The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-18 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The fete of his Majesty was celebrated with
great pomp at Bayonne. Their Majesties were
present at the Te Deum and afterwards went to
the Mainie, amidst the acclamations of the people
who were assembled in their passage. The Em-
peror afterwards reviewed the troops of the garri-
son. In the evening a display of fireworks took
place on one of the bastions of the citadel, in such
a position as to be seen from the chateau of- the
Emperor. At night the town was illuminated.
The inauguration of the works of- theVictorEm-
manuel Railway took place on the 7th inst. A fete
was given on the occasion at Chamberry. The
Archbishop delivered a speech in praise of modern
inventions. A certain number of French share-
holders assisted 'at the fete.
The Three per Cents. opened yesterday at 72f.
60c., and rose to 73f. 10c., the closing price
for the end of the month ; the Four-and-a-Half
per Cents. closed at 99f. 50c. ; and the New
Loan, at 73f. ; Orleans Railway Shares, 1,201 f.
25c. ; Rouen, 975 f. ; Havre, 5661. 25c. ; Great
Northern, 841 f. 25c. ; Strasburg, 790 f. New
Shares, 626 f. 25c. ; Paris and Lyons, 958 f. 75c. ;
Lyons to the Mediterranean, 867 f. 50c. ; Western
of France, 645 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 630 f. ;
Great Central of France, 50If. 25c. ; Lyons and
Geneva, 506 f. 25c. ; Bank of Credit Mobilier,
715 f.

AUSTRIA-
The Post-Ampt Gazette of Frankfort has the fol-
lowing from Vienna, of the 13th :—" In the con-
ferences which are about to take place, Austria
will, above all, insist on the revision of the treaty
of Konschonck-Kainardchi, the free navigation of
the Danube, and the cessation of the Russian pro-
tectorate over the principalities and over the Chris-
tians of the East. The Cabinet will not enter o*
any negotiations unless these points have been pre-
cedently conceded."
A letter from Vienna of the 13th, in the Ham-
burg _News, says :—" The Conference of the Am-
bassadors has had a meeting to-day. Already,
some days before, the representatives of the Powers
had declared to Count Buol that they were pro-
vided with the instructions necessary to draw
up a new protocol. It is asserted that the
first question discussed is that of ascertaining
to what point the evacuation of the princi-
palities, and the retreat of the Russians, can serve
as a starting-point for new negotiations. It is said
that the four powers are not agreed on that point.
Austria agrees with the Western Powers as to the
guarantees to be required from Russia, but as
Prussia proposes to modify in favour of this latter
the propositions made, everything seems to inti-
mate that the discussion will drag on, unless the
Western Powers force the conference to come to a

prompt decision by entering vigorously on the
theatre of war. It is said that France and England
are furnished with special powers. The relations
between Prince Gortschakoff and our Cabinet have
again become exceedingly active. M. d'Alvensle-
ben and Count d'.Arnim are present at the .confer-
ences which he has with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs. The armaments are going on, but the
march of troops for Transylvania, has been arrested."

THE FIRE AT MESSRS. CUBITT'S, AT

PIMLICO.

The accounts published in yesterday's papers, owing
to the late hour at which the fire commenced, convey
but a faint idea of the amount of property reduced to
ruins, independent of which from 500 to 600 men have
been thrown out of employment, besides being bereft of
their working tools—which alone will amount to several
hundred pounds. The fire was discovered by two night
watchmen, who perceived a flickering light on the top
floor, used as a joiner's shop. The flames soon swept
over the entire floor, and extended to the marble works.
This was a building of four floors, including the base-
ment, about 80 feet wide, and of proportionate depth,
fitted with costly machinery, and containing slabs of
marble, ornaments, statuary, &c. So rapid was the
work of destruction that in less than a quarter of an
hour after the outbreak this building was on fire from
the base to the roof.

Owing to the scarcity of water only a few engines
could be set to work. Information was therefore de-
spatched
to Southwark-bridge for the aid of the powerful
steam floating engine. By the time of its arrival the
fire had gained possession of the whole extent of the
joiners' shops, which were filled with goods, valued at
many thousand pounds. In this part of the works there
were from 13 to 18 bencheS, each being worth 3001.
From this point the flames rushed into the painters and
glaziers' workshops. Their destruction was followed by
that of a large building filled with prepared work of im-
mense value, amongst which was the ornamental
flooring for Buckingham Palace, which had taken
upwards of a year to finish. The costly fittings for
Albert House, Hyde-park, were also in this building, and
the entire contents of the place have been consumed.
The plasterers' model shops, containing some of the
finest specimens in that art, were partially situated under
the joiners' houses, and the floor in that part has not
given way ; there is, therefore, some grounds for con-
cluding that the costly articles will be saved, with the
exception of the damage which must necessarily take
place from water.
Every attempt was made to prevent the flames from
reaching the engineer works, but without the least suc-
cess, and at length this building, which was only two
floors high, but nearly 100 feet long, became also
wrapped in flames. In this part of the premises were
machinery of every description used in the business,
including a moulding-machine, which cost over 4,000/. ;
a valuable stocking machine, for cutting stocks in
wheels ; planing-machine, for planing steel and iron ;
surface-lathes, for grinding surfaces to plates of iron and
steel ; vaaious lathes and drilling-machines, which alone
cost, it is stated, nearly 80,0001. Besides which there
was a vast quantity of work in the different shops,
including some travelling steam-engines, just finished.
The whole of this expensive stock of machinery was
subjected to the greatest heat for hours. It is, there-
fore, feared that it will never be able to be called into
use again.
The powerful floating engine, and as many land en-
gines as could be supplied with water, were kept at work
the whole of the night, and throughout yesterday, and
even at 8 o'clock last evening there still remained a
considerable body of flame in the ruins.
Notwithstanding the heavy loss, from 50,0001. to
80,0001., the only insurances effected upon the property
was 3,0001. in the West of England on the building, and
3,0001. on the stock in the open yard. There was also
lan insurance of 4,0001. in the Landon office, making a
total of 10,0001. only, not one-twelfth part of the actual
loss.