The Sun.
London, England, 1848-07-29 00:00:00

THE LATE FIRE AND LOSS OF

LIFE AT WAPPING.
LATEST PARTICULARS.
As soon as the ruins could be sufii,!iently cooled for
any ore to enter, Mr. Superintendent Braidwood ordered
a number of his men to set to work and use every exer-
tion to extricate the two unfortunate men. Owing to
the immense weight of the floorings which had faller:.
and the great quantity of machinery which had been
hurled into the second floor, some considerable time
elapsed before either Pearcy or Hancock could be per-
ceived. At length, however, towards the latter part of
the afternoon, the firemen discovered the lifeless bodies
of the two men. They were lying some distance from
each other, and in such a position that it was quite clear,
when they saw the place falling, they were in the act of
running away. Hancock was not at all burnt, and Pearcy
but slightly, and that only on One arm. The weight of
the rubbish falling upon them no doubt instantly deprived
them of life. The wife of Pearcy was confined only a
few days since, and her feelings upriri
being informed
of the melancholy death of her husband can be
better imagined than described. Mr. Mackey, the
engineer of Wellelose-square station, who was also
severely injured, saved his life in the following remark-
able manner. Upon seeing the flooring corning down,
he ran back, calling to his men to escape. Before, how-
ever, he had time to get to the stairs, a heavy millstone
fell through the upper flooring, and, falling at the back
of him, revolved two or three times, and forced him down
a loophole. Fortunately the aperture was not large
enough for the stone to pass through; if it had, it must
have fallen upon him and crushed him to death. After
being attended to at the hospital, -where he was first
taken, it was found that he had got nu bones broken; he
was therefore removed to his own house, where he at pre-
sent remains.

From an inspection made-yesterday of the premises, it
was found that the heavy planks and jcistings in the
floors had been broken into pieces; the bond timber had.
been drawn out of the brickwork, and- scarcely any por-
tion of the premises was found strong enow.zh to allow
the rubbish to be removed. The cause of the mischief
appears to have been more by the great weight in the
several rooms than by the action of the fire. The con-
tinued working of the machinery no doubt tended much
to weaken the fabric. It was only the preceding day
that a barge load of wheat was taken into the mill to be
ground, all of which was destroyed. The two bodies
have been removed to the adjoining
the Coroner's inquest. public house W await

BRISTOL SUGAR MARKET, JULY 28.—The demand
has slightly improved, although still vary inanimate,
,and the absence from the inarket-of the refiners, neces-
sarily has a sensible effect in the quantity disposed of,
as the grocers wants in raw sugars are now very soon
supplied, since the consumption has become so general
of manufactured crushed sugar.—S'ristol Mercury.
The wheat harvest has commenced in the neigh-
bourhood of Taunton ; the ears are heavy, and the
straw of good quality. Barley and oats are fine, and
will yield a good crop. Potatoes have been selling in
that town at the low price of 6d. per score.
WAKEFIELD CORN MARKET, FRlDAY.—During
the past week the weather has been unsettled. There is
a good supply of wheat for which we have a free sale
at an advance of 3s. to 4s. per qr. Oats are at id. per
stone, and shelling Is. per load higher. Beans rather
better sold.

