The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-26 00:00:00

DREADFUL FIRES.

Yesterday morning, between the hours of 4 and 5, a very
destructive fire, by which the lives of numerous persons were
jeopardised, broke out hi the lofty building termed the Red
Lion Tavern, situate 123, Jermyn-street, St. James's, the
property of Mx. Williams.
The flames originated in the lower portion of the premises,
from some unknown cause, and hen first discovered they
had obtained such a strong hold that it soon became apparent
that at the least the entire building would fall a prey to their
fury.
The inmates, consisting of nine persons, were, after much
delay, made sensible of the great danger to which they were
exposed ; and they immeinutely made an attempt to de-
scend the staircase. They had, however, barely got upon
the landing, when a shower of sparks and volumes of smoke
rushed upwards, and cut off all retreat by the regular means.
The poor creatures hardly knew what to do; but having
run into one of the front rooms, they closed the door, and
then appeared at the windows supplicating the crowd to as-
sist them.

A ladder was soon brought to the spot, but that proved
too short to be of any assistance, and whilst the parties were
gone to fetch the lire-escape, the whole of the residents got
out of window, and by passing along a narrow lead flat,
were enabled to reach the balcony of the next house, and
were then admitted through the windows without receiving
any personal injury. Not one of them was able to save an
article of clothing. '1 he engine of the County-office was
the first that arrived, and was followed hy'several others of
the London establishment, and the West of England one
from Waterloo-road. Fortunately an abundant supply of
water was obtained front the plugs in the street, which was
copiously discharged into the blazing building, in spite of
which the flames continued to progress most tearfully until
floor after floor was hurled down. Owing to the praise-
worthy exertions of the firemen, the flames Isere confined
to the premises in which they originated, but they were not
extinguished until the furniture, stock in trade, and other
effects were destroyed, and the house nearly gutted. The
origin of the calamity is unknown. Fortunately Wil-
liams was insured—the stock in the Licensed Victuallers'.
office, and the building in the Royal Exchange.
A few hours after the engines had returned to their sta.

tions another fire, by which one life was lost, occurred at
19, Foi and Kaot-court, Snow-hill, occupied by a poor
family, named‘Coney. It appeared that three children had
been left by their parents in a room in which a fire was
burning in the grate. Whilst thus alone, one of the children
lighted a piece of paper, and threw it on the floor, when
some wearing apparel took fire, and very soon the clothes of
Mary Coney, aged nine years, became one mass of flame.
She had an infant in her arms, which she threw down, and
then rushed into the court with the flames mounting over
her head, A Mrs. Grady made an attempt to put out the
fire, but was unable, and had her hands dreadfully burned in
so doing. At length a rug was procured, and the child
having been wrapped in it, the fire was eventually extin-
guished, but nut until her body and head were burned as
black as a coal. She was taken to St. Bartholomew's Ilos-

pital, where she lingered till four o'clock in the afternoon,
when death terminated her sufferings.

About half past three o'clock yesterday afternoon a fire
broke out at No. 19, Holiday-yard, Creed-lane, Ludgate-
bill, in the occupation of Mr. Robson, which was also attended
with loss of life. The discovery was made by one of the
neighbours perceiving an unusual glare of light in the third
floor front. An immediate alarm was raised, and upon the
inmates of the court opening the door of the room, a huge
sheet of flame rushed out, and they were forced to retreat.
The engines from Farriugdon-street station quickly attended,
and, with the aid of the police and inmates, the flames were
extinguished, but not before they had penetrated the parti-
tions, and had done considerable damage in two rooms. As
soon as the fire was extinguished, the firemen beheld a most
distressing scene; upOn the flooring, where the flames had
evidently burnt most fiercely, wasiying the body of a female
child, most frightfully burned. An assistant of Mr. Baker,
the surgeon of Wardrobe-place, attended, and pronounced
life extinct. The deceased's name was Eliza Robson, and
she was between four and five years old. The child, it
appears, had been left alone whilst the mother was out at
work.

The Emperor of Russia, having learnt that the
French Government had sent out an artist to select blocks of
the finest porphyry he could find in any country, to be used
in raising the monument to Napoleon at the Invalides, has
given orders for blocks of the requisite size to be hewn
from the quarries belonging to the Crown, and sent to
Paris. The porphyry from these quarries is considered to be
unrivalled in the fineness of its grain and the delicacy of its
shades.

