The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-22 00:00:00

Fires and Loss of Life.

On Saturday and yesterday several fires occurred
in London. Ono broke out on premises in the
tenure of Mr. M. Barnes, a lodginghouse-keeper at
4n, Mint.street, Southwark. The house, although
containing only seven rooms, supplied sleeping
accommodation to 17 persons. It appears that po-
lice-constable No. 100 of the M division, in going
his rounds, noticed smoke issuing from the house.
Feeling satisfied that it was on fire, ho sprang his
rattle, which brought to his assistance police•con-
stable 10(1 of the M division. Before the arrival of
the Aro-escapes, which took place in two or three
minutes, the flames rushed out of -the lower floor
windows, and extended completely across the cart
way, burning the front shutters of another lodging-
house. At this time a Mr. Butcher, who occupied
a house adjoining, noticed several persons at the
windows crying for help, and he called to them to
jump out. Several did so at the back, and they
were enabled to pass in safety through the next
house. When the Royal Society's fire-escape was
placed in front of the house, Conductor Wheatley
ascended his machine and forced in the window.
lie scrambled into the room on the second floor and
fell over the bed near the window. At that time
ho fancied that some ono was in the room, as he
could hear a slight moaning, but the heat was so
great that ho was obliged to make a precipitate re-
treet into thestreet and to remove his escape for fear
of its being burnt. The firemen were soon at work,
but they did not succeed in getting the mastery over
the flames until the premises and their contents
were nearly burnt out. They then entered the house
to ascertain tho extent of the loss, when, to their
astonishment, they discovered the dead bodies of
three men, with their clothes on and not much burnt,
who had evidently died from suffocation. They were
removed to the deadhouse of St. George the Martyr,
where they will remain until the inquest. The
names of the mon were—Thomas Neate, aged (35,
a crossing sweeper, who had lodged in that and the
adjoining house for Nix or seven years ;
Williarn
Purpeil, age unknown, a dock labourer ; and Charles
Avery, aged 40, also a dock labourer. The last two,
it appears had quarrelled with their wives, and
came to lodge at Mr. Barnes's house a few days ago.
From the fact of each man being found with his
clothes on it is believed that they had stopped be-
hind to dress, and that while so doing they had been
overtaken by the smoke and flames and were suffo-
cated. Mr. Barnes was insured for his furniture,
&c., in the Liverpool and London Piro-office. An:
other fire happened in the premises belonging to
Mrs. M. Morris, 27, Mary-street,
Poplar. This fire was caused by a spark flying into
a bed from a lighted candle. In the course of a few
minutes the room in which the bed stood was filled
with flames. Tho engines of the parish and the
London Brigade, with a land steamer, quickly
attended, but the fire could not be extinguished
until the building and its contents were partially
destroyed. Mrs. Morris was so seriously burnt that
she had to be removed to the hospital, where she
remains without the least hope of recovery. Tho
sufferer was uninsured.

" General Butler's mysterious plan to release the
Union prisoners at Richmond, about which we have
heard so much for a month past, has at last been
tried and has failed. It was a very pretty scheme
as Butler conceived it, and as it appeared upon
paper; but like all otilitary plans, from Big Bethel
down, it wasgptirely Impracticable. laatterupted
short; to eat tbeGlordian knot of difficulties into
which the exchange of prisoners question had been
entangled by the canning of Ould and the obtuse-
ness of Meredith, with the sword. The rebel
Government at Richmond,' he argued, treats me
as an outlaw, and won't give up the Union pri-
soners. Why not solve the problem by capturing
Richmond, prisoners, rebel Government, and all?'
Big with this brilliant idea, Butler rushes up to
Washington and seeks an interview with General
Halleck ; bat that officer 'don't see it.' Secretary
Stanton is then waited upon, and he, of course, is
delighted, as moving upon the enemy's works with-
out preparation or adequate force is his favourite
strategy. Finally, Mr. Lincoln is seen, and, as the
scheme is ingeniously absurd, he cordially gives it
hia approval. After much deliberation, it was do-
' cided that the Army of the Potomac should make a
feint across the Rapidan to keep Leo employed, while
the real attack was to be made by an army moving
briskly up the peninsula. But, then, the question
arose where this army was to come from. It would
not do to Bend troops down from Washington, as
their movements would bo noticed by the enemy,
and Butler had barely enough in his own depart-
ment to guard his lines. At last the bright idea
was hit upon of raising the siege of Charleston, and
with the troops taken from Morris and Folly Islands
to capture the rebel capital. This accounts for the
news from Charleston which hes so disheartened
the country. The troops were brought up to the
peninsula and sent upon their fool's errand to Rich-
mond and—back again. General Sedgwiok, in
temporary command of the Army of the Potomac,
did all that could be expected of him. He crossed
the Rapidan, and kept Lee employed while the raid
up the peninsula was made; but the Richmond part
of the programme failed, because it was absurd to
suppose that a city which has been menaced for
three years is not at all times proof against the
attack of anything legs than a great army. All such
schemes to capture Richmond by a stratagem aro
based upon thb theory that the rebel Administration
is composed of a sot of improvident fools. SD ends
this last On to Richmond,' the moat unmilitary
acid sorry exploit of the war. Wo do not believe
this scheme received the cniorsement of any com-
petent military commander, or that it ever had the
remotest chance of success. The story that the
rebels were warned of their fate by a Yankee
deserter is an afterthought to excuse the failure."

