The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 11, 1860.

CBE 12' CONFLAGRATION LAST

NIGHT.

For several hours last night the greatest alarm
and confusion was caused in the immediate locality
of the Horseferry-road, Limehouse, owing to a most
extensive fire breaking out in the large range of
premises belonging to Messrs. C. E. Goodhart, late
• Patrick and Good►cart, sugar refiners, situate in the
above-named thoroughfare.
The premises in question covered an immense
space of ground, and comprised boiling houses,
moulding rooms, general stores, and the wholesale
warehouses, independent of the steam-engine houses
and machinery depots. The buildings, which were
seven stories high, were at the time of the outbreak
filled with goods of a costly character, and for seve-
ral hours—in fact,until nearly midnight—the worst
apprehensions were entertained for the safety of
the whole of the buildings near; for the flames
quickly assumed an aspect that has rarely been
witnessed for some years, unless from the de-
struction of one of those lofty buildings, which
abound in the east end of the metropolis. The first
discovery was made by one of the workmen per-
ceiving a lurid glare of light in or about the third
floor from the basement, which at once convinced
him that a fire, and one of no small magnitude, had
taken place. He at once gave an alarm, and infor-
mation of the disaster was sent to Mr. Braidwood,
superintendent of the London fire engine establish-
ment at Watling-street, per electric telegraph. That
officer, without a moment's delay, sent for the two
powerful steam floating-engines, one moored at
tiotherhithe, the other at Southwark-bridge, as well
as the powerful land steam•-engine, the patent of
Messrs. Shand and Mason, as well as the hand-
engines of the brigade from nearly every station in
the metropolis. Before, however, any of these
powerful machines had time to get to the scene of
danger the flames had assumed a terrible aspect, for
they rolled out of several windows, and ascended so
high into the air as to illuminate the whole of Lon-
don, bringing out in splendid relief the cathedral of
St. Paul, Bow church, and other sacred edifices •n
both sides of the Thames; in fact, the water in the
river for miles looked like bright gold, and a jury
sitting before Mr. W. Carter, the coroner for East
Surrey, as far as Wandsworth, had their attention
directed to the brilliant reflection of the fire upon
the river.

The land steam and hand engines were taken to
the spot as fast as the horses could gallop with them,
but before they could arrive there, three of the lofty
seven-story buildings presented nothing short of a
general sheet of fire. The crackling of the timbers,
and the hissing noise occasioned by the burning
sugars, were such as can with difficulty be accu-
rately described.

The steam floating engines were at once set to
work from the river, and the powerful steam land
engine was set into operation from the mains of the
'ast London Company, which run through the
district, and some eight or nine hand engines, each
worked by 28 hired auxiliaries, were also called
into requisition. With the ad of such a powerful
force as above enumerated, it is hardly necessary to
state that many tons weight of water were scattered
momentarily upon and into the burning premises,
hut notwithstanding the work of devastation con-
tinued, and at one period it was feared that the
sheds and a large quantity of sugar in other parts
of the premises would have been likewise consumed.
Such, however, owing to the exertions of the fire-
men, was not the case, as they were saved.
Under the superintendence of Mr. Braidwood,
Mr. Bridges, and sundry engineers, the engines
were worked with full vigour; but whilst the fire-
men were engaged in their dangerous calling a por-
tion of the front wall fell with a fearful crash, but
fortunately no one was hurt, an event almost un-
paralleled at a fire of such a lofty range of pre-
mises. One of the firemen, however, in running
away was forced into the river, but fortunately he
was rescued and was enabled to return to his station.
By great perseverance on the part of the firemen
they succeeded in getting the mastery over this
perhaps the greatest conflagration which has oc-
curred in London for many years, but not until the
three sugar-houses, each 50 or 70 feet high, had
been burnt out. The sheds and sugar stores at the
rear are, however, saved. The origin of the mis-
fortune is unknown. The total loss must amount
to some thousand pounds sterling. Fortunately
the sufferers are insured in the Sun, Phoenix, Rayal
of Liverpool, Manchester, Lancashire, Liverpool and
London, Atlas, and other offices.•
Mr. Baddeley, with two or three of the Royal
Society's escapes, was soon in attendance and ren-
dered essential aid to the firemen.

