The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-19 00:00:00

FIRE AT BALMORAL.

On Friday afternoon one of the cottages occupied by
the masons engaged at the new palace at Balmoral was
discovered to be on fire, and, being contiguous to the
Royal residence, the utmost alarm for a time prevailed.
In a short time a number of men were on the spot, the
Royal family being not only present, but actively en-
gaged in efforts to extinguish the flames. "We are
assured by a spectator," says the Aberdeen Herald,
" that when a line of men was formed to convey water
to the burning pile from the river, Prince Albert at once
took a position, and continued working steadily
throughout shoulder to shoulder with a sturdy Highland-
man. The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred were al o
actively engaged while her Majesty stood by the whole
time and gave such directions as she thought would tend
to assuage the fire, and deeply interested by the efforts of
the men to save their clothes' chests in which many of
them had considerable sums of money." The fire is
supposed to have originated by a spark getting among
some brushwood in one of the cottages were a woman
was baking, and as they were all five composed of timber,
the flames were speedily beyond the power of control.
No damage has been done to the new buildings.

Ma. PETO, M.P. --This enterprising gentleman, who
is one of the representatives of his native city, Norwich,
in Parliament, has taken a 14 years' lease of the old
castle and grounds of Murthly, Perthshire, from Sir
William Drummond Stewart, Bart., at an annual rental
of 8001. Mr. Peto will enter into occupancy of this de-
lightful residence in the course of next year. It is be-
lieved that, consequent upon his location in that county,
there is every probability of a Baptist chapel being
erected in Dunkeld, the member for Norwich being one
of the wealthiest and most liberal laymen belonging to
that body.
THE LATE COL. HIITCHINSON.—A mural monument,
in beautiful white marble, has just been executed in
memory of this officer, and it is said will be erected in
Trinity Church, Cheltenham.

THE MAILS.- SOUTHAMPTON, Saturday, Sept. 17.
The Royal mail steam-ship Magdalena, Captain George
Abbott, sailed this afternoon, with the usual British and
foreign West India mails, and the mails for the Pacific,
Central America, and California, in charge of Lieut.
Brydges, R.N., Admiralty agent. The Magdalena
takes out 120 passengers, among whom are Major Wynne,
Lieutenant Dennison, Assistant Staff-surgeon Shiell,
&c. ; also a large cargo, and specie value 84,0001. ster-
ling. The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company's ship Tagus, Captain J. K. Joy, left at two
p.m. to-day, with the mails for Vigo. Oporto, Lisbon,
Cadiz, and Gibraltar, 47 passengers, a cargo of general
merchandise, and specie value 25,2051., for Lisbon. The
Ripon, Captain R. Moresby, will leave on Tuesday, the
20th inst., for Gibraltar, Malta, and Constantinople,
taking out the heavy portion of the East India, China,
and Mediterranean mails.
A NEW COMET.—On the night of the 11th of the
present month Mr. C. Bruhns, of the Observatory at
Berlin, discovered a pretty large nebulosity in the con-
stellation Lynx, near the stars /,7 and G of Ursa Major,
which was ascertained to he a new comet by its motion.
At 1 hour 12 minutes after midnight its right ascen ion
was 126 deg. 59 min., and its declination 44 deg. 52 min.
north ; the former was increasing at the daily rate of
1 deg. 27 min., and the latter was diminishing about
half a degree. This object was easily seen with the
" comet-seeker."
THE LAST OF THE BETTING-OFFICES.—Within the
last few days, owing to the Doncaster Races, the betting
offices have revived. and probably next month, on ac-
count of Newmarket, they will show symptoms of
vitality before their extinction. By the Ist of December
they must cease to exist. In England and Ireland, such
places must not be kept or used, urde, stringent penal-
ties or imprisonment. They are declared by the new act
to be a common nuisance, and contrary to law. Scotland
is exempted from the operation of the new law, and it is
open to persons who have not been cured of the mania to
resort thither.