The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-07-12 00:00:00

FIRE.

Drury lane was yesterday morning thrown into a state of the
greatest alarm by the sudden breaking out of a fire in the premises
of Mr. Pingold, baker, at the corner of Stewart'a-rents. The flames
were first discovered about half.past nine, and spread with such ra-
pidity as to render'the escape of the inmates on the second floor. by
means of the staircase, a matter of extreme difficulty, While in
this dangerous si tition, a Term 0 named Creevy, who kegs a van,
drew it atioas the street, under the windows, and several persons
got into it, and joining their arms, caught the inmates safely as
they jumped from the windows. The greater part of the fur.
niture and other property was also thrown into the van, and
conveyed to the neiglib.‘uring church-yard fur security
ir.,m the first.ficsor wiodiw several children were thrown, but they
also escaped (injury. Tbc fire very aliortly afterwards communi-
cated to the house of Air. King, a shoemaker, and to the back part
of the house of Mr. Love, a hairdresser; the former was materially
damaged, the latter much lees so. Mrs. Love, who is in the last
stage of pregnancy, was safely conveyed to the house of a neigh-
hour, but she appeared to be exceedingly ill. A woman who lived
at three doors* distance, and who had been confined only a week,
leaped out of a room on the second floor, and cut her hand and
wrist dreadfully. The child was taken out sately by the father.
The wind blowing from the north-west, the flames very soon
catight the two adjoining houses in Stewart's-rents. The scene of
confusion that here took place it is impossible to describe; the
whole court is inhabited by working t•eople, chic-fly Irish, who Mere
seen running in every direction with their articles of furniture. The
population of the court is very great, probably greater than that of
any spot of the same magnitude in the metropolis. In less than an
hour two houses in the court were completely des•royed ; and had
it not been for the timely arrival of the Westminster and Phoenix
ire engines, or had the fire Inoken out at night instead of the morn-
ing, there Is little doubt but the whole court must hare been en-
tirely destroyed. In about an hour and a Ill' the rapidity of the
devouring element was checked, but not before the flames had
caught to the opposite side of the court, and partially consumed
the house of a widow, named Mills, who kept a chandler's shop.
A poor woman who lodged with her had her little all entirely de-
stroyed. Notwithstanding the confusion, we are happy to state
that no setious accident is known to have occurred.
The pickpockete,even in thishumble part of the metropolis, were
very some; tiro were taken in the Crowd and conveyed to the po-
lice office.

The eelehrated Wilkes was always waited upon at
table by female savantir; imagining that the conversation
was less likely to be repeated or commented upon by them
than by men; agreeing with the French proverb, " that
the female mind is like a mirror, which receives every im-
pression, but retains nose."
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.—During the thunder-storm on
IVednesday last, a man of the name of John Carradice, of
Nalland, near Kendal, whilst standing under a tree for
shelter, in Birk Rigg Park, was struck by the lightning,
and killed upon the spot. His body _ was Shockingly dis-
figured. We understand be has utft a wife mu' a large
family to lament his los.