The Sun.
London, England, 1851-06-24 00:00:00

TUES 711::V ENIN G-1

N A V,&L
THE QUEEN'S YACLI AND THE EXHIBITION.—The
offe-rs, sr-,:Le mare ,sod bls of tle iteyel Yacht
estebleerreerit ai Perisaaeuthe wid ail ereceed to London
to visit: the Grfekt Extebition, neeneriew (Wedeesday),
Maj ,sry. the Qieen ha, most graciousy erderee teat
a sp-cial train shoel be in readiness at 6 A M. on that day
to convey them to London via Senth•Westeru Railway,
and that a return special train shall be also in readinee,
at the Waterloo Sratien, aefi P.M , convey them beck
wean], thus affording thene.tee whole pley to respect ale
Exhibition.
ARRIVAL AT PORTSMOUTH OF REIN-ADMIRAL FAN•
SHAWE. C.B —The Centaur, 6, strati-frigate, Cummo-
dore (now Rear-Admiral) Arthur Fanshawe, C. 8.,
Acting Captain Patten, arrived at Spithead about ten
o'clock yesterday morning, from the coast of Africa,
having been relieved by the Penelope, 16, ate am-frigate,
Commodo,e 11. W. Bruce, Captain 'Lyster. On her
arrival the Centaur still had the broad pendant flying,
but did not salute the flag of the Cothmander in-Chiei.
Captain Patten landed about noon with the public dis-
patches and letters, but the Commodore did not land till
the evening, when he was met by Admiral Sir Byam
elartin and General Faeshavve, who-have been awaiting
the arrival of the Centaur fur the last two days at the
George lion-1.
The Centaur has had a quick presage home, having
been under steam nearly all the voyage; she left Ascen-
sio❑ on the 24th of May.
The Penelope steam-frigate, Commodore Bruce ; the
Gladiator, 6, steam-frigate, Captain Adams; the Jackal,
tender to Gladiator; the Bloodhound, tender to Sent
son; and the Alecto steam-sloop, Commander Davie,
recently arrived from England, were lying there. The
Penelope was about to proceed to the south coast•
The Centaur left Sierra Leone oil the 2,1 of June.
The Cygnet, 8. Commander White; Penguin, 6, Com-
mander Etheridge ; and Volcano steam-vessel were
there. She brought about a dozen prisoners from that
place, and landed them a few days'after at the Grand
Canary Island, where, we are sorry to state, the cho-
lera was raging most fearfully ; sixty or seventy per
sons were dying daily teem it. The Centaur lauded
the prisoners, but did not further have, any communica-
tion with the island. She touched at Madeira yesterday
week, and came from thence, under steam, home.
She has brought home Lieut. John Trevenen, late of
Firefly; Mr. J. A. Corbett, surgeon, late of the Ranger;
Mr. Main (boatswain), with about twelve invalided sea-
! men, which the Sprightly conveyed to the hospital, she
having geue out to bring them on shore.
The isl.nds and squadron were healthy. There was
scarcely anything doing in the sla►e trade ; no prizes
had been taken for some time past.
There were nu orders down for the Centaur; but she
will probably pay off at Portsmouth. The commission
of the Commander•in-Chief, promoting him to the rank
of rear-admiral, was awaiting him at Portsmouth, and
we are sorry to say the distressing intelligence of the
death of Mrs. Farishawe was also communicated to him.

