The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-03 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE FIRE.

The most extensive conflagration that hes happened
in or near the metropolis for a considerable period broke
out last evening, shortly before eight o'clock, and at
midnight was far from being entirely extinguished. The
property destroyed up to that time must, at a moderato
calculation, amount to ,
many thousand pounds.
i
The scene of this dsasttr was Osborne-street, White-
chapel, at the rear of wnich stood a building from 250
to 300 feet in length, of proportionate depth, and eight
floors iu height-. It was occupied by Messrs. Th,irpe,
wholesale
Pitted
and steiners, the different flours
be
dealers
machinery, while the lower
one was used as a steem-engine house, &c. On one side
ti .uppe r
with
al
v
of the premises stood the extensive timberyard and
stores belonging to Mr. Sykes; on another sine and al-
most adjoining were the pattern-houses and iron-toundry
b-longing to Messrs. S. and W. Standen. Angel-alley
run at 0.. e extremity, and the houses in High-street,
Whitechapel, flanked the building on the other side.
Just as the various hands were leaving off work some
one standing in the Swan Brewery-yard heard a cry of
" Fire!" raised, and on looking to the portion of the
premises which adjoined the yard, he saw flames
curling round the windows on the third floor, and
almost immediately afterwards a man and a boy
rushed through one of the windows near, and
gained the roof of one of the houses in the same
yard. A ladder was quickly procured, and both
were taken down in
safety. One of those who bad left
the premises then cried out that one cf the machine-
rooms had taken fire. Messengers were sent off for the
aid of the police and firemen; before, however, any en-
gines arrived the flames shot through two or three of
the windows.
The first engine which arrived was thit belonging to
Whitechapel parish, which was closely followed by
others of the London Brigade from Wsllclose-squats,
Jeffrey-square, Watling-street; the Weft of England,
from the Waterloo-road station, and various others of
the Brigade from more distant depots. An excellent
supply of water was at once obtained 'rom the fire-
mains, but in spite of the exertions of be firemen the
fire continued to spread through the four cuarters of the
buildings, and in a short space of tine the whole
structure presented one blazing mass.
The walls on that side nearest Angel-alley have bulged
to an alarming extent, and should they fall during the
night they must force hi the roofs of the houses stand-
ing under them.
As to the origin of the disaster, or whether any of the
property consumed is insured or not, it was impossible
to learn during the confusion which prevailed.
LATEST PARTICULARS.—(THIS DAY.)
Notwithstanding all the exertions of the firemen, the
engines were kept up to four o'clock this morning, when
all danger was at an end. At a rough estimate, the loss
will amount to at least 10,0001. It is satisfactory to
state that no persons were injured. Numerous robberiss
were committed during the fire, but the police succeeded
in apprehending some of the thieves, among whom were
manyjuveniles, and long known to the police force.

SOUTH-EASTERN ',RAILWAY.—Mr. Henry Rich,
M.P., is a candidate for a seat in the direction of the South-
Eastern Railway, which will be filled up at the general
meeting of the company, to be held to-morrow.
Lord St. Leonard's has expressed a wish to be
introduced into the House of Lords by his distinguished pre-
decessors 'in office, Lord Lyndhurst and Lord Brougham.
The ceremony, we understand, will take place on Thursday
morning, and their lordships will then proceed with the
hearing of a Scotch appeal. We learn, however, that the
intention to hear appeals from Scotland in a series has been
for the present abandoned, and that during the session their
Lordships will take the appeals, English, Irish, and Scotch,
as they stand in the paper.
THAMES TUNNEL COMPANY.—The annual meeting
of the proprietors of this company was held yesterday at
Ra-ley's Hotel, Bridge-street, Blackfriars ; Mr. F. J-
Woolaston in the chair. The secretary read the; balance-
sheet, from which it appears that the receipts of the company
during the :past year have been, from tolls at the tunneei,
5,9281. Os. Bd.
1,1431. 13s. 6A. ; which, added to a balance of 532/. 14tsi.l-
of
brought forward from the former year. gives
a total
to
7,604/. Ss. 4d. The disbursements amount in thei handed of
7 and from house arid stall rents, &,,,....
4,212/. 135. 101, leaving a surplus of
this balance, the sum of 2,776/. is,. ld. has "ll'been
2504,000/., while
over to the commissioners of public works,ol,n p
of the interest of the Government loan
reserved in the ha
the remaining 614/, 16s. 5d., is res— • d of the company
treasurer to meet the current expensessk of the tunnel were
The chairman stated that
the
The amount of tolls received
in full and efficient order.
Theded the average of former
during the 'past year has
7 exeeincrease to be attributed
years by nearly 2 000,.--
afastrangers into the metropolis,
rt payment
chiefly to the great influx o- .- . The accounts were then
consequent upon the Exhibition.
allowed, the retiripg iliEeetvra ro.c1c° v;i,
and the svcooathiss
V 44416011.