The Sun.
London, England, 1825-09-26 00:00:00

DREADFUL FIRE AT BATH.

UATII, Saturday Night, Sept. '24.—This even-
ing, about half-past eight o'clock, the inhabi tan ts.of the Orange
Grove, and its vicinity, were alarmed by a cry of " Fire !" and
it was soon ascertained that the upper part of a house belonging
to 51r. Paisey, tailor, Wade's-passage, was in flames. The
bell of the Abbey was immediately tolled, and an immense
concourse of persons haitened to the spot. The alarm was
dreadful—several women were seen running about in a state of
distraction, while the inhabitants of the neighbouring houses
were busy removingtheir goods : the confusion has never been
equalled fn this city since the memorable 21st of December,
1820, when the Lower Rooms, which were situated near the
same spot, were entirely consumed. On the present occasion,
the flames burst through the windows with resistless violence ;
and although the engines speedily arrived, the supply of water
was so small, that all attempts to check them proved unavail-
ing. The scene, at this moment, was terrific beyond descrip-
tion. The moon shone with uncommon brilliancy, and its rays
combined with those from the fire, gave the trees in the Grove
a green sulphurous appearance, while the countenances of the
spectators appeared of a bright red. The flames continued raging
for some time, and serious apprehensions were entertained that
they would extend to the Abbey Church, a fine gothic building
to which the house immediately adjoined. These fears were
rendered the more intense, as the organ, and other valuable
articles, had, on 'account of some important alterations now
going on in the Church, been placed on that side of it. All
these, however, fortunately escaped injury, and about half-past
nine o'clock it was evident that the flames had been partly got
under. Several firemen, -With the utmost promptitude and
intrepidity, mounted the roof of an adjoining house, and suc-
ceeded in hewing down the windows, &c., when, at length, the
roof fell in with a tremendous crash. A better supply of water
was now procured, and soon after 10 o'clock the flames were so
far got under, as to do away with• all idea of further danger.—.
This is the third fire which has happened near the same spot
within the last 12 months..
Sept. 25.—1 t is now ascertained that the damage is not so
great as was at first apprehended. The flames, it appears,
have extended no farther than to the' upper part of the adjoining
houses. Had they not, however, been restrained by a party
wall, or had the tire taken place two hours later, when'the wind
was somewhat rough, the whole crowded pile of buildings in
that quarter must have been consumed ! NVe understand that
the fire originated in the work-shop of Mr. Paisey, the men, it
is supposed, having accidentally dropped a spark, which smoul-
dered for some time, and did not burst forth till after they had
left work.

A Cabinet Council was held at one o'clock on
Saturday afternoon, at the Secretary of State's
office for. Foreign Affair:, at which the Duke of
Wellington, the Earls of Liverpool, Uarrowby,
‘Vestmereland, Bathurst, Mr. Secretary Peel,
Mr. Secretary Canning, the Chancellor of the
Exchequer,- Viscount Melville, Lord Bexley, the
Right Hon. W. Wynn, Sce. attended. The Ca-
binet did not break up till past four o'clock.

