The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-01 00:00:00

PRESTON.

The cholera has made its appearance in this town, a
case having occurred at a lodging-house in Dale-street.
The sufferer is a tramp. Dr. Spencer has two other
cases under his care at Moon's Mill (a short distance
outside the borough), the wife and mother of a man
named Cornwall. On Thursday night these parties were
not considered out of danger. Three serious cases of
diarrlicea are also reported. Moon's Mill, is in a
wretched state, in a sanitary point of view.

TREMENDOUS CONFLAGRATION NEAR
COVENT-GARDEN.

Yesterday morning, between the hours of four and
five, a fire, attended with a great destruction of valuable
property, broke out in the extensive range of !premises
belonging to Messrs. Saville and Edwards, printers, of
No. 4, Chandos-street, Covent-garden. The premises
in question extended from the front street almost as far
as half way into the Strand. They were bounded on one
side by Agar-street, and on the other side by Bedford-
street. The printing-offices of Messrs. Saville being con-
siderably higher than the houses in the surrounding
streets, the fire therefore threatened for some time the
destruction of every building near.
The fire, it appears, was discovered by a police-con-
stable of the F division, who, in passing, perceived a
dense mass of smoke hovering over the houses in Agar-
street. At first it was impossible for any one to tell
from which house the smoke was issuing, but after the
lapse of a few minutes the constable perceived a lurid
glare over the back of the machine-rooms of the printing-
office. He at once ran to the front door, and having
knocked violently at the shutters he was answered by
one of the boys who was at work on the premises.
Having informed him that the place was on fire, the
whole of the other bands engaged at work were made
sensible of the impending danger, and without delay tfiey
raked out the fires from the various furnaces used for
heating the water for supplying the various steam-
engines. They had, however, barely 'accomplished that
object when a number of ponderous printing-machines,
and some tons weight of valuable type, fell into the
lower floors with a crash like a clap of thunder.
The building in which the disaster commenced was
four or five floors in height, nearly 80 feet long, and of
proportionate width. At the time of the outbreak the
matter for the following newspapers was set up in type,
viz. :—The British Army Dispatch, the Leader, the
Lancet, the Literary Gazette, the United Service Gazette,
the Catholic Standard, and the Court Journal The
whole of the floors at the rear of the main build-
ing were quickly enveloped in fire, and so fiercely
did the fire extend, that the whole of the type and other
materials in the premises became wrapped in fire, and so
high did the flames extend, that their reflection could be
seen from every part of London.
With as little delay as possible the engines of the Bri-
gade from Chandos-street station arrived, followed by
that of the West of England Office and nine others of
the London establishment, bringing with them Mr.
Braidwood, the superintendent of the Brigade, Mr. Con-
nerton, the head of the West of England Office, and
Messrs. Scott and Wilkinson, head engineers. Fortu-
nately, an abundant supply of water was procured from
the mains of the New River Company, from which the
engines were at once set to work, the firemen being aided
by upwards 250 hired auxiliaries. In spite, however,
of the exertions of all present, the work of destruction
continued, and room after room in the back premises
became ignited. The wind being high at the time, it
drove the fire into the premises of Mr. J. Sandison,
carpenter, 4, Bedford-street, and Mrs. Elizabeth Fyvie,
a baker, 3, in the same street. From that point the
flames extended to two houses in Harvey's-buildings,
Strand.

The hose from the different engines was conveyed
round and through the various houses in Bedford-street
and Agar-street, by which means the firemen were en-
abled to scatter the water in the right directions, and
thereby the whole of the front premises, with their ex-
tensive stock of paper, cards, &c., were preserved, the
only damage done being from the intense heat. The
firemen, however, kept to their work for hours, until
they at length got the mastery over the fearful element,
but which was not until the whole of machine-rooms and
composing-rooms were burned out, and the roofs de-
stroyed. The total loss, it is expected, will amount to
from 20,0001. to 30,000/., for there were in that portion
of the premises in which the fire had raged no fewer
than ten powerful printing machines, five of which are
entirely destroyed, and some tons weight of pearl,
brevier, and nonpareil type have been fused and rendered
fit for only the metal pot. Nearly 200 men and boys
were employed on the works, and the greater portion
will, of necessity, be thrown out of employment for some
time to come. _ _ _

As to the origin of the misfortune nothing could be
ascertained. There were only about five men and boys
at work when the police officer discovered the flames, and
they were then engaged printing the Lancet, medical
journal. About 300 copies only had been atruok off

when the flooring fell upon the type, and thereby stopped
any further printing of that paper.
The following is the official report of the damage done,
furnished by Mr. Superintendent Braidwood :
" Sept. 30, 1853-4.15 a.m., a fire broke out on the
premises of Messrs. Saville and Edwards, printers, No.
4, Chandos-street, Covent-garden, which destroyed the
machine rooms and printing offices behind. Insured in
the Scottish Union, Legal and Commercial, and Sun fire
offices.

" No. 5, ditto, J. Diller, dressing-case maker : damage
to premises by breakage and water. Insured in the
Globe office.

" Nos. 2 and 3, Bedford-street, C. Coles, tavern-
keeper, back buildings and skylights damaged by fire,
water, and removal. Insured in the Globe and West-
minster fire offices.

"No. 4a, Mr. J. Sandison, carpenter : similar damage.
Insured in the County fire office.
"No. 3, ditto, Mrs. Fyvie, baker : brick front scorched
and window burned out. Insured in the Sun office.

" Nos. 4 and 5, Chandos-street, occupied by Mr.
Davenport, glazier, and Mr. Gander, a tailor, are also
severely damaged by fire, water, and removal.
"Nos. 2 and 3, Harvey's-buildings, in the Strand,
occupied by Mr. Ekin, a bricklayer, and Mr. Martin
(private) are similarly damaged."
The engines did not leave till past five o'clock yester-
day evening.

BRITANNIA NEWSPAPER.—We have been requested to
state that the types of this journal were not destroyed in
the fire at Messrs. Saville and Edwards, in Chandos-
street, as stated in the Times of this morning.