The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-01-24 00:00:00

DESTRUCT] V E Fin E.

Ye►terday morning, about two o'clock, a most
dreadful and destructive fire broke rut at the pre.
miles of Mr. Child, dry-salter. opposite Old Swat,
stairs, near London-bridge. The flans►s weer
rapid in their prog►ess, that the utmost uppreliett.
sion was entertained for the safety of the inighlopur.
hood. About half-past two o'clock the elequelii 1,,,i
got to such an alarming height, that it illumined
the metropolis fur several miles round. The sees
from London-bridge presented r grand :sod r.t..4.1
spectacle. Several engines were soon on tI spat, but
owing to the severe frost, and the plugs haring
frozen, no water could be procured for near 114111 r.
The firemen were observed in all directions, hating
the plugs, and notwithstanditig the catastrophe
pened so near the water-►ids, no water could be gut
from the river, it bring at the period low Ike,
Before three o'clock the hack premises of Mr.
Mathews's brush-manufactory, between Swari-l.o.:
and Black Raven-alley, leading to Upper Tiianit.
Street, caught fire, and the house of Mr. Bollavt,
adjoining those of Mr. Child's, soon fell a prey to
the devouring element. From a quantity of ono:
that was in Mr. Matheiss's premises catching ti,,,
the flames increased so rapidly that they estetateJ
to several warehouses in Sago- lane. The house cf
Jr.G tea-dealer, mud his dwelling-house, sic',
two others ; those of Mr. Field, tallow-cliandlrr;
Mr. Thomaa, wine-merchant ; and Mr. Drew, ,seat
and hop-factor, iii Swan-lane and Black Berri:-
alley, were totally destroyed ; the walls of three
buildings fell down at an early hour in Swan-hroe,
and completely blocked up the passage. (; ,-
apprehensions were entertained several times IT
the safety of Fishmongers' Hall, winch is inoti,-
thately on the spot ; but by the exertion, of cite
fi►emen with their togines, and a supply of wteer,
they succeeded in preserving this spacious
lug : it has suffered some injury iu the lower
Of the extensive warehouse of Mr. Price, in (';,err
Thames-street, bop-factor; and that of M-. Ma-
thews adjoining, nothing remain but the bare wa:l•.
The house of Messrs. Itonalds and Coventry, buy.tr
and cheese-factors, also residing in Tlsenes-.inert,
has suffered most severely, hut providentially is not
destroyed. The Bridge %Vand school-house,
live or six other hou►es in Saari-lane au•l Mark
Haven-alley, are burned to the ground. The trim
manufactory office on the bank of the Thames n,.
at intervals surrounded with flames, but fortunate!:
escaped without injury.

The fire continued burning with great fury w
eleven o'clock yesterday morning, alit n a dreailtii
explosion of gunpowder took place, and tore OF
the roofs of several houses. This caused tie
utmost terror among the inhabitants, who fen• A
that more gunpowder still remained in the hunii .g
ruing, and that a second explosion might be the
consequence.

It is computed that not less than 15 or 16 bui!,l-
- have been destroyed nn this occasion. A ti 7(...
man narrowly escaped from the fall of a high with,
while playing on the burning ruins. A 1;1(1, wr
bear, had his arm severely bruised, and several pci—
souls were slightly injured.

A cast concourse of persons assemlded yester-
day to behold the ruins. Numbers of coostabfes
and palish officers were in attendance duriug the
whole day, to prevent any intrusion of the populace.
A report was prevalent that a man was missing,
but upon minute inquiry, we could notascermia
the fact ; we therefore trust the report way 'word
unfounded. Several of the engines were iu excel-
lent order, and it is principally owing io the setv%e
exertions of the greatest that the Fislintongei.•
Hall was saved. We have riot beeu able to ascer-
tain how the five commenced. The property con-
sumed it %re), cousiderithle ; it is calculated to
amount to some hundred thousand pounds.

