The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-27 00:00:00

Destruction of an East Indiainan by Fire
Tbis Day.

This morning the magnificent East Indiaman

frigate, Accriniton, was totally consumed by fire
off the Brunswick Wharf, Blackwall. The vessel
had a valuable cargo on board, and was outbound

for Calcutta. The vessel burnt with cor.siderable
fury, and the sight she presented as the black smoke
curled upwards from her decks and the flames issued
from her port-holes from stem to stern, was wit-
nessed by a great many persons who had been drawn
together by the unfortunate occurrence.

Great Fire at Bermondsey this Morning.

-•

Between the hours of three and four o'clock in the morn-
ing the whole of the inhabitants of the densely populated
and industrious parish of Bermondsey were thrown into a
state of the greatest excitement, owing to a fire of a for-
midable character breaking out on the premises belonging
to Messrs. Kingden and Powell, oil-cloth manufacturers,
carrying on a large business in Queen-street, Bermondsey
New-road.

The buildings, which were destroyed by fire some time
since, were constructed principally of wood, but they have
since been rebuilt in a most substantial manner of brick
and timber. In almost every compartment of these pre-
mises were stored oils, varnish, turpentine, and other in-
flammable stock in the process of drying, which to some
extent will account for the extraordinary spread of the
flames, for in the course of a few minutes the prin-
cipal portions of the factory, at least to 120 feet in
length and 60 feet wide, became encircled in a huge
sheet of flame. The vessels which contained the oil and
turpentine ran along the floors like sheets of liquid
fire, and at that time the watchmaß had locked himself up
in the premises, and was overtaken by the blazing spirits,
which surrounded him, and burnt the whiskers on his
face and the hair on his head off. For some time he was
unable to find the key of the door so as to let himself out,
and, according to his own statement, he made up his mind
to be burnt to death ; but suddenly, owing to the intense
heat, he espied the key and was enabled to release himself.
By that period, owing to opening the door, the flames were
fanned into every portion of the factory, and they rose so
high into the air as to be visible from all parts of the
metropolis. This caused a general turn-out of the Royal
Society's escape in the district, and the engines from al-
most every station in London. Conductors Breton and
Swaine speedily arrived with two of the Society'smachines
and three of Shand, Mason, and Co.'s land steamers, the
manual power one from Southwark Bridge-road having
been set to work, from an abundant supply of water, tor-
rents of the antagonistical element was thrown
upon and into the blazing pile ; but in spite of that the
fire continued its ravages, and mounted so high that even
the Volunteer firemen were called out from Peckham and
Croydon. The firemen, under the direction of their supe-
rior officers, kept to their posts, but owing to the great
number of rolls of cloth the water could not penetrate
them, and the flames could not be conquered until the
whole of the premises were destroyed. The total loss is
very considerable, and the origin of the catastrophe is un-
known. Mr. Superintendent Brandford and Inspectors
Wise and Manson, with a strong body of police, rendered
essential aid, for owing to the proximity of a row of small
houses the inmates threw their furniture into the street
and the services rendered by the police prevented the same
from being stolen by the mob. •