Mr. Barnes, Master of the Firefly, died off Congo
on the 12th of February, and Mr. Diddle, Second Muster
of the Gladiator, succeeded to the appointment.
The Sidon steam-frigate, Commander Gardner, fitting
for troops fur the Cape, hoisted the pennant and ensign
yesterday morning, and has since bent sails.
Weilesley, 72, Captain Goldsmith, late flag-ship of
Admiral the Earl of Dundonald, G.C.8., was paid oft
yesterday morning at Chatham. The eleiks began
paying the people at nitre in the morning, and by two
o'clock all hands were out of the ship i❑ the most or-
derly manner. The Actjer steam-tender, took the Ports-
mouth and Plymouth people to their respective homes.
The pay clerks took 8,0001. down, and brought back
5,0001, the latter sum having been allotted by the ship's
company, another instance of the improved habits of our
stamen. The noble old Admiral was down on Friday
and dined with his officers, and .never was a gallant ve-
teran better received than he was. The old Wellesle)'a
ribs echoed again and again with the hearty cheers of
every one. She has been a most happy and comfortable
ship.
Magicienne steamer, having had her compasses ad-
justed on Friday evening, sailed from Devunport on
Saturday morning, in charge of Mr. Bidillecombe, master
of the St. George, and party, for Woolwich, to convey
Mr. Brown with his party to Pembroke, to navigate
the Valorous trom Pembroke to Woolwich.
Retribution steam-frigate, Captain Warden, is ready
for service, but she wilt wait for the Sidon steam-fri-
gate, Commander Gardner, who has to receive provi-
sions, and both vessels will stow as much water as pos-
sible; for every gun discharged they have received one
of the largest class tanks. It is expected that both ves-
sels will go to Cork t., embark the troops on Wednesday.
PLYMOUTH, SATURDAY —He•r Majesty's ship Cale.
donia, 120, Clptau T. W. Carter, which went up har-
bour on the 14th inst., has completed the delivery into
the dockyard of all her guns, masts, stores, &c. The
crew will be paid off on luesday.

JT_TNF

DESTRUCTIVE CONFLAGRA TREY.

