, olitiernng the
immense mass press upon them, very prudently closed all the
gates, to prevent the ingress of any individuals. Those premises,
which contained a great quantity of the product of the Northern
part of England, were seen In entire flame, while the various corn-
' niodities recently imported presented a heap of smoky ruins. The
engines, as they arrived, were brought into play, partly standing
in the Canal, while the firemen manned a boat, and boldly ventured
as near the flames as the scorching heat would allow them. The
flames at this time had obtained such ascendency that all attempts
to save the building were useless ; every engine that was then in
full play seemed not in the least to damp the flame, nor prevent it
spreading its destruction : the firemen therefore turned their at-
tention to the adjacent buildings of Messrs. Pickford, lying east-
ward of the City-road, and displayed their utmost efforts to prevent
them falling a prey to the fire. Their exertions were successful,
and they saved the object they aimed at ; had they caught, there
is not the least doubt but Mr. Holt's warehouses would also
have shared the morn fate ; the werehenses, however, where the
fire first originated, being stored with goods, particularly from
Liverpool, Manchester, Staribrdshire, Birmingham, and Shef-
field, defied all exertions to save a single article ; the flames
continued spreading in every direction, and several engines
were brought round within the walls, and then commenced play-
ing upon the aide warehouses near the City-road, which contained
an unusual quantity of china and glass in crates. All the gates
in Ratcliffe-row and Macelestield-street were closed; but the walls,
standing eighteen feet high, were lined with persons, and the crowd
at length forced one of the great gates, and gained the banks of the
canal opposite to the fire ; it was spreading then far and wide &boat
die warehouses, while the red-hot tiles from the roofs, splitting
into a thousand pieces, resembled an explosion of gunpowder. At
length the flames were somewhat abated in the first quarter, oral
then began its ravages in the left.hand range of warehouses, prin-
cipally °alned by crates of china, /sc. which were almost totally
consumed. At half-past eleven o'clock at night. the Moors mere
entirely subdued, but vast columns of smoke were still rising from—
all parts of the ruins. The total amount of what is destroved by
this destructive fire has not been ascertained. Mr. Pickford's pro-
perty, it is said, is insured to an amount sufficient to cover his total
loan ; but it is asserted that such is nut the ease with a great quan-
tity of merchants' property.
The conflagration was not owing either to the explosion of gait,
or the taking fire of tow, as reported, but from the bursting of a
carboy of vitriol, and commenced in a warehouse to the eastward
of the Basin, on entering by the arch from Ratcliff-row, and was
first discovered by a bargeman). The loss of property is reported at
upwards of 20,00141.
The half.consumed body of Mr. V tells, the collecting clerk of
Messrs. Pickford, was dug out of the ruin', at eleven o'clock yes-
terday morning, together with the mangled joints of a boy named
Thomas, and conveyed in a shell to St. Luke's bone-house ; two
others, labourers in the wharf, were taken home, dreadfully scorched.
None of the firemen received material injury. James Pogo, of the
Royal Exchange, and Richard Simpson, of the Guardian, fell into
the dock, but regained the wharf ; another fireman was maimed by
a handspike tinced into his hand. It is thought, had it been pos-
sible to have Lunched one of the engines, the flames might have
been earlier extinguished.

HIGH WATER THIS DAY AT 140NDON-BRIDOL
Morning, 8 min. Mgr I. I Afternoon, 31 loin. dter H.

Printed at THE BRITISH PRF.SS CHlice, by J. W. Cmtasoi,
181, Strand; and Published by R. CAN xox, was piace.