The Sun.
London, England, 1847-10-08 00:00:00

INCENDIARY FIRES.

MARCH.—On Wednesday evening an alarm of fire
was raised about half-past eight. It was found to
proceed from the burning of a stack of straw be-
longing to Mr. Edward Booth, situate down the
White Lion -lane. From circumstances that have

transpired, it is feared they will prove this to be the
work of an incendiary. The police are making an
investigation of the affair, and we hope the resu!t
will be more satisfactory than is expected.—Cain-
bridge Advertiser.
We are sorry to state that another fire, believed to
be the wc.rk of an incendiary, occurred on the after-
noon of Wednesday last, on a farm at Papworth, the
property of Mr. Allpress. The outbuildings, a con-
siderable quantity of corn, and part of the dwelling-
house were destroyed before the flames were arrested.
The value of the property thus consigned to destruc-
tion in pure wantonness of mischief is, we regret to
say, very considerable. A fire gleaming in the
distance is now a phenomenon as familiar to us as
meteors in August. Another was visible from Cam-
bridge on Thursday evening last, produced, we
understand, by another incendiary fire at Aldreth,
near Haddenham. The amount of property destroyed
we have not learned, but we are happy to be able to
state that it was not considerable. Five incendiary
fires in one week is too much of a bad thing.—Cant-
bridge Advertiser.
On Thursday morning, at an early hour, the alarm
of fire was again raised in this city, and the engines
were dispatched to the spot, which proved to be at
Coleby Heath, the farmstead of Mr. Charles Lister;
a wheat stack, three straw stacks, and other produce
were destroyed. The matter is now under investi-
gation, and there is reason to believe that it is the act
of an incendiary, but for the present we deem it
prudent simply to name the circumstance.—Lincoln-
shire Times.

COAL PIT ON FIRE.—We are sorry to state that
a fire broke out in one of the Duke of Buccleuch's coal
pits, at Cannobie, on Saturday, the 18th ult., which, not-
withstanding the utmost exertions of his Grace's agents
and workmen, is still unsubdued. It appears that the
workmen, being about to leave off work on the forenoon
of the day above-mentioned, were assembled at the
bottom of the shaft waiting to be taken out ; but in con-
sequence of something having got wrong in the works
at the top, which required repairs, the men could not be
drawn up for some. During the delay thus occasioned,
the boys employed in the pit went into the old shaft,
lighted a fire, and left it burning. In their absence it
communicated with some wood frame-work, and soon
spread to the surrounding coal, thus acquiring an aseen- '
dancy that has baffled all endeavours to overcome it. Its
appearance is described as that of a furnace. Unfortu-
nately a supply of water is obtained with difficulty, forty
men being employed to hand it to each other before it
reaches the pit. Happily the accident has been unac-
companied with loss of life ; but we understand that
three men narrowly escaped suffocation on the first dis-
covery of the fire.—Carlisle Patriot.
The following occurred in a school not 10Qniles
from London :—Teacher--" What part of syeeeh is the
word egg?" Boy (hesitating)—" Noun, Sir.' Teacher—
" What is its gender ?" Boy (perplexed)—" Can't tell,
Sir." Teacher—" Is it masculine, feminine, or neuter ?"
Boy (looking sharp) —" Can't say, Sir, till it's hatched."
Teacher—" Well, then, my lad, can you tell me the
case ?" Boy (quickly)—" Oh. yes, it is the shell, Sir."
On Sunday night, about eleven o'clock, a fire broke
out in a stack adjoining an off barn, in the occupa-
tion of Mr. William Cooke, of Risby;.k.and there being
no water near, the barn, filled with oats, and two stacks
of the same grain, altogether the produce of between
fifty and sixty acres, were destroyed. The fire was
caused by a man who had been thrashing it: the barn on
Saturday going into the shed from a beer-shop with a
lighted pipe in his hat, which fell among the .straw, and
he, with another man who had laid down in the same
place, had a narrow escape from being burnt. He was
taken into custody, and examined before the Rev. S. IL
Alderson, on Monday, when he was bound over tc appear
if called upon.—Bury Post,