The Richmond Examiner of the Bth gives the
following account of the state of affairs at Rich-
mond :

"Some days ago a report was obtained by the
authorities hero from a Yankee deserter that the
enemy was contemplating a raid, in considerable
force, on R:eliiond. The report obtained con-
sistency from a number of circumstances, and im-
pressed the authorities to such a degree that a
disposition of forces was made to anticipate tho
supposed designs of the enemy. At 10 o'clock on
Saturday night a force of the the enemy, numbers
not known, but consisting of cavalry with some
artillery, made a demonstration at Bottom's-bridge,
and drove in our pickets. This news was not gene-
rally communicated to the public until Sunday
morning, the first signal of excitement being a tap
of the alarm-bell, which readily summoned the
second-class militia and local forces in the Capitol-
square, and at other places of rendezvous. A
despatch was also received early yesterday morning
from General Wade Hampton, at Ilamilton'a
Crossing, stating that the enemy was threatening
an advance. A train was despatched to his relief.
In the meantime, out of the excitement in Rich-
mond had been suddenly produced the most wild
and extravagant rumours, the enumeration of which
would ho idle and tedious. In the progress of the
day these reports assumed a more definite form. It
appeared that the enemy made another demon-
stration on Colonel Shingler'a lines yesterday
morning, and in this instance were repulsed,
some two or three companies being en-
gaged on our side. The force of the enemy
was not uncovered, but as far it could be per-
ceived consisted of five regiments, mostly
cavalry, it being doubtful, of course, whether they
were only an advance guard or the entire force. It
was not thought necessary to move the local forces
beyond the city fortifications; and the disposition
of other troops was made to hold the enemy in
check. Lieutenant-General Hood wes assigned to
the command of the defensive forces, and took the
field at an early hour yesterday. After their de-
monstration in the morning at Bottom's-bridge, tho
enemy, or a considerable portion of his cavalry,
crossed the York River Railroad near Despatch-
station, and attempted to ford the Chickahominy
at Grapevine-bridge, or what is more commonly
known as M'Clellan's bridge, evidently intending
to get in our rear. They found it impossible to
ford the Chickahominy bore, on account of the
large amount of felled timber in the swamp. After
an ineffectual attempt to get through the swamp
they retired in the direction of Talleysville, which
is about eight miles from Bottom's-bridge. At a
late hour yesterday
afternoon information was
brought in by our scouts that a largo force of the
enemy, which had been massed at Barkamsvilla in
the morning, had moved forward to Talleysville,
and was then advancing. The entire force of the
enemy is distinctly stated as follows :—Three bri-
gades of infantry, four regiments of cavalry, and 12
pieces of artillery. This is reliable. It is probable
Gist the demonstration of the enemy yesterday was
merely intended as a reconnaisanee, and is prelimi-
nary to an important collision to-day. Certainly
the enemy has come in numbers which preclude ti.o
idea that he only meditates a raid. We have no
report of any casualties in the fire at Bottom's-
bridge. But it is supposed that we used our urtils
!cry with effect. After the enemy abandoned his
position, there were found nine dead horses, six
Yankee caps, and a fresh grave."

MEXICO.
MEXICO, Jun. 31 (el,: Ihvannah).
Thrse advisee state that the authorities of San
l'oteni had officially declared their allegiance
to the empire. Numbers of other towns had done
the same. Juarez has resigned the Presidency, and
Ortega has succeeded him.
Cumpeachy capitulated to Captain Clon, of the
French navy, on the 21st.
M. do Month()lon arrived at the capital on the

23d.
Thu capture of Zicateces is not confirmed.