The Sun.
London, England, 1830-12-27 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF LEWISHAM 'CHURCH

BY FIB&

At about three o'clock yesterday morning :great alarm
and confusion prevailed in the town of Lewisham, Kett.
by a discovery that the parish church had taken fire,and
,
the flames, at the time it was detected,' had gaprieu such
powerful possession of 'the fabric, that all sittenstitt to pro,ff,
serve It from the imitligrasints were dodos. Messengers
were despot:led to Greensviek 'arid Deptfoed )be Air ift-
gine., whilst expresses were sent of 'to London Ike Ache
of the Fire Insurance Office, and in a very. qnielc Attie
they arrived, and were actively est to work neon the
flames, which hid obtained total poesession'of the ulterior
of the sacred edifice, together with the organ, the Corn.
munion-tahle, &o. In consequence of the late dietntli.
maces, upwards of SOO of the householders had a fortnight
ago enrolled themselves as special cortetebles, and the mo-
ment the alarm was given they proceeded to the scene of
devastation, and, with the aid of a party of the new polide,
kept the ground for the firemen, and all interruption was
thereby prevented. The firemen placed their engines in
the church-yard, as close as possible to the church, but
having at first but a scanty supply of water, owing to the
canal and other places being frozen, their efforts were of
little or no avail, anti the flames raged with, overwhelm*
fury. By the prompt exertions of the inhabitants, sided
by the firemen, a supply of water was obtained, and in).-
memo quantities were thrown within the building, which
had the appearance of a furnace, and after much exertions
the flames were prevented from destroying 'lke end,' but,
with the exception of the roof and the ontWartl walls, all
was destroyed. About seven o'clock' the 'flames 'were on-
tirely subdued. We were informed that, notwithitanding
every attempt was made to praserve the Consmunion plate,
and other valuable article', they were all destroyed. •
•The
conflagration is said to have arisen In consequence of the
bursting of the heater by which the church was warmed,
and which had been in use on the evenieg of Christmas-
day. This church was only a few years ago beautifully
embellished and re-decorated throughout. We were told
that in the course of the morning a disturbance took place
between the new police and those serving as special con-
stables, and that one of the former had his leg broken,
but for the truth of this we do not vouch. The whole'of
yesterday vast crowds of persons arrived In the town from
the adjoining villages to witness the destructive effects of
the fire, which at first was attributed to the act of incen-
diaries, but there are no grounds whatever, for that sus-
picion, as there can be no doubt but the disaster arose front
accident.

A correspondent directs the attention of lqi-
nistere to the sinecures, fete, aid abuses that exist in the
Prerogative Court in Doctors' Commons; where, Unwept
other items, nearly fifteen thoesand pounds are annually
divided between two cone of • late Archbishop of Canter.
bury, one of whom is, besides, in the possession of enor-
mous church preferments. Another hideous tinware 'it
held by Lord Annan, in the Admiralty department in
Doctors' Commons, to the extent of eight or ten thousand
pounds a-year. Lord Srowst.t. likewise ,bniga; WV"'
petty offices, perfect sinecures, which, conti4ring
large fortune he has gathered front ,ogice; and hi° hovPli
retired, ought to be relinquished. —Afortriew .Peirer.

A hostile meeting took piece yesterday (Wedw.
nesday) morning, near Ashburn*, between 11101Alill' A.
Pure, Esq., attended by 0. CHADWICK,
mem, and N. L'ESTRA was, Esq., accompanied
L. Esq. Alter on exchange of shuts, the seconds At-
tempted to effeet a reconciliation, but in vain. Mr. Poem's
second fire grazed his intagoviiit's right arm; but, we are
gratified in being enabled to add, very slightly. The mis.
understanding arose from expressions used in the, theatre,'
regarding a lady whom Mr. Pure had attended thither......
Dublin Freeman's Journal.