TENANTS
LIABILITY FOR RENT.—A recent de-
cision was given in a small debt case, decided by Mr. Sheriff
Robertson, at Stonehaven, to the effect that a tenant's po•
tato crop having failed by the general blight of last year, he
is consequently legally free from all liability for rent; and
more than this, that if the proprietor prosecutes for his rent,
which, as may be inferred from the report of the case, was
not a " conditional," depending upon the success of the- crop,
he may even be saddled with the expenses of the suit.
Edinburgh P, ost.
Two MEN FOUND DEAD.—On Sabbath morning
week two men were found dead in a plantation near the
Broom, on the road leadieg to Newton Mearns. It appears
that the unfortunate deceased were father and son, and had
left the Mains Toll about half-past ten on Saturday evening,
on their way home to Hazleton Head. The son, it is said,
was a little intoxicated when he left, and it is thought that,
having felt fatigued, they hail both lain down in the planta-
tion and fallen asleep, from which they never awoke. There
was no appearance of violence on either of their persons.—
Scottish Guardian.
A FERRET IN A Cnuncis. A few days since,
during one of the weekly services at the church, in Wim-
borne, a little girl approached the minister and accosted him
thus, " I hope you will excuse me, sir, but there is a ferret
!tinning about the church." The service was immediately
suspended, and the few females then present being much
alarmed, speedily made their exit, and the minister and
clerk endeavoured to secure the intruder, but without effect.
The animal made its escape. —Poole
FOLKESTONE. --- We understand Messrs. Golder
and Lucas have contracted for 300 houses to be built at Ash-
ford, for the South-Eastern Railway Company -- 72 to be
finished by the end of July next. The carrying- out of the
horn, cr jetty, at the extremity of the harbour, has caused the
sea to encroach upon the East Cliff, and to wash away large
qu-intities of beach and sand near Copt Point. The wreck of
a ship has been discovered, supposed to be the Grantham,
East Indiaman, L5OO tons, wrecked there about 110 years
since. She was laden with a general cargo. Many persons
have visited the wreck, and have succeeded in getting some
of her timbers, which are in a fine state of preservation.
She will, however, be scarcely visible till the next spring
tides.-Kentish Observer.
The Hon. H. Howard, brother to Viscount Mor-
peth, Secretary to the British Legation at the Hague, left
town on Wednesday evening; to resume his diplomatic
duties. Mrs. Howard• remains with I:er noble relations, Lord
and Lady Stefrircl and the Marchioness of Wellesley, at Cos-
ttaey Hall, Norviich.
It is reported a marriage will take place between
the Hon. Frederick Petre, the third son of Lord Petre, and
Miss Musgrove, eldest daughter of the late Sir Christopher
Musgrove, Bart.
LOOK TO YOUR POCKETS.—Managers of legitimate
theatres, Irish Members, authors of syncretic epics, and
others, are hereby informed, that a gentleman in the City-
was robbed the other day of 10,000/. Persons in the habit
of receiving large sums should therefore be on their guird.—
The Mon in the Moon.
TIIE PATENT TllEATRES.—Yesterday the follow-
ing shares in the Theatre Royal Drury-lane were disposed of
by auction by Mr. Lovell, at the Auction Mart. The first.lot
consisted of two 5001. renter's shares. They entitled the
possessor to the privilege of a free admission, which was
transferable, and to a charge on the theatre of. Is. 3d. per
night during every night it was open for performance. The
sum paid on them last year was 3/. 10s.: and, as tranferable,
they respectively realised three guineas per annum. They
were sold for 62/. each. The next lot consisted of five 100/.
proprietor shares, all paid up, and subject to no further
liability. There were no returns upon them, but the holdtr
of them was eligible to he returned on the Committee of
Management. They fetched 101. There were tliree other
similar lots, each ,f which went for 91. 10s. Mr. Lovell then
put up fur sale a 500/. renter's share in the Theatre Royal
Covent-garden. It entitled the possessor to a free admission
(that for the present season having been sold), was held for
a term of nearly fifty years and the sum of 131. 10a
paid on it annually. The auctioneer stated that there-w. was
sais
prospect of a great increase in the value of these shares. The
company which had the management of that property had
taken a lease of it for six years, the rent for three of which
had been deposited, while the admissions were sold for the
season, these averaging from 10 guineas to 12 guineas. The
possessor was entitled to a payment of 24/ per annum. The
first offer for it was 15(3., when after au active competition,
it was knocked down for 2051.
The Marchioness of Lansdowne has left town for
Bowood, Wilts; but is expected ton return shortly. The
Earl of Shelburne still continues at 'Rome. -