Saturday lemming, soon after sin. an alarming fire broke
unt in the extensive workshop of Messrs. Elliott and
upholsterers, in New Itond•strect ; from the quantity of
wood un the premises, the ,;realest alarm was euteriameit
for a considerable time for the whole sicighlnimlrwsol
Engines, however, arriving soon after, and a plentiful sup-
ply of water being obtained, we air happy to rigid the Fuji,
cipal damage i■ confined to the Wailing in whrth the fire
commencer!. The shops to the Haunch of Venison-y.l: d
were at our time In ■ complete blaze; het this was futlu-
uately subdued by the activity of the firemen.
Friday morninz, between ten and eleven o'clock, a fire
broke out iu the dwelling•bowse of Mr. Taylor, baiter, In
Garden-row, London-road, St. George's-lii lilt, which, Iw.
fare the arrival of any engines, hail enveloped the whale
building in tames. The wind at the time was rather latgh,
and blew the lames into a court at the back, inhabited be
poor people, and containing the workshops of Mr. Tv)lor
and Mr. Butt, chair and rirsk.inattress.makers, whirl, at.,.
took fire. The passage of the court was so uarrow, the'
much confusion emitted in brisigirg out the furniture of the
inmates; many acre seriously hurl, and a great part of the
furniture was destroyed. Al length four or five engiuts st-
rived ; but some difficulty took place before soy watt:
could be gut; and whilst the firemen were employed in
ens.-rig ;doors, the devouring clement had cunamouicated to
the Heil-lit-Hand pablie•hewse, next door, and also to the
back premises of Mr. Hayes. a grocer. A plentiful supply
of water Ming at length obtained, the engines weve pot in
lei uiallion with the utmost celerity, and by two o'clock the
Le was subdued (it was supposed anally), leaving four at
five houses gutted completely. No further apprehensions
were entertained fur the premises, and the firemen went to
dames : brit about four in the afternoon the flames again
burst forth with great fury; the men, however, were soon
on the spot, auJ being ably seconded by the inhabitants
and passengers, imccreded in extinguishing the fire totally.
The low was considerable.

The navigation of Chichester harbour ho been
totally mopped during the last tea days of the fast.
Previous to the thaw, as the tides were on the
spring, the ice increased is many places to six feet
in thickness, and in some to ten feet ! Small craft
are now in motion. The strong southerly wind of
%Vectoredley having broken the immense messes of
ice, and it becoming calm on the ebb tide, the chats.
nel is once more free.

TO TH EDITOR OF THE DRITISO PRESS.

SIR—In answer to a Idles is a Morning Paper of Satur.
illy lest, about a Gentleman leciug rein:est admission in the
siress circle at Drury-lane 'Theatre, iu cousegeenca of wear.
ing a black handkerchief on hi• sleek, (Ise writer perhaps
sloes sof recollect, but 1 slu, when iseiilwr Lady sow Gristle.
r➢an could be Admitted, toile.% full *lrv...ea—llse latter its
bag and sword; aid it is scandalous l hat the etiquette is mil
krill up. The same reigned.• prevailed in Ilse pit ut the
Opera house.—l am, Sir, your rottslant itea.kr,

ONE OF THE 01.1) scooot..
—if people dressed e, teed,. would Id liarioh—but
keep f:oct foreigu ArliCkS.

TI/t: FUN DS.

The settlement of the account at the Stuck Exthauge on
Tuesday last produced • trial of strength between both
parties. The speculators for a rice base hitherto been com-
pletely tisoniphatit ; the 111114%, %OM! Okla irver:es except-
ed, having cower ned progressively improving the whole
woks The abundance of money, and the difficult yof
ploy. nig it, which are, if possible, greater than ever, give great
ads aiitage to their transactions. Exchequer bills, in costae-
r, t.11:1:11 has e been Likely at a dl.couul of ten shillings,
ate now e e prelllitllll of hose shilliogs. This abundance
was obsimis, too, isi the ehfistli pa) meld on the last loam
wkeli was paid on Friday, well t producing the sin idlest
1,01'14.1,1"U. Tinier dC6111114'11: have base, .14:1Ailftti al the
Stec k EN, hangv, on Itausarlions during t'!.e 1...4 account,
but :h. t are persona of inhume comities:llion. The bight st
c of th• (Of tile ilfetllllll wag utl Soti:rday
morriii.g at the °twain: of the market, when the quotation
was but wnur unusually heavy sale a of stuck fur !floury,
aced tar NVt durtla, wbidl is the lust 1,1.t.11 ti milder day,
taking WA( ?, a Ittllifit gum( dee hott. ul f; per cent. tKCllfittl,
mid the ...atisaettuns of the day I bad at (Mi, and though
out su low as 0:1 Wednesday, the market lett oil extremely
LC7ll'a.