The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-08 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE.

g •
a-
No
ao
3 .5

859
1,406

710
2,833
5,019
1,943
1,059

HORRIBLE CRUELTY.— We quote from a cor-
respondent of the Fife Journil, the following horrible
story :—" On or about the month of November last, as a
Ikdrootvereloisvheirng:dhtehil
gentleman connected with the parish of Beath was easing
through a field on the lands of Thornton, and in t)
passing a-
isotogt,cituhi
tee propertyt_ tamed—he
the park-keeper there—the animal be.
,e_asnedizehdeihnogldthoef hstisrohnogrenrs
of; but
the tthweo:sthoet
—no doubt thinkingairevengeful spirit fhe
and ran off, flinging up his heels
tlhaierd was not had played his part well. But the
done yet ; he
current, sent his foreman
w wended
n ded
toin purchase
echbaesgie
nthneingatotoffrtomlehy
gefrrk-keeper s son
thanedrevethne 'rhe s a i d hgt
ieelnl tli e
ac-
awaycordingwlyith did, and
poor dumb
man then ordered one or both oPfantrt-mm.eewtp:rilowldhiciht
of
fcttnhaelly tie° tilled°
hwea sorheev enged it;on
gentleman)
did
dt
himself neither
it, when
allowedbawling t
hoeu
pt
oi no r agony)animal
ts
ocogoop
actultarbgoetoho
under
animal to a cart-wheel, and did with his knife
eyes,
the most excruciating pain ! It is to be hoped it will be
poor animal althwenas
taken up in the proper quarter, and punished as it deserve
If there is a law for the punishment of cruelty to animals,.
surely the above is a case of cold-blooded cruelty seldom or
never exceeded in a civilised country."— Scotch paper.
THE RECENT COLLISION ON THE MERSEY.—.The
commendable effort to relieve the distresses of the poor Irish
who suffered so severely in life and property from the recent
collision on the Mersey, has been deservedly successful. The
subscription, we learn. amounts to nearly 1501.
RATHER AWKWARD.—" MY dear," said a Minister,
in a great rage to a pretty vaudeville actress, " I have been
grossly insulted. Once for all, you must dismiss your
porter." " I have thought of it more than once," replied
the actress; but what can I do? The poor fellow is my
father."

NORWICH, FRIDAY AFTERNOON.—EarIy this morning this
city was thrown into the greatest consternation by a most
disastrous fire, involving a serious sacrifice of property, break.
ing out on the premises forming the St. James's Factory. The
property is termed No. 2 of the Norwich Steam-power Corn-
pany, the company having within the last few years raised
two immense factories near the city, which, though they have
excited considerable prejudice amongst the handloom weavers,
have led to the employment of from 1,000 to 1,500 persons, a
great majority of whom are women and children. These,
we are given to understand, are thrown out of employment
by this calamity, which must necessarily affect the trade of
Norwich. According to information collected on the spot,
it appears the alarm was raised by a boy about four o'clock,
who perceiving fire and smoke issuing from that part of
the factory called the engine-house, instantly hastened for
assistance, at the same time loudly calling " Fire."
Within a few minutes many labourers hastened to
the factory and found, as before stated, the engine-house —a
large brick double-roofed building—in flames. The
police and firemen of the City were promptly aroused,
and while the engines were being conveyed to the
spot, the usual precautionary measures were adopted for the
preservation of the valuable property in the main building.
The engine belonging to St. George's, Colegate, was the
first to be got into operation, then followed by those of
the Corporation, one from the barracks, with a strong de-
tachment of the Carbineers ; and lastly, that connected
with the Union Fire-office. Notwithstanding this powerful
force, the firemen working with the greatest ardour, the
devouring element continued to rage with much fury, and
many doubts were entertained as to the safety of the entire
property. By seven o'clock the fire had reached its height,
and at this juncture the firemen succeeded in what is termed a
" good play " on the flames. They then began rapidly to
decline, and in an hour or so they were effectually subdued.
The engine-house is gutted, and its valuable contents—
engines, machinery, tsc.—much injured. Departments in
the factory were hired by nearly all the manufacturers of
Norwich—Messrs. Wright, Willett, Hinds, Blake, Towich,
Middleton, and others, having spinning-jennies or other ma-
chinery fixed in the building. These, however, are chiefly
untouched, the greater damage being to the engine-house and
rooms closely adjoining. That belonging to Mr. Wright is
the most injured. There are various conjectures as to the
cause, but as yet it is involved in mystery. It is said that
it first broke out in a drying-house in the occupation of,
Messrs. Fowler and Campin; but by what means is not
known. It is remarkable that the watchman does not leave
till about 4 o'clock in the morning, when he goes to call up
some of the men who belong to the establishment ; and
almost as soon as he had left the premises this morning the
fire was discovered. It is considered somewhat singular that
this outbreak has occurred at a time when prosecutions pre-
ferred by the master manufacturers against tradesmen for
having articles of their make in their possession, without
giving an account of them, are going on before the magis-
trates. Whether the fire can be connected with these pro-
secutions, or traced to them in any way, we cannot state.
The splendid shaft of the building, though adjacent to the
fire, has received no injury, nor has the main building. The
principal damage is to the engine-house, engine, and machi.
nery, and goods attached thereto.