The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-16 00:00:00

SERIOUS CONFLAGRATION.

SHEFFIELD, TUESDAY EVENING.—One of the most
awful conflagrations that has ever occurred in this
district took place to-day, on the farm of Mr. John
Hawke, at Darnall, a village about two miles from
Sheffield, and which has consumed the entire produce
of seventy acres. It appeared that Mr. Hawke
finished his corn harvest about a fortnight ago. The
crops were unusually prolific, forming a range of
nineteen stacks, and containing in the aggregate about
1,000 loads. Besides these, there were three large
hayricks on the top side of the yard. On Tuesday
morning a man was engaged in thatching the corn
stacks, and whilst he was absent for a few minutes at
his breakfast, a neighbour named Booker observed
one of the hayricks in flames. She immediately in-
formed Mr. Hawke of the circumstance, but such
was the rapidity with which the flames spread, that
in less than a quarter of an hour the whole of the
stacks were in a blaze, notwithstanding the wind
was blowing in an opposite direction. This, however,
is easily accounted for, as the ground between the
stacks was covered with loose straw,
an easy means of communication. As soon as the
fire was discovered, a messenger was dispatched to
Sheffield for the engines. He arrived at the railway
station when the train had just started for Sheffield ;1
but being noticed by the driver, who
came. up. By this means information was
could also
and thus formed
see the flames, the train was stopped until the
.man
in the town within nine minutes of the discovery of
the fire, and in less than half an hour the engines. of
both the Sheffield and North of England fire-offices
were on the spot. By that time however, the cern-
stacks were masses of fire, and appeared like so many
volcanoes emitting large volumes of flame, and.
burning material. It was evident from the received
throwing to a considerable height large masses of
there was not the least chance of saving any portion
allowed
of the corn-stacks, which were accordinglY
to expend themselves. Throughout the day,
and when
there-
fore, they continued burning most fiercely,
the shades of evening closed in, the lurid glare of
first that.
the flames was visible at a considerable distance. The
efforts of the fire brigades were mainly
directed to
prevent ahe fife extending in the direction of the
farm buildings and a number of cottages in the im-
mediate vicinity. In this they were successful,
though their efforts were greatly impeded by the
scarcity of water, which had to be brought a distance
of 300 yards. The heat emitted by the burning .stacks
was most intense, and in an orchard which adjoined
the stackyord the apples were baked as they hung on
the trees.
Much sympathy is felt for Mr. Hawke, who is
greatly respected in the neighbourhood. The cause
of the calamity is not yet ascertained,. but therehan
is
e
reason to believe that it has originated in other than
accidental means. The damage is estimated at up-
wards of 1,0001., and Mr. Hawke is insured to the
amount of 5001.

LATTEnt uItzOLDoEFSTwSELLURIVNIGVITZ._(CFOrMoraMILI
a Correspondent..
—ln a
_en state of comparative obscurity, there is living in Cam-
a_ Town one Sergeant James Maras, who was born in the
city of Hereford on the 15th of August, 1760—he is cense-
4inently in his 93d year. In 1779 be enlisted in the Royal
TANT OF ..
Plymouth Marines, and was drafted on board the Alceste
man-of-war. 74 guns, which was destined to Chesapeake,r in
to
relieve the Lord Cornwallis, who was then a prisone
America, in which expedition they failed. In 1781 he was
removed into the Alfred, 74, and was Present at the memo-
eable engagement between the English and French fleets on
the 12th of April, 1782, when Admiral Rodney achieved a
complete victory over the enemy' 0 squadron, commanded by
the Count de Grasse, off the island of Martinique, in the West
Indies. In the
he again enlisted in ear 1786 he was bought out of the Marines,
in 1789 h
and the 77th Regiment
of the line, which was stationed at Bombay,
la the East Indies, whither be proceeded to join
the . engaged through-
same. H
—e was actively
out the Mahratta war and was at the reduction of Canna-
nore and Cochin, besides at the Capitulation of Nundydroo
of
g,
and • He, forming a part
various other strong hill fots.
the division then under General Barris, was at the capitula-
tion, and afterwards on the 3d of Mit, 1799, at the storming
and taking of Seringapatam, when and upon which occasion
he formed one of the companY which constituted the cover-
ing party to the forlorn hope, conducted by Lieutenant Law-
rence ; himself and a private named Watson being the only
two ge was also at the reduction
who escaped unscathed.
of Colombo, in the island of Ceylon. After quitting the 77th
Regiment of Foot he entered the 66th, and in 1810 was at the
bombardment of Fort Louis, in the island of Mauritius. He
was with the late Duke of 'Wellington during some portion
of his successful campaign in India' and was there at the
time that Colonel Wellesley ratified the treaty of Serjee
Augengaum, with the Mafia Raja Jah-Rao Nadoun, in
Sinde, on the 80th of December, 1803, when the territories
north of Jeypore, Joudepore, and Abednugghur, were ceded to
the Hon. East India Company. He quitted the service in
1816, upon a pension of 2s. 2d. per diem.
A fearful accident happened on board the Penin-
sular mail-packet Iberia, a few hours before she arrived at
Southampton, on Tuesday night. An elderly man, belong-
ing to the engine department of the steamer, got one of his
feet entangled in a crank that is near the ground, and it lite-
rally tore the foot off, and with it dragged away sinews, 16
inches in length, that ran up the leg. He had just given
signs of consciousness when the packet arrived in dock. As
soon as possible he was conveyed to the South Hants Infir-
mary, but it is feared that he cannot survive.
ONE OF THE RESULTS OF BALLOONING.--TO
those persons who are doubtful as to the advantages of bal-
looning, we beg to offer the following extraordinary fact. The
bull that went up with Madame Poitevin had not been many
minutes in the air before it was found to be turned into hung
beei—Puneh,