[A brief account of the following appeared in cur
Fourth Edition of last night.]
Yesterday afterncon one of the most xtensively de-
structave fires which has occurred in or around London
for 'sleety years past took place in the borough or South-
wark. Feur immense hip warehouses were ute rly de-
stroyed, and a fifth eo much burnt and injtr.d as to
render it otiubtful %bother its !Mire demolition sill not
be requited..
The buildings referred to were five large warehouses
standing near the foot of London-bridge, and forming a
long and deep block of buildings of such extent that
each fl tor was let or rented as a storeroom, zed was ca-
pable of holding an immense bulk of property. The
biuck of buildings abutted, un the north side, on Hiber-
nia-chambers, arid the large warehouses adjacent to it.
now in course of erection; ou the south, on the aisle of
St. Saviour's Church; on the east, on the Bridge-house
Hotel; and on the west, on a small dock and a set of
flour mills and stores. The length of the block of ware-
houses is about 450 feet by 80 or 90 feet in depth, and
each contained six floors, besides extensive cellars. The
c nflagration commenced in the warehouse nearest the
bridge foot and adjoining the Bridge. house Hotel. This
building was let to the ee different persons—Mr. Dresser,
a cheese merchant, reuting the cellars; Zlessis. Hollings-
worth, paper-makers, ut Maidstone, rented the three
first floors, which were used as repositories fur white
rags; and Mr. Wigan, a hop merchant, who suffered au
severely in a fire which occurred a few mouths since not
100 yards from the spot, occupied the two top fleors.
About halt-past three in the afternoon some persons
engaged near the spot observed a body of flame to shoot
from two windows in the basement story, apparently
coming from the stock of Messrs. Holliegs worth. They
instantly raised an alarm, and dispatched messengers for
the assistance of the fire brigade. The fienat s, however,
spread with unaccountable rapidity, and in less than
twenty minutes they had ascended the staircase and dif-
fused themselves throughout every part of the building
—every aperture in a hich shot forth immense volumes
of fire. These ascended over the roof to such a height
as to render them visible from almost any part of the
metropolis. The engines summoned were quickly on
the spot, while the more distant stations were alarmed
by the fire itselr. The bridges on the Thames became
rapidly crowded with spectators, while an immense
number ran to the scene of mischief. For several mi-
nutes after the arrival of the engines some difficulty was
experienced in procuring a proper supply of water, and
by the time they succeeded in getting into operation it
became evident that any chance of saving the burning
building was totally out of the question. The firemen,
under the direction of Mr. Braidwood, now confined their
attention to the safety of the Bridge-house Hotel and the
warehouse adjoining, both of which were in imminent dan-
ger. The scene which presented itself was fearfully grand.
The flames rose in eddying volumes to an immense height,
diffusing an intense heat around, and threatening the
warehouses adjoining Hibernia-chambers in front; while
the pinnacles of St. Saviour's and the windows in the
northern end of the aisle cracked and flow in all direc-
tions. While the most strenuous exec Lions were being
made to subdue this body of flame a gust of wind drove
the huge volume over the roofs of the warehouses ad-
joining, the party walls of which proved sufficiently
solid to resist the intense heat. The mischief was fore-
seen, but no means of preventing it existed; the fire
spread rapidly along the roofs and increased the body of
flame to such an extent that the church was in imminent
danger. Under the directions of Mr. Braidwood the
hose of several engines was hauled up to the roofs, and
although the firemen were scarcely able to endure the
intense heat, they remained playing on the burning mass,
and retreated foot by foot as its encroachments rendered
a retreat necessary. Window after window became
reddened with the conflagration, which spread itself
downwards from the roof of the second warehouse, de-
stroying two more floors of hops belonging to Mr. Wigan,
and four belonging to Messrs. Kitchen and Thornton.
The owners of goods in the adjoining warehouses,
alarmed at the serious appearance of the fire, and its ra-
pid progress, determined to remove their property, and
accordingly, a considerable number of hop pockets, the
property of Metiers. Humble and Son, in the third ware-
house, were carted away. A considerable portion of
the stock of Messrs. Allan and Anderson, who occupied
the basement story of the second warehouse, was also
saved before the fire reached it, although it was some-
what damaged with water.
The utmost exertions were then made to save the
body of the third warehouse from ignition, as it was
evident that it this caught the whole range must be sa-
crificed. The roof of the first warehouse having fallen
iu, leaving no hope of saving any of the property c.in-
tained, except the stock in the cellars, the jets from the
Wt at of England brigade engines, with those of the
two floating engines, were brought to bear upon Nos. 2
anti 3, and in a short time the flames had slightly abated,
rendering a nearer approach practicable. No time was
lost in improving the advantage, and by the must unre-
mitting labour the fire was so tar subdued that all dan-
ger of its extending further seemed at an end by eight
o'clock. A short time after eight o'clock, however, in
spite of the continuous play of the engines, the flames,
stimulated by a slight rise in the wind, and by having
reached some iuflamraeble goods in one of the
flours, again rose. Their spread was again most rapid.
In a very brief space the third warehouse was on fire,
from the basement story up, and the fire, gliding over
the roof of the fourth warehouse, ignite,' the fifth,
which was also speedily in flames. The sight which
new presented itself sees such as is, fortu-
nately, seldom witnessed. The huge block of
burning houses—red hot from the intensity of the fire,
and shooting forth flame and sparks like a volcano—
might be seen from uoy elevated spot in the cit'y and the
bridges, which were crowded to the utmost. The Bo-
rough market was so thronged as to lea impassable, the
people being in momentary expectation of seeing
Saviour's Church ignite. The fire ebone through the
windows with such brilliancy as to give rise to several
reports that the sacred edifice was on fire, and the sigh t
of men actively passing buckets from band to hand into
the interior strengihed the supposition. Nothing could
exceed the alarm which prevailed; the safety of distant
as well as proximate buildings was threatened by the
immense flakes driven off, while those whose goods were
at all exposed hastened to secure them from the risk of
burning, or the scarcely less imminent risk of having
them stolen by the gangs of thieves who are never idle
on such occasions. The fourth warehouse several times
caught fire and was often extinguished, and up to 12
o'clock it withstood the flames around it. After that
time it was gradually damaged by the intense heat com-
municated through the party walls; but the contents
having been removed by 11 o'clock, the fire found little
or nothing to spread it further. The fire remained
burning all night, and was easily visible from a distance.
We are happy to state that St. Saviour's Church, though
somewhat damaged, has sustained no serious injury.
Alderman Humphery, to whom the premises belonged,
was on the spot as soon as po.sible after the outbreak,
and directed some of the operations of the firemen. lie
is insured in the Sun and Union offices to the full ex-
tent of the value of the buildings. The loss is estimated
at nearly 200,0001. No cause can be assigned for the
conflagration, as it was stated that the stock of rags was
perfectly dry, and would not, therefore, be likely to
ignite spontaneously. It is not considered probable that
It was the result of carelessness, as the persons em-
ployed on the premises would nut require candles so
early in the afternoon. Upon the first alarm the flames
seemed to come from the direction of the foot of the
staircase.
As soon as Messrs. Barclay and Perkins were in-
formed of the conflagration which was raging in the
neighbourhood they offered to tend all their hands to
assist in extinguishing it or removing property. The
offer, however, was nut accepted, as there was a suffi-
cient body of police on the ground to do whatever was
required.
The scaffolding in front of the warehouses now erect-
ing along the river side. became so heated that it was
deemed necessary to send up men with tackle to draw
up buckets of water to cool it. The water so thrown
down fell upon the men working the engines beneath,
who after remonstrating several times persuaded a fire-
man, who was also drenched to the skin, to direct his
jet upon those above. This led to some very angry
words, and at length matters were adjusted by the hose
of two engines being drawn up and directed so as to pre-
vent any risk to the buildings.
The greatest credit is due to the police for their effi-
cient conduct on the occasion, and also for their for-
bearance, although their patience was sorely tried by
the pressing forward of eager crowds into situations of
danger.

