The Sun.
London, England, 1853-09-10 00:00:00

THE LATE FIRE IN CANNON STREET WEST.

Mr
niNeV.
st
teit ahe mte
elPaveaeys
sent
ae ,e
ed
ht hoe
rme cocain rl
eo
vfn
tsrht,
ae heldrmeac
et
en anht
fimir
ane
lauq ut
fhi
ar yae
t.
west,Cannyesterday at the Sugar Loaf Tavern, Cannon-street
broke out on the premises of Mr. Richard Bell, No. 21,
turer, at an early hour on Monday morning. The in-
quiry was instituted in consequence of some represen-
tations made to the coroner by the inhabitants of
Cannon-street, that the outbreak was to be attributed
to the dangerous nature of the business. Owing to the
large quantity of combustibles stored in the building,
and the fact that a similar description of warehouse
almost adjoined, the proceedings excited considerable
interest, as the fire took place in a neighbourhood which
is unequalled in the metropolis for the great amount of
insurances effected upon the surrounding property,
amounting to upwards of a million.
The investigation was attended by Mr. Deputy Lott,
Mr. Joyce, and many other Common Councilmen of the
ward, and by a number of the principal inhabitants.
The coroner addressed the jury, and said that some
years ago he revived the practice of inquiring into the
origin of fires, which, he believed, was attended with
some good result, and which met the approval of the
Lord Chief Justice. A portion of the corporation, how-
ever, thought otherwise, and he had to abandon what
he considered a most important character of investigation.
In the present case he had been solicited by a number of
the inhabitants to hold an inquiry, and, anticipating
that some useful ends might be derived from it, he did
not hesitate to comply. He did not desire any fee.
After the jury had viewed the premises, a number of
witnesses, consisting of some of the fire brigade and
several of the inhabitants, were examined, but their evi-
dence did not tend to any satisfactory elucidation of the
cause of the fire.

The jury having consulted, they returned a verdict to
the effect that there was no evidence to prove how the
fire originated, and added :—" We find that a much
greater quantity of combustible matter had been kept
upon the premises than we consider ought ever to be
allowed upon any building in the city of London, par-
ticularly after the precautions taken by the owners of
that and the adjoining premises by compelling a fire
proof strong room to be built for the storing of those
combustibles, which, from the evidence, appears never
to have been used, and which has since been pulled
down. That there are other premises in the ward in
which a similar dangerous trade is carried on, thus
jeopardising the lives and property of the inhabitan4
We, therefore, trust that the constituted authorities wi,
use their best exertions to prevent a similar occurrence
to that which has brought the jury together." The
coroner said he would take care to lay the representa-
tions of the jury before the proper authorities. The
proceedings then closed.

THE BALMORAL ESTATES.—Great improvements have
been made on the Balmoral estates since last year ; the
arable and pastoral lands, under the able management of
Dr. Robertson, commissioner to his Royal Highness
Prince Albert have been brought into a highly promising
state, while the hunting grounds and deer forest are in
a fair way to become the best in Scotland. The moral
and social wants of the tenantry have been especially
cared for, the Queen having given command that the
poorest families shall have the blessings of education se
cured to them, and their domestic wants fully supplied.
The new palace begins to make some progress, but the
contractor has three years to finish it, and it promises
to be a very handsome building.