The Sun.
London, England, 1860-08-27 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Night and Day. A Novel. _By the Hon. Charles

Stuart Saville. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett.

This is a most exciting story, which is very well
written, and which can hardly fail to attract at-
tention from its peculiar style and earnest spirit.
The hero is a very clever man, and though his
extraordinary adventures are certainly not pro-
bable, they are yet not impossible. Considering
the time when the events of the tale are supposed
to have occurred, it might have been feasible for a
man of such unbounded resources in skill and such
energy of mind to have carried out for a time the
daring endeavour. Of course it could not last,
for all such plans contain in their very fruition the
sure signs of decay. It was impossible that the
originator of such schemes should not have made
many enemies ; and even the smallest and meanest
of these will one day prove too many for the proud
and mighty. Gaspard Duval is one of those re-
markable men who have been met with occasionally
in various phases of life. In the most favourable
circumstances, the feeling that would dare all
things and defy all men to obtain its object, creates
a hero ; in the unfavourable view, it makes a vil-
lain. Had Gaspard early in life been removed from
evil associates, and divested of the gnawing idea
that wrong was done to his family, and been placed
in the army, or somewhere where his restless
mind could have had safe vent, his after
career would have been very different. As it was
everthing pandered to his besetting sin. Had Gas-
pard been of high principle he would have risen
above the temptation, but being made of meaner
stuff he succumbed at once, and sought out oppor-
tunities of sinning so that he might rise. Coraline,
in a manner, deserved her sufferings for rushing off
with a man of whose character she knew nothing.
One feels great pity for the poor old father, whose
every hope was blighted, and whom subsequent
events only plunged deeper in misery. The three
confederates, to whose able assistance and singular
dexterity Gaspard owed much of his success, are
most skilfully sketched, and their portraitures are
among the best in the book. There are many per-
sons in the story who are amusingly described; the
family of the Duke of Cerny Plessis is an
animated picture of the ancienne noblesse of France.
The way in which Mademoiselle Hermanegarde
was taken in by the soi-disant cheva-
lier, who was no other than Frisset dressed
up for the oscasion, is entertaining. In accordance
with the plans of these worthy men, the real Cheva-
lier had been waylaid by Frisset on his arrival in
France, and led into a duel. The crowning feat of
Gaspard's ambitious life had been to represent him-
self as the Count of St. Real, who had actually died
on board his pirate ship. He possessed himself of
the papers, &e., of the young nobleman, and as the
latter had never been seen in France, he easily
passed himself off as the Count. In consequence of
his high position he obtained the office of Lieu-
tenant of Police, and in that character, of course,
he had ample opportunity to effect his purposes.
The story is well conceived in its varied and ex-
citing points of interest. The manner in which
Gaspard is at last circumvented is not so well
arranged as might be ; it would have been much
better to have managed it otherwise; but the
design of the author was evidently to work
out the vengeance by the hands of her
whom Gaspard had so cruelly used. In
this he has certainly succeeded, and it must
have been a fearful retribution for the guilty man
to find his victim coming back from the grave to
confront him. Those who wish for a romantic
story that is very exciting in many of its passages
will be delighted with this one, for it presents in
one of its momentous chapters /Bore stirring details
and spirited sketches than often occur in the whole
length of other novels. In vivid illustration,
vigorous description, and varied sketches " Night
and Day" is as striking and successful a romance
as one could wish to find, and there is no reason to
doubt that it will be regarded otherwise than as a
brilliant picture of an eventful career,which is traced
with skill and finished with an admirable aptitude.
Gaspard Duval is a hero who can equally adorn a
tale and point a moral, both which results are ob-
tained in these volumes.

EXTENSIVE FIRE IN LONG-ACRE.

DESTRUCTION OF ST. MARTIN'S HALL.

