The Sun.
London, England, 1825-12-27 00:00:00

FONTHILL ABBEY.

We cannot but regret haying to announce the
demolition, in great part, of this most magnificent fabric, which
has been so universally anti deservedly admired. On Wedues
day afternoon, about half-past three o'clock, the tower, which
rose to the height of 270 feet from the centre of the building,
fell with a most tremendous crash, breaking through a great
portion of the roof of the Abbey, and instantaneously present-
ing an immense Mass of ruins. Most fortunately no lives were
lost. The tower, it appears, was of too light a construction,
and, from certain indications, its fall had been expected for se-
veral days previous to its actual occurrence. It declined in its
descent a little to the south-west, and fell into the fountain
court, destroying the hall, the whole of the octagon, and great
part of the galleries, north and south, together with the first
crimson room, leaving the grand entrance standing, with the
organ in it, and the statue of the late Alderman Beckford. Mr.
Farquhar was in the large east wing of the building at the time
of the disaster, and it is said that he was not much alarmed, as
he had expected it. Seven servants were also at the time en-
gaged, by his orders, in taking out the painted windows of St.
Michael's gallery, and they all escaped unhurt : one servant
boy, however, was considerably injured. A great quantity of
plate is still buried in the mass of ruins.—.(Salisbury Journal.)
On Wednesday afternoon the inhabitants of Fonthill Abbey
were alarmed by a most tremendous crash, which seemed like
nothing more nor less than the sudden crushing into ruins of
the whole building. Their terror was however soon abated by
finding that the lofty tower had fallen, and burst through that
part of the building which nearly adjoined it, without occasion-
ing any personal injury whatever. It appears that the pro.
prictor, Mr. Farquhar, had strong apprehensions of this la-
mentable occurrence, and had removed most of the costly
embellishments to secure them from the *pending danger.
The cause of this event is not attributable to any limit of the
architect, but to the instability of the materials. It not being
at first designed to be raised to any thing near its height, the
architect had, of course, fixed the foundation proportionately ;
and when it was proposed to raise it to its remarkable elevation,
the building was too far advanced to allow of any adoption to
render the foundation sufficiently strong to support it; and, in
order to meet the wishes of the then proprietor, William Beck.
ford, Esq. in raising it to its noble and. commanding height,
and thereby add so greatly to the magnificence of the whole,
the architect was obliged to use wood in its erection. But,
alas ! this was not of that quality to render so beautiful a
structure a lasting monument of the taste of its designer, and,
as a display of architectural excellence, an honour to the
country.—(Bath. Journal.)

The Hospital at the Salpetriere, at Paris, is a most extensive
establishment. The kitchen contains four boilers, each of which
will hold two oxen, and convert,them into soup. They are cal-
culated to contain 12tH) pounds of meat each. The extent of
the wardrobe may be estimated from the following specimen of
the lingerie, or store room for clean linen, which contains
38,000 sheets, 19,51 X) pillow cases, 29,000 women's neck hand-
kerchiefs, 22,000 night caps, and 36,600 chemises.

. .
SUDDEN DEATH.—Mr. JONES GIDGEON, Ininia-
ture-painter, in Duke-street, Oxford-street, was found dead in
his bed on Sunday. He was a .fine healthy man, of thirty years.
of age. He complained of a swimming in his head on Satur-
day night, 'but it went off, and he enjoyed the company of a
small party at home. He has left a needy family. •
A LITTLE DOG, WITH GREAT SPIRIT.—A few
days since, as Mr. SlONs,,of Castle=strect, Bristol, was return-
ing from Thornbury, on the road between Elton and Horsfield,
he was stopped by a single footpad, who, without saying one
word, took him in his arms, and lifted him up from the ground.
Mr. Sions endeavoured to disengage himself from his assailant,
and, in the struggle, they both tell. At this moment a small.
terrier dog, belonging to Mr. Sions, seized the fellow by the
thigh, and compelled him to quit his hold. The dog then
seized the fellow by the throat, and held him tight till his
master was enabled to effect his escape.

LONDON MARKETS.

PRICE OF BREAD.

The highest price of Bread in the Metropolis, is la ft
the 41h, loaf—there are ethers who sell from a [mitring' ti
t woPenee halfpenny below that rate.

IMPORTATIONS OF GRAIN- LAST WEEK. irit,
English. Irish. it ore
Wheat 6,001 -
Barley
Malt 6,090 ..:,--.•
---
Oats
Rye
Beans
1,836
Peas ..
--
T 494 ares . -
Rapeseed -
--
00
Brank
--
Mustard . • -
Seeds
-- ---
Linseed .. - ---•
Flour . -

5408
~~

SEEDS, Dec. 26.
New English R. Clover, pei cwt...63s 74s—fine --9 81,6,
Old Ditto -
New Foreign ditto —s —.s—fine —$ --41,_
Old ditto ditto
.22s 40s—fine 42s 4D.

Now IVlliteditto
56s —s—fine 62$ r
Old ditto 35s 445—tine 305 360
New Trefoil.. per cwt 254 295-6ne 34s $5l
Old ditto 9s 15, .fine 185 fat

Is—,
New Itibgi ass —s —s—fine --4 .. 4,
. r . ,
Old ditto 243 305—fine 33. 0°-
English Carraway Seeds SZis 36s—fine 38s 40.
Foreign ditto . ,--s —s —s---fine.-4
Coriander do. lOs Oil 12s—fine ids •-0
•
St.Foiii.... per tir.
Rye-Grass
Macey ditto
Linseed for feeding
Ditio, for crushing
Canary Seed . 72360i5s
24812360681 .
.0-14
215h6L:_ide. ;3400:0001
Whitt! Mustard Seed.. per bushel.... 14,---fine il°l-
fin 40$ Brown ditto .
.... 13s 18s—.-8 ,6$
Turnip Seeds Hs 15s Od--150'5,
Tares
--6eW 75'

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