LATEST PARTICULARS.—(Two o'cLocx )
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE Less Es.
The brigreie slid hold safe possession of No. 3 ware-
house, and are employed on the root discharging the
water from some four or five engines, including the
floating engines, on to the filming ruins of each aide, and
.here seems every expectation that they will succeed in
their purpose. The tire, however, still continues to rage,
and is likely to do so for some hours yet. Undoubtedly,
is the largest fire that has happened in the metro-
polis for a great number of years.
One of the chief officers has, during the last hour,
been engaged collecting a list of the surf,rers and the
property dtstroyed. Its contents, which we subjoin,
will convey at me idea of the tearful character of the
conflagration:—
No. I warehouse, the property of Mr. Aldt rman
Humphery, M.P., totally destroyed. It was occupied
as stores and warehouse-roam by the undermentioned
persons:—Cellars, by Mr. Hewett, Awericin provision
meichant; basement stores, by Mr. Dresser, chee-e-
-.actor; first, second, and third flours, by Mr. Hollings-
worth, paper manufacturer, of Turkey-mills, near
Maidstone; and the remaining fl tars by Messrs.
Wigan and Co., hop factors, of High-street, I.3o-
rrenth. The merchants were partly insured in (several
offices.
No. 2 warehouse, belonging to Mr. Alderman Hum
phery, destroyed. It was divided into six stems; tour
of them were rented by Messrs. Kitchen and Th., won,
merchants, and the remaining by Messrs. Wigan and
Co., the hop merchants, insured.
No. 4 warehouse, al.o the property of Mr. Alderman
Humphery, totally destroyed. The whole of the stores
were rented by Messrs. Wigan and Co., the hop factors.
The firm we are informed had nearly 20,000 pockets of
hops in this warehouse. The whole is destroyed, value
of
Theeaehpoeket
Bridge-houseaverages
iloftrt,o),mthle2l.
portionto 1
sLadja-cent to No
1 warehouse, injured by breakage and r
wa te insured.
Six almshouses in the rear damaged by fire rrnd water,
occupants uninsured.
St. Saviour's Church roof damaged by fire. The in-
terior damaged by water. The edifice is insured.
Several wharfs fronting Alderman Humphery's ware-
heu.es severely scorched and their contents damaged by
water.

nebpecting the amount of insurances effected on the
property very little information could be elicited. The
warehouses of Mr. Liumphery (whioh were only erected