THE WEATHER.—The weather has since our last,
until Friday, been rather of an unsettled character. On
Wednesday, indeed, it rained continually during the
greater part of the day, only clearing np towards the
evening. The temperature was also low- on that day,
the maximum being only 60 degrees. Thurs-
day morning was alternately fine and overcast ;
showers fell in the afternoon, but the evening was
fine and clear. The temperature was higher than on
the previous day, and the barometer indicated an in-
creased atmosperic pressure. Yesterday was an ex-
ceedingly fine and pleasant day, though by no means
hot for the time of year. The returns by the electric
telegraph from the various parts of the country at
seven o'clock yesterday morning indicated a very
favourable slate of the weather throughout the country:
S. very fine; Norwich, S.W, fine; Yarmouth, S.W.
fine ; Lowestoffe, W. cloudy; Birmingham, S.W. fine;
Rugby, S.E. fine; Masborough, S. very fine; London,
W. fine; Colchester, S.W. fine; Southampton, E. fine;
Brandon, Glasgow, S. cloudy; Edinburgh, S.S.W.
cloudy; Newcastle, S.W. fine ; York S.W. very fine ;
Hull, S.W. fine; Manchester,W. fine; Liverpool, W.N.W.
fine; Normanton, S.W. very fine; Lincoln, S.W. very
fine; Nottingham, W. fine ; Derby, S.W. very fine ;
Leicester, S.W. fine; Hertford, S.W. fine; Chelmsford,
S.W. fine.
Letters from St. Petersburgh of the 18th instant
state that the cholera was beginning to diminish in in-
tensity in that city. On the 14th instant there remained
3,972 patients under cure. The same day there were
525 new cases, 218 recoveries, and 382 deaths. On the
15th there were 432 new cases, 262 recoveries, and 274
deaths. On the 16th there remained 3,843, patients
suffering under the disease.
SIEGE OPERATIONS AT CHATHAM.—A grand mili-
tary display will take place on the 11th of August next,
on which occasion the whole of the troops of this gar-
rison will take plat in the operations, portions of which
will be the besiegers, and the others the defenders of the
fortress, which is to be taken by mining and counter-
mining. The- Royal Sappers and Miners, with the Hon.
East India' Company's Skippers, are working night and '
day, erecting field batteries for heavy guns, and ap-
proaches necessry for storming a redoubt, upon a large
scale, similar to those redoubts that the Duke of Wel-
lington caused to be erected at the memorable battle at
Torres Vedras, a town of Portugal, against the French
army. It is expected that 6 000 men will be under
arms. The siege will be the most extensive that has
ever been witnessed in this country, as the works stand
over several acres of. ground. To witness this military
fete several general offieers will be present; also the
Chairman and Directors
of the Hon. East India Com-
pany. The officers of the Guards have arrived, and are
in possession et* the mines and countermines.
MAN AND WlPE.—There is but one instance of a
person interfering between man and wife in their broils
with either safety or success, and that person thrashed
them both.—Liverpool Mercury.
THE " SEA LIONESS."--A fine speCimen of this
animal, the only living one ever brought to this country
or to Europe, is now exhibited at the Cosmorama rooms,
Regent-street. It is one of the species of marine animals
mentioned in " Anson's Voyage round the World," and
was taken in latitude 70 South, upon an iceberg near
the Crozet Islands, whence it was brought to the Cape
of Good Hope, where it remained for several months,
and thence to this country, where it arrived a few days
ago. It differs from the common seal by its broad fiat
head and blunt nose. The skull shows many peculiari-
ties, but the chief character is presented by the teeth.
This animal has only four conical cutting teeth in each
jaw, which are far apart, and nearly similar to the
°aline teeth. The molar teeth, or grinders, are small,
with large simple cylindrical roots, whereas in the common
seal the roots are divided. Captain TrisJott, of the Ma-
thesis,who brought this extraordinary creature to England,
describes it as being remarkably good-tempered and dis-
playing considerable intelligence in the recognition of
persons. It is kept in a tank of
sea water, beneath
which it occasionally conceals itself, but more frequently
it emerges from the water and reposes its head on the
edge of the tank, the whole body being nearly above the
water, and, being completely amphibious, it can exist on
land as well as in the sea. The surface of the body is
covered with smooth hair, of a brownish black tint; it
has long whiskers like a tiger, and very large round
bright eyes. When disturbed or irritated it utters a
sort of growl. There are two fins where the fore legs
would be in a land animal, the fins, if so they can be
called, being terminated by hands almost similar to the
human hand, but having
longer nails, not claws. The
body ends in a tail with broad fins, upon which the
animal can sit nearly upright. It feeds upon fish and
upon the blood of animals, which it appears to be very
fund of. This lioness is well worthy of.the visits of the
curious—indeed everybody should go to see it. It sup-
plies pne of the most extraordinary links in the genera
of animals, and in this country •isa very interesting phe.'
nomenon.

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THE CHARING-CROSS 11.0SPITAL.—a esterday. o'4
friendst e rnooo
ot
fh et
h2e7th
Charing-cross annual
poiitatlhwe was
Institution, to receive the report of the past
The receipts
Lyon, vice• president, in the chair. Mr. Robertson, hon.
secretary, read the report, from which it appeared that
in the course of the previous year 1,
out-patients had been admitted for relief, at an expense
of 2,2921. 4s. lid.; and that from the Opening of the
admitted, hospitalina
tl
aBn34e,xlp3e3n,s7esoBfi3nha3noduoBust: l 1
d.
amounted to 3,0051. 14s. Old., and, after paying all
charges, the balance in hand remaining was 275/. 19s. 6.td.
The report expressed the regret of the governors at the
loss of the services of the Rev. G. Hull Bowers, ap ,
Dean of Manchester, who had acted as
chaplain
to the
Institution many years, and in whose room the Rev. H.
Marychurch, minister of St. Michael's, Burleigh-street,
had consented to act. The report was received, and
thanks were voted to the Rev. G. H. Bowers, Dr. Gold-
ing. &c., when the meeting separated.
TOTAL LOSS OF THE WATERWITCH STEAMER.
ESCAPE OF THE PASSENGERS AND CREW.—Yesterday
intelligence was received at Lloyd's of the total loss of
the Waterwitch steamer,, Captain Greig commander,
whilst on her passage from Troun to Belfast. It appears
that she sprang a leak, and that the only chance of
saving the lives on board was to abandon her. This
was done, and she shortly afterwards went down in deep
water. The crew and passengers reached the share iu
safety. The Waterwitch is understood to have been in-
sured to some extent.
KINGS COLLEGE.—The annual recitations by the
pupils of this establishment took
place yesterday in the
theatre, in the presence of Sir Robert Inglis, Bart.,
M.P., who presided; the Earl of Dartmouth, Earl Howe,
Lord Radstock, the Bishop of Liebfield, the Rev. Dr.
Sheppard, the Rev. Dr. Jelf, and a distinguished audi-
tory. Sir Robert stated the object of the meeting in a
brief address, and at the, termination the speeches corn.
menced. The recitations lasted about two hours. Prizes
were subsequently distributed amongst the boys of the
school, who were proficient in their respective classes ;
and after a vote of thanks to the chairman, the proceed-
ings terminated.
Lord Hardinge arrived on Thursday evening, per
special train, from Penshurst, at ten minutes past eleven,
at London-bridge station.
MANCHESTER, FRIDAY 'AFTERNOON.—A proclama-
tion from the magistrates, signed by the Mayor, has been
issued this morning. relative to the meetings of the Con-
federate Clubs, prohibiting all such meetings, and pro-
nouncing them illegal. The proclamation concludes with
a general exhortation to order, and emphatically warns
the perpetrators of discord of the consequences of their
evil doings. The ineetingof the clubs, which it was be-
lieved would have been held at three o'clock this morn-
ing, did not take place.

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