The most' extensive fire that has occurred in the
metropolis during the present year broke out yes-
terday (Sunday) morning, about four o'clock, and
was not extinguished until last evening. The, pro-
perty destroyed by this disastrous event must be
enormous, involving as it has the extensive pre-
mises belonging to Messrs. Kesterton, harness-
, makers and coach-builders to the Queen, the splen-
did modern structure known as St. Martin's Music
and Lecture Hall, as well as damaging many other
houses.
The premises in which the misfortune commenced
were those belonging to the Messrs. Kesterton.
They were situated in Long-acre, but extended some
distance down Hanover-street. This factory was
probably the largest in the neighbourhood. It was
built in the form of an amphitheatre, and con-
tained several galleries for show-rooms and manu-
facturing purposes. Amongst the latter were the
harness-makers' workshops, the wheelwright and
carriage-builders' shops, the smiths' depots, the fit-
ting-houses, the lining compartments, the painting
and varnish rooms, &c., whilst the ground-floor was
used as the general store, and was filled with car-
riages, broughams, and chariots.
Adjoining this property was St, Martin's Hall,
and a number of shops in Long-acre, and the houses
on the opposite side of Hanover-street, were so
near that they were several times on fire, and at
one period their destruction appeared certain.
From a cursory inspection of St. Martin's
Hall, it appeared to be about 180 feet long by
90 feet wide; and, taking the coach factory in, the
whole must have stretched, in one direction alone,
over 250 feet.
From careful inquiries made during the progress
of the fire, it appears that three police-constables of
the F division were on duty in the neighbourhood,
when they had their attention directed by a female
to a mass of smoke issuing from one of the upper
windows on the northern side. This convinced
them that the place was on fire, and without a
moment's delay they sprang their rattles, and after
great trouble, succeeded in arousing Mrs. Hullah,
who was sleeping in the private house attached to
the Hall, and also the inmates of several of the con-
tiguous houses, who all fortunately succeeded in
getting safely out of their habitations. In less than
a quarter of an hour after the smoke was first seen
flames in great bodies rushed from various windows
on the fourth floor, if such it can be termed, for
each floor was subdivided into various compart-
ments, some running past a loop-hole over what
was considered a fire-proof floor, to the distance of
nearly 100 feet in height. Unfortunately the so-
called fire-proof department proved a failure, but
not so on the former occasion, about nine years ago,
when the lower floor was saved, the extensive con-
flagration having spent itself, on the upper stories.
How it was that this part of the premises was not
able to withstand the fury of the conflagration will
no doubt be ascertained when the official inquiry
takes place. In the course of a few minutes the
en in, of tLH brewery of Messrs. Harvey. Coombe,
and Co. attended, as well as sundry engines of the
London fire establishment from the City, West-end,
and Surrey side stations. These were under the com-
mand of Mr. Braidwood, the superintendent, Mr.
Fogo, the chief officer of the B district, and engi-
neers Flynn, Paul Gerrard, Wilkinson, Holloway,
Perryer, and ins. Gerrard, who had charge of the
greatest fire-extinguishing apparatus on land, viz.,
the steam-engine invented and made by Messrs.
Shand and Mason, of the Blackfriars-road: The
execution this engine did can scarcely be described;
one thing is certain, if it had not been present and
actively employed many thousand pounds worth of
property would have been consumed more than un-
fortunately has been laid in ruins.

Upon the arrival of the firemen with the engines
they beheld a sight that it would be difficult to at-
tempt accurately to describe. We may, however,
just state that the flames were rolling out of the
whole of the upper windows of Messrs. Kesterton's
carriage factory, and were attacking with full
vigour the houses in Hanover-street and Wilson-
street. The wind at the same time coming from the
west, was draughting the flames over the roof of St.
Martin's Hall, as well as over the premises belong-
ing to Mr. Hall, Mr. Boleno, the celebrated clown
of Drury-lane Theatre, and Mr. D. Dale, 89, Long-
acre, Mr. Gidding, tobacconist, and the George and
Dragon Tavern, the property of Mr. Pringle. The
scene then became of such an alarming character
,ghat men and women living near were to be seen
rushing about the streets almost naked, carrying.
with them their children, or any portable article of
furniture they could lay their hands upon.
Fortunately at this moment a strong body of
police of the F, E, and C divisions came down, under
the direction of Mr. Superintendent Durkin and In-
spectors IVI 'Kenzie and Bremmicombe. These officers
took immediate possession of the roads leading to
the scene of conflagration, as well as guaruing the
property of the neighbours taken out Of their
managed, whilst the fire
dwellings. The last-named inspector, with a
number of his men,
was raging in in the different upper floors—
to pull out of the ground-floor,, thirty-
five expen-
sively-built carriages. I he greater part of these
were wheeled into Bow-street, but Mr. Durkin
finding that the number completely choked up
the street, and would thereby prevent the engines
from the south or east ends to pass along, very(

