The Sun.
London, England, 1849-10-24 00:00:00

,ides of the entrance to the court from Fisb-street-

hill had ignited, and the heat was most intense. The
men, however, notwithstanding their painful position,
kept to their post, and being assisted by others who
mounted the roofs of the houses in Fish street-hill,
and directed vast columns of water on to the points
;hreatened, they succeeded in preventing the confla-
gration extending in that direction.
Unfortunately the progress of the fire in the
opposite quarter, towards Lower Thames street and
the lower portion of Fish street-hill, became most
tearful. The whole of the rear of the houses from
King's Arms-court to the corner of Lower Thames-
street, which abutted on the blazing warehouse, had
caught, and were lighting up fiercely, while in
names street the conflagration was spreading still
more awfully. The flames had made their way into
front warehouse and premises, four stories in
height, of Messrs. Baiss and Co., facing St. Magnus
Church, and in a very brief period the entire building
',vas alight from the basement to the roof, sending
high into the air terrific volumes of flame. It was
then abouthalf-past seven o'clock, and the alarming ex-
tent to which the calamity was spreading increased the
excitement considerably. All the fire engines con-
nected with the brigades stationed in London, with
two or three exceptions, were collected in the immes
diate vicinity of the conflagration, and were brought
to bear on every accessible point. The two large float-
ing engines stationed in the river were brought along-
side of Fresh-wart, and the hose were judiciously con-
veyed into Fish-street-hill and Lower Thames-street,
thus commanding two sides of the fire, but,notwithstand-
ing the immense flood of water cast upon the burning
buildings, no visible effect was apparent. It is im-
possible to convey any idea of the scene that presented
itself at this period. The flames, as the various ex-
plosions occurred, rose to an enormous elevation, and
all the architectural details of the Monument and St.
Magnus Church were perceptible at a great ditance ;
indeed, the former at times resembled a brazen column.
The great reflection attracted vast numbers of persans
from every part of the metropolis. London-bridge
and all its approaches were densely crowded, and
masses congregated along the wharfs and other loca-
lities from whence the fire could be seen. Indeed,
the crowd became so immense that the commanding
officer of the troops in the Tower intimated his readi-
ness to assist the police authorities if required. The
City police, it should be observed, had a most arduous
duty to carry out; but when this message arrived
they had succeeded in blocking up the streets, and had
accomplished what was necessary for the operations
of the firemen, and the security of life and property.
As the body of fire was suppressed in King's
Head-court, the firemen who had been engaged at
Lhat point rendered additional assistance to the force
employed in Lower Thames-street, where the de-
structive element had obtained great ascendancy. It
was apparent that a large stock of chemicals was
stored in the upper part of the front premises of
Messrs. Baiss and Co., as the flames roared from the
windows with a noise only to be compared to those
issuing from a burning turpentine distillery. So
great was the body of flame that alarm was enter-
tained for the safety of St. Magnus Church, and
some of the engines had to be brought to bear upon
the roof of that sacred edifice to prevent its igniting.
At length the flames had gone through the whole of
the front warehouse of the firm, and probably it was
only owing to the great body of water thrown by the
two floating engines that the whole of the locality did
not share a similar fate. The " float " having an
endless supply, the firemen were in a position to have
a strong command over the devouring element. It
was nine o'clock ere the danger could be said to be at
an end. There still remained a great mass of fire in
both warehouses, which probably would continue to
rage throughout the night. All the engines were
kept in readiness to act in the event of a fresh out-
break.

The amount of damage may to some extent be sur-
mised by the subjoined hasty report, obtained by the
brigade nt a late hour in the evening, detailing the
property destroyed and damaged :
King's Head-court—The warehouses of Messrs.
Baiss, Brothers, and Co., totally destroyed.
Two adjoining tenements, roofs partly burned off,
one occupied by Mr. Vialow, plumber and glazier.
Two warehouses on the opposite side considerably
damaged by fire, the roof of one almost demolished.
Fish-street Hill—Mr. Snowdon, butcher, back part
severely damaged by flue.
Mr. Rouse, salesman, back portion and roof burned.
The Margate and London Steam-packet Office, Mr.
Knott, ngent, back part and roof partly destroyed.
Mr. Francis, Sun Coffee-house, rear severely
damaged.
Mr. Hammerton, hairdresser, severely damaged.
Mr. Cullum, tobacconist, damaged.
Lower Thames-street—Front premises of Messrs.
Balsa, Brothers, and Co., 125 and 120, totally de-
stroyed.
Eight other houses more or less damaged, three of
which are situated in Pudding-lane.
The bulk of the property was reported to be insured
in several offices, but owing to the confusion- that
prevailei no accurate list could be obtained.

JAMAICA. - PROROGATION OF

THE ASSEMBLY.

We have intelligence from Jamaica to the 2d inst.,
brought to Liverpool by the steam-ship America,
which arrived on Sunday night from Boston. This
intelligence is ten days later than that brought
by the West India mail steamer Severn. On the
24th ultimo the Import Bill was read a third time
and passed in the Assembly. On the 28th his
Excellency prorogued the session, on the ground
that the Bill for the continuance of the import
duties had come before the Legislature in a form in
which the Council had determined not to pass it.
An address from the Council to the Governor had
been presented, regretting that so much precious time
had been consumed in a struggle for retrenchment,
and stating that all necessary and usual measures to
provide these remedies would receive from the Council
an immediate concurrence. The Governor replied
briefly, that this address confirmed the hope he had
formed of an early settlement of the difficulties and
differences of the Celonial Legislature.
The consequence of this prorogation of the Assem-
bly had been that, while the new Import Bill had not
passed the Legislature, the old law for levying these
duties expired on the ht of October, and in the ab-
sence of any tariff, all goods, wares, and merchandise,
were entitled to enter free of duty.

MURDER BY A LUNATIC AT MELTON HOUSE.—
On Thursday last a terrible tragedy was enacted at
Melton Lunatic Asylum. Thomas Sone..s, ore of the
patients, suddenly rushed upon William Wdb
umped y,
upon his
another
patient, and, after knocking him down, j
head so violently, and so frequently, that the bones of
the poor fellow's skull were literally smashed. On
Saturday last an inquest was held at Melton, before ?r.
Wood, when a verdict of " Wilful Murder" was re-
turned, and the prisoner was accordingly committed t:n
the charge.