The National Register.
London, England, 1820-12-31 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION ON THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS.
BATH.

[EXTRACT or • LETTER EKON 111.T8.)
Ou Thursday night. about eleveu o'clock, these extensive
elegant, and fur-famed premises were discovered to be on
tire. Clouds of smoke were seen to issue from some of the
lower •partinents long before the maturation became ma-
nifest : at length time tones burst out with incouceivable
fury, and stem presented such a scene of terrific grandeur
and desolation as was never before witnessed in this city.—
'fhe engines and firemen arrived on the spot with great
promptitude. At first the fire-plugs afforded but a scanty
upply of water, which gave the destructive element time t o
get in tremendous a head, that it then appeared, if the
whole Avon had been poured upon the roofs, gloom, and.
staircases, it could nut have quenched, though it might have
etarded the progress of the Raines. The country around
was a sheet of elementary fire ; the sky and the hills, with.
the numerous surrounding buildings, appearing " one red."—
But, perhaps, the most magnificent sight, and most awfully-
impressive moment, was about two o cluck, when the long
pent-up dames in the large ball-room bunt, as if by one
mighty effort, through the six great windows, and seemed to
glare defiance in volumes of liquid dame. The conflugration
of the card-room presented an almost equally heurt appalling
display of the irresistibility of lire. About three, the btu.
peudous roof began to fall in, nut with a sudden crash as bad
been auticiirited, but by successive fragineuts of tile road
blazing bealth and rafters. By six o'clock the mighty•
eleuteut had completely effected its work of desolation, and
the whole fabric was reduced to a heap of burniug ruins.
The heat was so intense, and the smoke so overpowering,
that we lament to say but a comparatively sinall portion of
the property on the premises was saved from droll welkin.—
Some of the apartments at the north end had been handsomely
fitted up iii the course of the last summer for the residence of
a gentleman, who, we understand, is at present, at Swansea,
sad who had embarked considerable property iu the concern,
and deposited in his rooms valuables to a large amount in
paintings, plate, &c. the whale of which, we regret to state,
has been destroyed ; but we understand that it had been •
recently insisted with une of the London offices.
The mid:ger:aims mutt base been increased by a large
quantity of oil (in which Mr. Mills largely dealt), which
was deposited In one of the rooms near the spot where it is
supposed the fire originated, being a small space used as a
dressing roam to a private theatre, where Mr. Seward had
that evening exhibited his Fantoccini : but this is mere con
lectnre. It was a fortunate circumstance that Mr. Walker's

mav,nifseent Orrery hod been removed from the rooms yes-
teiday morning, that gentleuutu having gives his flual.lecture
the preceding evening.
The following is the amount of the insurances that had •
been effected 1111 the property destroyed :.—On the premises,
COOL ; furniture, &c. belonging to ditto, 4,0001.; Mr.
Mills's private effects, 2,4b01., in the West of }.:oglund office;
property belonging to Capt. Houlton, 3,0001. in the Loudest
Atlas.