AFILICA--We believe it is not generally known
that an English establishment.h:e; been formed in the island
of Mombass, on the east coast of Africa, where a trade in
ivory and gum copal is extensively carried on. It appears
that Captain W. F. OWEN, of the Lem* who has two sur-
veying ships under his orders, put in here, in February 1824,
for water, when he found the place under a strict blockade,
by the Itnaum of Muscat's vessels. On his landing, the
Chiefs and principal inhabitants of the place escorted him
to the Castle, when they solicited from him permission to
put themselves under the flag and paternal Government
of his Majesty George the Fourth, with which request Capt.
Owen complied (until his Majesty's pleasure should be
known), as a measure most likely to conduce to the total sup-
pression -of the Slave Trade on the Coast, where it had been
carried on to a most lamentable excess. Lieutenant Emery,
11. N., with a party of men, was left in command, since which
several Dows have been captured ; the poor slaves released,
and the cargoes of the vessels, consisting of grain, cocoa
nuts, and -ivory, restored .to the owners. - The following ac-
count of this new establishment (eXtracted from a private
letter just received), must prove acceptable to our readers :
" Mombussa is an island in 4. 3. S. latitude, and 39.,41. E.
longitude, about 14 miles in circumference, situate at the
-mouth of two rivers distance from the nearest part of the Main,
about two hundred yards; at low water you -are able to walk
across; it is very fertile and rather high. It was at one time
in possession of the Portuguese, who fortified the place very
strongly, but now the fortifications are going: last to decay ; they
having been driven out by the Arabs, in the year 17 o ; and 1
firmly believe nothing has been done to the battlements since
that time. The Arabs are now intermarried with the Sochilles,
the native tribe of the place. The harbours are very fine ; the
chief commerce is ivory and gum copal, which articles are
brought into the island by an inland tribe called Whanekas.—
On the Main we have numbers of wild beasts, but none on the
Island, excepting hymnas ; the hippopotamus are in great num-
bers up the Itivers."—(l/ampshire Telegraph.)

THE THEATRE.

-mss,---
DRURY•LANE.—The season commenced. on
Saturday last with the terrific Playa Pfifisitist
and the Farce of Raising the Wind. In tile 'llO
warmest tokens of public favour.
piece, Mr. WALLACK, who is now the Sle
the performers, as they successively
Manager, was received on his entrance with the
The rest-
perienced. similar marks of kindness, though poti
in genera.
to an equal degree. The characters
were represented by the same performers as art
peared in them last se season, with the e
xcepti°"?.
t J •
entered, elg
Mephistophiles, which was assigned to A.1.,,,r.
RUSSELL, in consequence of the absence of 0.1_,.
TEARY, who has left this Theatre, and einbarKi
ed with Mr. FATES in that of THE ADELF,II.
The part was particularly suited to the dry 6`,,-.4
castle manner of Mr. TERRY, and as it is dini; •
cult to efface first iMpressions, Mr. J • ltussEl'
cr
unavoidably acted under the disadvantage
an °
It
comparison with a favourite perfortner.
not, however, be-said that he was a mere irnita;
for of his predecessor, for his manner was hi
own, and, having had a colouring of hurrour',
will probably be more successful as it become
more familiar. God Save the King was give" Itf
the vocal performers, and received with resPec e
ful loyalty by the audience.—ln the • Farc
lARLEY displayed all his active spirit in Jere
Diddler, and was justly applauded. : The, for,4
lowing comprises an account of the, uovelt3
which have taken place in the structure of t 1 %
building, &c. lore
" The alterations and improvements made in Drury- ~....,
Theatre, during the vacation, are of the following nature
re-
The gold in rout of the boxes has been cleansed an ray
burnished, and the front of the boxes painted of a-s.`,ti
colour. The red devices in front of the lower tier of rico
boxes have been effaced, and the pannels are now ornameil,be
with alternate medallions and antique scrolls in yellow,v`we
centre of each scroll containing a bronze (painted) bust of 'rani
dramatic author, Shakspeare, of course, occupying the ith
of the house. The roof hai been painted to correspond * n
the facade of the boxes, and the old gold ornaments have beeco,
reburnished. The red draperies have been changed to gr the
and the crimson velvet pannels so beautifully folded between,oc
gold Corinthian columns at the side of the proscenium, ':cl
given place to plain fronts of deep green velvet, ormuniaj,
with the old gold devices and borders. The most ma which
provement consists in an enlargement of the orchestra,
of ".Bich
too
is brought out, in a bold sweep, to the sixth or seveci",,io
in the centre of the Pit, the trespass upon the space ofl"the
is compensated for by an increased number of benches in 0..
hack ground, in what was formerly the vacant space ferel:ini;s
ing to the seats, this passage bein how supplied
two.trelv4
into the Pit, through what last season were the l>
private boxes."
__...._....---.