judiciously had the various vehicles removed into
the grand carriage entrance of the Royal Italian
Opera-house, Covent-garden. The roadway having
by that means been cleared, the engines were
allowed sufficient space to tear along with their
usual rapid speed.
Before five o'clock the whole of Mr. Kesterton's
premises, including even the basement, used as the
smithy, might be said to be enveloped in one tre-
mendous sheet of flame ; in fact, it would not be
exaggeration to state that up to that time a greater
body of fire has not been witnessed for years at a
London fire, but it suddenly became twice as great,
for the destroying element lapped over St. Martin's
Hall, ignited the roof, and at the same time entered
several of the windows. It then became apparent
to all present that unless the fire could be cut off
in that direction the spacious hall would quickly
be consumed, and in all probability many of the
houses in front in Long-acre.
Mr. Braidwood therefore gave directions to Mr.
Gerrard, the man in command of Shand and
Mason's steam-engine, to scatter the water over
that popular place of resort; but the fire had taken
so firm a hold, that powerful as the machine was,
and its distributing four immense jets of water, the
only good it could do was to save from destruction
about a dozen houses in Long-acre, Hanover-street,
and Wilson-street, but the Hall itself and the fac-
tory continued to blaze away for hours. At one
period the light in the atmosphere was so great
that even the Crystal Palace at Sydenham, West-
minster Abbey, St. Paul's Cathedral, and the West-
end and City church steeples were brilliantly illu-
minated, and the architectural portions brought
ought in grand relief.
Every one who was aroused from his slumbers
looked upon the conflagration with fear and asto-
nishment, for each building being over 80 feet high,
the fire could be seen as it rushed through the roof,
so we are informed by one of the Eastern Counties
Railway guards, as far distant as Colchester.
. Capt. Harris, the Assistant-Commissioner of Me-
tropolitan Police, upon being apprised of the out-
break and the fearful aspect the fire quickly
assumed, hastened from . Whitehall to assist the
Superintendent of the F division of police, and.
owing to the dangerous state of the walls they had
the streets barricaded, so as to prevent the public
from passing along, and thereby their lives were
not placed in jeopardy.
Between the hours of five and six o'clock the
various floors of the factory and the roof of the
same as well as the roof of St. Martin's-hall and.
the different tiers of seats, fell with a fearful crash,
just at the instant that Mr. Gerrard was allowing
the steam to blow off from the engine. A scene of
great excitement then ensued—many persons com-
menced running in various directions, they imagin-
ing that the beautiful and effective piece of machinery
had' blown up." Such, we are happy to state, was
not the case, and as long as a sufficiency of water
can be procured to feed it, it can do the work of
four other engines, and save the expense of employ-
ing on those four engines not fewer than 112 hired
auxiliaries. The saving to the different insurance
offices forming the brigade must be, therefore,
considerable in a year. This machine was the means
principally of saving the private dwelling-house of
Mr. Hullah, who at present is in Paris, and his lady
escaped without the least injury. The fearful fire
continued to rage throughout the day, and was not
entirely extinguished at six o'clock last evening.
At one time, whilst the fire was at its height, and
whilst two firemen of the Brigade, named Cunning-
ham and Pardue, were at work, the flames actually
melted the front iron shutters and the lead on the
interior of the coach factory and the hall, and ran
down in a molten state, like streams of glittering
silver, and falling down the back of the last-named
fireman, so seriously burned him that Mr. Braid-
wood, with his usual kindness, ordered him to leave
off w ork and sent him to the hospital.
The damage done by this disastrous event is very
serious, and will he best understood by the follow-
ing official report, furnished by Mr. Braidwood

OFFICIAL REPORT OF DAMAGE.
Sunday, Aug. 26, 1860.—Called to a fire in the
premises belonging to Mr. Kesterton, coach and
carriage builder to the Queen, situate at Nos. 93
and 94, Long-acre, but extending round Hanover-
street; The premises and the content; except the
goods on the ground-floor warehouses, destroyed.
Insured in the Royal Exchange and Sun Fire-
offices.

St. Martin's Hall.—The staircases and dwelling
severely damaged by fire, and most of roof off. The
upper floors of hall consumed, and the lower floors
partially destroyed by fire or damaged by water.
Building and contents insured in the Sun Fire-office.
No. 91, Mr. I. Pringle, Licensed Victualler, and.
Proprietor of the George and Dragon Tavern.—
Back front of his premises damaged by fire and the
roof burned, and the other part of the establish-
ment severely injured by water. This loss will fall
upon the Sun Fire-office.
• No. 90, Hanover-street, Mrs. J. Gonnings, To-
bacconist—Part of roof burnt off, and contents
damaged by fire, water, and removal. The con-
tents are insured in the Phenix Fire-office.
No. 89, in the same street, Mr. A. Hall, Hosier.
—Similar damage to building, and contents insure&
in the Sun Fire-office.

No. 88, ditto, Messrs. Steers and Co., Pianoforte-
makers.—lnsured in the County Fire-office. The
premises and the contents seriously damaged by fire.
No. 87, in the same street, Mr. James Stenning,
Confectioner.—Back front of the private dwelling-
houses severely damaged by fire and water. In.
sured in the Royal Exchange Fire-office.
No. 26, ditto, Mr. William Alldis, Eating-house
keeper.—Back warehouses and contents damaged by
fire and water, and hasty removal.
No. 89, Mr. Hall, Mr. Boleno:(the clown), and
Mr. Dale have also had their property severely
damaged by the action of the fire.
Messrs. Hall and Co., also carriage builders, have
also sustained great injury by fire and water.
The Enterprise Hotel has also been seriously
damaged by fire and water. Insurance not known
at present.
A gentleman named Buckman had a machine
which, by turning the back to the fire, he was
enabLd to see where the flames were raging with-
out the least fear of being blinded with the heated
smoke.