The Sun.
London, England, 1834-10-21 00:00:00

COURT CIRCVLAR,

The Lords of his Ma.;esty'smost Honourable Privy Council
held a private meeting at one o'clock yesterday afternoon in
the Council Chamber, to examine evidence respecting the
cause of the late fire. The Cabinet Ministers present were
Viscount Melbourne, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Mul-
grave, Viscount Palmerston, Mr. Secretary Rice, Lord Auck-
land, the Right Hon. Charles Grant, Lord Holland, the
Right Hon. J. Abercromby, and Sir John Hobhouse. The
other Privy Counsellors who were present were the Marquis
of Camden, the Bishop of London, the Earl of Rosslyn, Lord
Hill, the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Judge Ad-
vocate-General, and Sir James Graham.
The Hon. William Bathurst was the Clerk of the Council
in Waiting.
The Attorney-General, and Mr. Maule, the Solicitor to the
Treasury, were in attendance on their Lordships.
The following witnesses were examined separately by the
Lord Chancellor before their Lordships, viz., Mr. Barrow,
the builder ; Mr. Milne, Commissioner of the Woods and
Forests ; Mr. Phipps, of the same office ; Mr. Whibley, clerk
of the works ; Cross (the man who burnt the Exchequer tally
sticks); Miss Wright, housekeeper to the House of Lords ;
David Reynolds, a boy ; Mr. Cooper, manufacturer of the
Chabannes stoves ; Reynolds, the fire-lighter at the House of
Lords ; Mr. Pulman;the Yeoman Usher of the Black Rod ;
and Sir Robert Smirke.
The witnesses Mr. Phipps and Cross were re-examined by
their Lordships. One of the notched (Exchequer) sticks was
produced during the examination.
Mr. Gurney, short-hand writer to the House of Lords, was
in attendance. At half-past five o'clock their Lordships ad-

journed.
The French Charge d'Affairs visited Viscount Palmerston
yesterday at the Foreign-office.
Viscount Althorp left town' yesterday morning for Althorp
Park, Northamptonshire.

S MAJESTY'S VISIT TO VIEW THE RUINS

AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS.

Ilis Majesty's visit to the House of Lords to view the ruins
was suddenly determined on, and so unexpected, that there
was scarcely time to get ready to receive him. As soon as his
Majesty arrived in town on Saturday morning, the Speaker
waited upon him, and detailed to him at great length every
particular of the disastrous occurrence. After a very long
conversation, as the Speaker was about to take his leave, his
Majesty said, " I suppose you are now going home, Mr.
Sutton ?" The Speaker looked at the King rather surprised
at the question. "• I beg your pardon, Mr. Sutton, I had for-
gotten—you have not got a home now : I mean, are you going
to Palace-yard ?" The Speaker answered in the affirmative.
" Then (said his Majesty) I will go too, in as private a manner
as possible." The carriages were immediately ordered, and
in about half an hour afterwards his Majesty and suite arrived
at the ruins. Amongst the articles saved at the conflagration
is an oak writing-table, which is greatly prized, and excited
the greatest curiosity to view it. When the late Right Hon.
Spencer Perceval was shot in the lobby of the House of Com-
mons, on the 11th May, 1812, by John Bellingham, a drop of
his blood fell upon this oak table, and the stain is still quite
visible, to be perceived about the size of a sixpence. Great
value has always been placed on this relic, and the table has
ever since been kept in the room appropriated to the Speaker's
secretary ; at present it is in one of the avenues, and appears
to be a great object of curiosity.
When Parliament is prorogued on Thursday, it will be in
the Committee-rooms, Nos. 5 and 6, in the Lords. It is re-
ported that they will then be summoned to meet at the palace
at St. James, instead of the palace at Westminster.