The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-13 00:00:00

Total Destruction of the Portland Bazaar
and German Fair by Fire.

The most extensive conflagration that has oc-
curred for a considerable time past at the west-end
part of London commenced about ten o'clock yester-
day (Sunday) forenoon, and was entirely extin-
guished at five o'clock.

The building in which the fire commenced was
termed the Portland Bazaar and German Fair. It
stood in Langham-place, Regent-street, and had
another entrance in Great Portland-street, St.
Marylebone. The building covered a space of
ground nearly 1,000 feet square. It was only two
floors high, but the property contained in the place
was more tha❑ an ordinary ohserver would imagine.
For instance, the Titian and other large pictures, to
which so much praise has been awarded, were in one
portion of the bazaar. The front entrance in Lang-
ham-place was rented by Mr. 11. M. Wnitaker, the
well-known importer and exhibitor of foreign birds,
insects, and reptiles, whose collection formed a
great attraction of this favourite and fashionable

lounge.
The Bazaar, as most public places of amuse-
ment are, was built in a manner to afford the great-
est space. Rows of massive iron columr.s rose
from the base, and upon the top of these, stretched
along the immense width of the building, were
cast-iron girders. Extending towards the top,
and which formed the beautiful roof, were
placed vertically another row of iron pillars,
and upon them rested an equal number of
iron girders, as in the floor below. Each available
space in this large range of premises was fitted
up at great expense with fancy shops and stalls,
which had been presided over by 40 or 50 young
females, all of whom have been thrown out of em-
ployment, and those who merely rented the counters
or shops have been bereft of ail their property; and
as far as at present can be ascertained not a single
stall-keeper or exhibitor was insured for a penny.
The front entrance, as before stated, was in the
tenure of Mr. Whitaker, and in this compartment

—the grand entry—were birds valued at over
£2OO ; the foreign cabinets, insects rare in this
country, &c., his own property, are roughly esti-
mated in value by that naturalist at over £6OO.
Besides, he had left in his charge a celebrated talk-
ing cockatoo belonging to Lady Glentworth, which
was over £lOO in value. Upon entering this part
of the building the birds from all parts of the world
were found either upon their perches or lying on
their sides at the bottom of their cages dead, clearly
indicating that they had died from suffocation. A
number of lizards, which Mr. Whitaker stated were
of great value, had upon the smoke entering their
cages crawled under some hay, and by rolling them-
selves up in it managed to escape suffocation, and as
the fire was being got under they appeared as
lively as if nothing had happened.
The discovery of this fearful fire appears to have
been made at ten o'clock in the forenoon, This
bazaar being surrounded by the houses in Mortimer-
street, Great Portland, and Little Ridinghouse-
street, it was feared that every house near would
have been speedily levelled with the ground. In a
very brief period the Marylebone parish engine at-
tended, as well as numerous others of the Landon
Brigade, one from Hodges's distillery at Lambeth,
and the two land steam engines, by Shand, Mason,
and Co., that carried off the only double prize at the
Crystal Palace last week.
The fire-plugs of the West Middlesex Company
having been drawn, a bountiful supply of water was
obtained, and the land steam-engines being
fully up at 100 lb. pressure to the square inch, they,
as well as nearly a dozen manual-power machines,
were called into operation. By this time the back
portions of several houses in the surrounding streets
were in flames. Mr. Inspector Coombes, of the D
division of police, and Mr. Inspector Spencer, of
the Royal Society for the Protection of Life from
Fire, came up, and seeing the formidable aspect of
the conflagration sent off for the assistance of the
police from most parts of London, and fortunate
it was that they did so, for thousands after thou-
sands of persons, some of that high class little used
to bear the pressure of a London mob, instead of
driving to church, lined the roadways in order to
witness the progress of the flames.
The two land steamers by Shand, Mason, and
Co., and the hand-working engines had the hose

from each so stretched round as to enable the fire-
men to attack the mass of flames at each point, for
it should be stated that the fire had by that period
penetrated the extensive premises of Mr. Green, in
Langham-place, as well as the ladies' reading• rooms,
and also those of Mr. Maurice in the same thorough.
fare, and at the same time the extensive show
rooms of Mr. Greene, dealer in antique furniture,
buhl, and looking-glasses—No. 24 in Mortimer-
street—were likewise burning with the greatest

impetuosity—looking-glasses, and mirrors, some as
high as ordinary rooms, were flying asunder, pic-
tures were blazing, and cabinets of great cost were

falling a prey to the fury of the fire. The water-
colour studio, which contained a most extensive
collection of paintings, was also at the same time
wrapped in flames, as well as a photographic gal-
lery at the top of the same establishment.
After the lapse of about six hours the fire might
be said to have done its work of desolation, but
although no further mischief was apprehended there
still remained a vast body of fire smouldering in
the ruins. Of the grand bavaar all that can now
be seen are the tottering external walls and a few of
the iron pillars and girders which supported the