The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-18 00:00:00

cheeses, a side of bacon, half a tub of butter, a
double Gloucester cheese, and three parts of another
one, and seventeen Westphalia hams. There were no
chests of tea, but a large canister containing about half
a hundred weight of tea, and another with about ten
pounds in. There was also several dozens of ketchup,
sauoe, capers, and other bottles ; two dozen pounds of
penny chocolate, ten pounds of lump sugar, and about
six or seven pounds of moist sugar ; likewise about
twenty pounds of gunpowder tea. Was awoke by a
noise, which I thought was rain, and saw a light
through some cracks in the door, which I took for light-
ning. I lay quiet about a quarter of an hour, when
I saw the kitchen door was on fire. I then jumped
out of bed, and as I was putting my trousers on, the
lower part of the kitchen door burnt through, and I
saw the kitchen staircase was on fire. I .then ran
into the area, screaming out " Fire," and while there
saw Mr. Clark run out of the shop-door, also calling
out " Fire." I first ran into the cellar until I saw the
people trying to get up the iron railings, when I got
on some boards put to keep the coals in the cellar,
but the fire in the shop drove the people away, and I
was giving myself up for lost, when a hole was broken
in the wall from the next area, through which I got.
By the CORONER—Mr. Clark ran out before the
policeman sprang his rattle. Mr. Marr slept in one of
the front attics, and Mr. Cowley in a back attic. Mr.
Cowley was clerk at Messrs. Stultz's, the tailors ; Mr.
Marr was also a clerk at an insurance-office.
By a Juror—Nothing had been removed from the
house before the fire. The hams had been in the house
about six weeks. Mr. Clark had been drinking punch
in the evening. The gas was turned off in the shop,
but not from the main.
Eliza Hudson examined—l am sixteen years of age,
and was servant to Mr. Clark at the time of the fire.
Had been there a month. She then corroborated the
evidence of the boy Thompson as to what took place
on the evening before the fire, and further said, " I was
awoke by a noise, and on opening the door I saw the
staircase enveloped in flames. I shut the door, and in
a minute or two Mr. Clark came into the room and
caught hold of me, and dragged me out of the back
window on to the water-closet, when we got over a
wall, and into the window of one of the houses in the
Quadrant."
By the Jury—Mr. Clark must have got upon a
ladder which was in the yard, and by that means
reached the window of the back room of the first floor.
I heard him calling me as I was screaming, and I must
have fallen into the flames if he had not caught hold of
me. Can form no idea how the fire originated. Tie
fires in the house were all out. I put out the kitchen
fire that night, and poured some water over the cinders.
Mr. C.ark was not dressed when he got me out. There
was a great deal of furniture in the first floor.
Henry Carter examined—l am foreman to the County
Fire Office. I was called by Mr. Clark, and I initne•
diately ran out two engines, both of which I got ready
for work. There was, however, no water for twenty
minutes. Behre that, however, I had set one of the
engines going from a cock in the engime-house, which
played on (he opposite houses. The water is supplied
in that neighbourhood by the Grand Junction Com-
pany. The first turncock I saw was fetched from
Carnahy-street by Mr. Barber, a pubiican, and directly
afterwards I saw another turncock belonging to the
New River Company.
A Juror—Was either or them intoxicated ? Wit-
ness—Not as I saw. Thu latter had run from Dean
street, Soho, behind an engine. It is the duty of the
t police to call the turneock.
Superintendent Baker said he had three men in at-
tendance, e ho would prove that they went for the turn-
cocks. If the service pipes were kept charged at night,
there would be no delay.
A Juror said the firemen and police ought to have
keys of the cocks, which was the case in the district of
the Chelsea waterworks.
Mr. Allen, who resides opposite the fire, said, had it
not been for the water procured from the tap in the
County Ea,;:ne-house, his house must have been de-
stro)
Jaines Mile, 102 C, examined—l saw
the fire when
I was in Soho, and I called the New River turnoock.
He went to the fire, but could not get water, his com-
pany not extending further than Rupert-street.
Mr. Thomas W. S2ppinwell examined.—l slept in
the front attic. Hearing Mr. Clark calline. out, I
opened my door, but was almost suffocated. by hot
smoke. I shut the door and opened the window, and
sat on the sill until I was nearly suffocated. I then
went in and shut down my window, and gave myself up
for lost. I, however, rallied myself; and dressed in my
trousers, waistcoat, and coat, and, taking my watch
from under my pillow, rushed to the window again,
when I got out, and was assisted along the cornice into
the next house, as has been described.
By the Jury.—l saw Mr. Marr leaning out of the
next window to me, and spoke to him. I could sec
three engines in the street ready to work, but there
was no water for twenty minutes. Had there been
water, 1 am of opinion the property and the lives of
both the deceased might have, been saved. In my
opinion, the fire broke out on the shop-floor.
Mr. Clark was then called in, and entered into a
lengthened statement, which in no way accounted for
the origin of the fire. He said he was awoke by a
crackling noise, and on looking up saw the wainscot-
ing looked red hot. He instantly jumped out of bed,
and catching up whatever was near him, ran out of
the shop door in his shirt, and gave the alarm at tit'
engine-house. He then returned into the house, and
ran into his bed-room to get his clothes ; but then
he found he could not return through the middle par-
lour for the flames, and he got out of the window
into the yard. He then went up tho ladder to the
first-floor window and got out the girl, as she had
described. Two or three persons were in the street
when he ran out.

