The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-08 00:00:00

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Great Fire at Constantinople.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Wednesday.
A great fire broke out last evening in Stamboul,
which has already destroyed 2,500 houses, mosques,
and public buildings, and is still raging.
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This terrible fire, we regret to state, has been
attended with a far more serious loss of property
than was expected when the first telegram was sent
to London ; and it now turns out that no fewer
than 2,800 houses, public buildings, and places
dedicated for Divine service, have been for the
most part levelled with the ground. There are cer-
tainly a few exceptions, where the walls are stand-
ing, but the principal mosques are now nowhere
to be seen. The accounts forwarded this (Friday)
morning to the different insurance companies in the
City are of a harrowing nature. Some idea may be
formed of the sufferings of over 22,500 persons who
had to rush out of their habitations almost naked
to escape from the ravages of the flames.

It would appear that the conflagration commenced
in a building two storeys high. From that part the
flames spread with rapidity, igniting in succession
whole rows of houses and stores on the north-west
side. The scene amongst the people was pitiable in
the extreme. The meagre means of contending with
such a fire were found perfectly inadequate, and
added to that the water supply was equally ineffi-
cient. Explosions of a fearful character followed in
rapid succession, and it was feared that as the build-
ings came toppling down several men who were assist-
ing had been crushed to death. It was not, however,
clearly stated whether any lives had been sacrificed,
the excitement and confusion being so great that the
agents of the different insurance offices were unable
to ascertain, but there was strong ground for sup-
posing that a great loss of life had taken place.
It was found perfectly impracticable to find
shelter for the whole of the burnt-out people and
their children, and they had to content themselves
by sleeping in fields and gardens near.
When the last telegram was received, prayers
were being offered up to the Almighty to stop the
ravages of the fire.

The principal portions of the houses were com-
posed in a great measure of timber, which, of
course, will account for the extraordinary spread of
the flames. No conflagration of such magnitude
has taken place since the burning of the City of
Hamburgh, and it is stated that more persons have
lost their homes and all they possessed than there
was even at that conflagration.
Mr. Hodsall, assessor of losses, and several other
gentlemen belonging to the different fire offices, have
sent specially down to ascertain how the insurance
companies of the city and provincial towns. are
interested ; and also to inquire into the cause of the
terrible calamity, and how many persons are left
unprovided for,

The fire is now considered to have been fairly
stopped at each point, and unless the wind should
spring up, there was no danger of any further ex-
tension of mischief. Whole streets, squares, mosques
and Government buildings were blazing away at
the same time.
Measures have at once been taken to get up a
subscription for the housing of the poor burnt-out
creatures, which it is to be hoped will be liberally
responded to by the more fortunate inhabitants.