The National Register.
London, England, 1811-10-06 00:00:00

FII?E AT GREENWICH HOSPITAL.

The inhabitants of Greenwich and its neighbourhood were
thrown into the greatest consternation and alarm by the sudden
breaking out of a fire in the Infirmary belonging to the Hospital,
on Tuesday morning. About half-past twelve o'clock, the dl urn
beat to arms, and, with the mellow-sounding bugle, called the
military to the scene of devastation. Great numbers of persons,
astonished at these unusal sounds, w►bich had roused them from
their peaceful slumbers, rushed frau their houses to discover the
cause. Their horror may easily be Imagined, when, on casting
their eyes towards Greenwich Hospital, they observed a column
of flame ascending to aft immense height, and shedding on the
surrounding country, a sort of mimic day. It was instantly con-
cluded that the Hospital itself was on fire—and, under that im-
pression, meus omnibus uno—all, with one common impulse,
rushed fdrward to assist in saving this glorious monument of a
nation's gratitu ire ; which, while it is ihe reward of a brave man
who has suffered in the public cause, acts on the minds of our
gallant sailors as a powerful stimulus to deeds of heroism, and
may he contemplated as the seaman's sheet anchor of consola-
tion, in the midst of dangers, the most perilous. Fortunately,
these apprehensions proved unfounded; but fresh feelings of
horror arose, when it was discovered that the Infirmary, full of
lame and sick atients, was in flames. On the first alarm, a
party of the East London Militia, with a promptitude which
does them honour, both as soldiers and as men, pressed forward
to the assistance of the sufferers. A great body of the veterans
from the Hospital dragging along with them their fire-engines,
as swiftly as their age and their wounds would permit, stationed
themselves in those parts where their services were most likely
to be effectual. They exhibited a fine specimen of that cool de-
termined intrepidity which characterizes the British tar, and be-
fore which every maritime nation of the globe has been obliged
to bow its head. Whi.e terror and confusion reigned among
the inhabitants, whom an honourable zeal had collected together,
those hardy sons of Neptune were partly occupied in removing
their helpless comrades from their beds, and partly in placing
their engines in the most advantageous positions; and that with
a degree of calmness almost incredible. But the wonder will
cease, when it is recollected that many of them served on board
the Victory, with the immortal NEI. SON, at Trafalgar; and it is
recorded, that the British Admiral lay to close alongside the
French ship Redfiutitabte, in that action, that almost every flash
from his guns set his opponent on fire—yet, at such a moment,
the British seamen, with extraordinary presence of mind, em •
ployed themselves alternately in extinguishing the flames, and in
pouring in fresh broadsides !—When the Hospital engines first
arrived, had there been a plentiful supply of water, it Is very
probable the fire would have been arrested in its progress much
sooner than it was ; but water was rather scarce—and, in addi-
tion to this unfortunate circumstance, the hose of the engines
were not sefficiently long. About half•past one, however, fire-
engines began to arrive from London, and, in the course of two
hours, not less than twenty-five had arrived. As many of them
as could act beneficially were admitted into the area which sur-
rounds the infirmary, and in the course of three hours, the flames
were, in a great measure, got under. It is here necessary to ob-
serve, that the Infirmary is an ent.ensive quadrangular building,
built of brick, and having a yard in its centre. One or two en-
gines were stationed in this open space, in the rear of the fire,
and were exceedingly serviceable. The north side of the quad-
rangle was principally occupied by officers; the matron had here
also her apartments, and the nurses were lodged in a room at its
left extremity ; at its right extremity the dispensary is situated ;
the west side was occupied by patients under the czre of the SW.