The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-01 00:00:00

OFFICIAL REPORT OF MR. BR•AIDWOOD.

Major Elrington, being desirous to obtain all the ac-
curate information in his power, in order to furnish it
to his Grace, states that he made application to Mr.
Braidwood, the superintendent of the London Fire Bri-
gade, and obtained from him the following statement,
which he with great courtesy handed to our reporter :
" London Fire Establishment Station,
68, Watling-street, Sunday Morning, Oct. 31.
" Sir—According to your request I beg to state that
the alarm of the fire in the Tower was given at three-
quarters past 10 o'clock P.m., of the 30th inst. On
arriving there I found the circular building behind the
grand staircase, leading to the small gun armoury, com-
pletely on fire, and the flames were extending along the
main building on both sides. The height which the
flames had gained, and the construction of the building,
with the very scanty supply of water, prevented any I
hope of saving the building itself. Every exertion was,
therefore, made to save those adjoining, which were
happily preserved.
" The Map-office. was at one timein var.y great danger,
which was averted by the exertions of the firemen, with
the very efficient assistance of the troops.
" The White ToWer was also at one time in extreme
danger, and the arrangements of the officers and exertions
of the soldiers alone prevented its destruction.
" The fire appears to have commenced in the work-
shops behind the large Armoury, but I hare not been
able to ascertain the cause.
" The engines present at the fire were :—Nine be-
longing to the Tower of various sizes, eight large en-
gines belonging to the London Fire Establishment, two
powerful floating engines, also of the Fire Establishment,
one belonging to the West of England Insurance Com-
pany, one from the County-office, one from the Custom-
house, and four parish engines.
"In conclusion, I beg to say that the danger of the fire
further extending now no longer exists, but, notwith-
standing, several of the Fire Establishment engines will
remain on the spot.
" Sir, I have the honour to be your obedient servant,
"JAMES BRAIDWOOD,

"Superintendent of the London Fire Establishment.
" To Major Elrington,
Officer in Command in tho Tower."

Major Elrington also states that the workshops in
question were closed about the same time as the gates of
the armoury, five o'clock, and from inquiries he had
caused to be made of the persons who were the last to
leave, the buildings appeared perfectly safe. With re-
spect to the origin of the fire, he thought it was caused
from the flues of the stoves.

HISTORY OF THE TOWER OF
LONDON.
The following historical account of the events con-
nected with the Tower, and of the curiosities it con-
tained, prior to the fire, together with the deaths and
burials of the illustrious persons who resided within its
walls, will doubtless be perused with more than ordinary
interest at the present moment :
THE TOWER OF LONDON.

The celebrated fortress of the Tower of London stands
on the northern bank of the Thames, at the eastern ex-
tremity of the city. It at first consisted of no more than
what at present is called the White Tower, and, without
any authority, has been reported to have been built by
Julius Cesar, although there is the strongest evidence of
its having been marked out, and a part of it first erected
by, William the Conqueror, in the year 1078; doubtless
with a view to secure himself and followers a safe re-
treat, in case the natives of Britain should ever have re-
course to arms. That this was the Conqueror's design,
evidently appears from its situation and its communica-
tion with the Thames, whence it might be supplied with
men, provisions, and military stores, and it even still
seems formed for a place of defence rather than of offence.
The death of the Conqueror, in 1087, about eight years
after he had begun the fortress, however, for some time
prevented its progress, and left it to be completed by his
son, William Rufus, who, in 1098,. surrounded it with
walls and a broad and deep ditch, which is in some places
about 120 feet wide, into which water from the river
Thames was introduced.

Henry Lotrengthened this fortress with additional
works, and King Stephen, in 1140, kept his Court here
with great magnificence during the festival of Whitsun •
tide. That monarch conferred the custody of the Tower
upon Geoffrey de Magnaville, Earl of Essex, who proved
faithless to his trust, and kept it for the Empress Ma-
tilda until he was made prisoner at St. Albans in 1143,
and constrained to assent to its surrender. _

About the year 1190 the precincts of the Tower were
considerably extended by William Longchamps, Bishop
of Ely, and Chancellor of England, who, having been
left at the head of the Regency by Richard Cc cur de
Lion during his absence in the Holy Land, thought pro-
per to surround this fortress with an embattled wsdl of
stone, and " a bade and deepe ditch," by which he
ro
greatly encroached upon the adjoining lands, and had
part of the city wall " broken down for the enlarging of
the Tower, to wit, from the poster gate towards the
river Thames." For this proceeding Prince John besieged
him in the Tower. After one night the affrighted pre-
all his for
late agreed to surrender, and to give up sca
permission to retire to the continent.
King John frequently held his court at the Tower, and
both repaired and added to the buildings.
Henry the Third, in 1240, ordered a stone gate, bul-
warks, and other additions to be made to this fortress,
and the original Tower to be whitened, and from thence
it was called the White Tower. During Henry's reign