By the Jury—ls insured for 6001., which will no
cover his loss.

Mr. Samuel Barber examined--I am a licensed vic-
tualler, in Lower John-street, Golden-square ; went to
the fire and asked West, the County fireman, where the
turncock lived ; he said in Carnaby-street. I went
there and to four or five houses before I could find him ;
lie said he would come immediately. I then ran back to
the fire and asked where the turncock lived, and was
told by Sl. James's church. I went there, and by the
church met him coming, in company with a policeman.
I then called the parish engineer, who had not heard
of the fire, and on my return the engines were in operation.
The jury said that evidence accounted in some mea-
sure for the delay in procuring water.
Thomas Smith, a turncock, stated he was at the fire,
and had got a supply of water within five minutes after
he had been called by Mr. Barber. The fire mains aro
always charged during the night.
Other witnesses were also examined, but their evi-
dence was quite at variance and completely irreconcile-
able with the previous evidence.
At a quarter past ten o'clock, the Coroner being in-
•
formed that there were no more witnesses in attend-
ance, said it was clear that the deceased had been burned
at the fire at Mr. Clark's, but how the fire originated it
did not appear from the evidence..
The Jury then, after consulting together, returned a
verdict that the deceased had been burned at a fire
which occurred at the house of Mr. Clark, in Maryle-
bone-street, but how that fire originated there was no
evidence to show.

The Jury further said that their best thanks were
eminently due to the police force employed at the late
fire in Marylebone-street, for their meritorious exer-
tions in the preservation of three human lives, who
would most probably have perished in the flames ; and
to both them and the firemen, for their prompt aervices
and efficient attention.

THE PROPOSED ROYAL EX.
CHANGE.

After a struggle of interests, which, if it were not
disgraceful, would be laughable to those who are behind
the curtain, the Gresham Committee have decided be-
tween Mr. Cockerell's design, and Mr. Tite's design, in
favour of the latter,—in other words, the Chairman has
succeeded, after much hard work, in obtaining the job
for his protege, and a pretty job the whole affair is like-
ly to be. We mean no disparagement to Mr. Tite, who
is doubtless a very able and very proper person ; but
we ask, in the name of common sense, by what plea can
the committee jnstifythemselves for having thrown over-
board men of equal, nay, superior standing, who had
engaged in the competition at an expense of some hun-
dreds of pounds, and deputed Mr. Tite to the task who
was a perfect stranger to the affair, and had taken no
trouble about it ? We could perhaps give a reason for
the selection—we could, perhaps, show a connex-
ion with some of the ruling powers which should
make all clear to the most obtuse ; but, as
our aim is on every occasion to avoid unkind
personalities where no good is likely to follow them, we
refrain from so doing. We assert, nevertheless, what
every architect in England has already said, and what
every unprejudiced man who examined the circum-
stances will hereafter say ; that the competitors for the
honour of rebuilding the Royal Exchange have been
most scurvily treated throughout the whole affair, and
that Mr. Donaldson, in particular, has substantial rea-
sons for loud and serious complaint. It appears that
the new building -will be commenced immediately, and
that the church of St.. Bartholomew, Ly the Bank, will
be speedily pulled down, in order to improve the ap-
proaches. The removal of this church (wherein, too,
lie the remains of Miles Coverdale, one of the earliest
Reformers), may be expected to open to view some ves-
tiges of Roman London, so that it behoves our anti-
quarian readers to watch;the progress of its destruetien.
In an ensuiree number we shall enter into an examination
cl the selecteel design for the Exchange, and shall not
fail to keep a. watchful eye on the future proceedings.—

SIR W. BRABAZON.—We regret to hear t6t
Sir William Braliazon's illness is nkely to be of considerable
duration. The ‘vortliv Baronet is still confined to his bed at
Kinnegad, and attended by two physicians, who are of opinion
that wlptn cotr.aleseent he should return home to enjoy his
native air, and not encounter the fatigues of Parliament.—
Dablin Evt-ning Packet.