The police had a most arduous task to perform in
keeping the great crowd out of danger.
At midnight it was found requisite to still keep
some of the engines at work, but all danger of any
further extension of mischief was happily over,
although the wind was blowing almost a gale.

THE ROAD CHILD MURDER.—The police are
nothing daunted by the result of the recent proceedings, but
are as keen if not keener in search of the criminal ; and only
yesterday Superintendent Foley told one of the justices of
the division that he would " warrant" £l,OOO towards its
being found out. The police have established a regular
system of correspondence all through the neighbourhood,
so that the most minute matter is speedily reported to
head quarters. It is principally centered in the hands of .
Superintendent Wolfe, of Devizes, who still has the assist-
ance of Mr. Slack, of Bath.— Western. Morning News.
PROFESSOR MUSPRATT, OF ENGLAND.—A niche
in the Temple of Fame was, among the Romans, reserved
as a posthumous offering in memory of their great men. In
France, at this day, the works of distinguished painters are
not exposed at the Louvre until after their death. This was
satisfactory in the tithes when emulation was excited by the
examples of generations, and when genius and learning
made their slow advances by centinies ; but in this age of
progress, when active minds are contemporaneously engaged
in running separate races of improvement and usefulness,
those who are lookers-on, as well as beneficiaries of these
labours, may be well excused in anticipating the deferred
oblations of posterity, and shaking the merited wreaths
over the heads of their living benefactors. Dr. Jas. Sheri-
dan Muspratt is the eldest son of Mr. James Muspratt. of
Seaforth Hall, near Liverpool, and is one of the most dis-
tinguished chemists and authors of the present time. He
was born in Dublin, in the early part of the year 1821. His
father is well known as an extensive chemical manufac-
turer, and the first introducer of the soda trade into Great
Britain. The son seems to have had an aptitude for the
science of the profession in which he has already made sueh
wonderful progress; and in consequence of his tendencies
was, it appears, by the ample means of his father, put at an
early age in the way of improving it. We learn from " Men
of the Time" he had, before he was 13 years of age, the ad-
vantages of a partial tour through France and Germany ;
was afterwards a student in a university in Glasgow ; sub-
sequently in one in London, and, when almost within the
actas pubertati proxima--before he was 17—had charge of
the chemical depaKment of large manufacturing works in
Manchester. During this time he prepared what we believe
was his first attractive paper, upon chloride of lime. In 1842
he visited the United States for a short period. We, of this
country, may be excused in hoping that he derived some ad-
vantages in his peregrinations thither. At any rate " the age
of movement" here seems to have been in accordance with his
own nature, for, on his return home, we find him still seek-
ing the Excelsior of his calling in the schools of Giessen, in
Germany, under the instruction of the great Liebig. After
this he published a brochure, well appreciated by the pro-
fession, proving the analogy (hitherto unseen) of the sul-
phites and carbonates. This procured him the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy, Fellowship of the Royal Society, and
what was, we deem, of much more importance and value,
the high commendation of the greatest chemist of our time
—Berzelius ; and he has also recently been the recipient of
the honorary degree of Doctor in Medicine from the Uni-
versity of Maryland Some of his papers are interesting
exposures of error, such as that upon the " pretended for-
mation of valerianic acid from indigo," repelling the state-
ment of the great chetnist Gerhardt, that it is produced by
the conjoint fusion of the hydrate of potassa and indigo.
He is also, with Dr. Hoffman, the discoverer of the two
organic bases, toluidine and nitraniline ; and while at Gies-
sen, was the editor of Plattner's renowned work on the
Blow-Pipe, to which he made most valuable additions. His
publications in Liebig's " Annalen" upon the sulphocya-
nyles ; the reactions of atrontia and baryta before the blow-
pipe, refuting all other statements, as well as those in the
proceedings of the Royal Society, and in the Philosophical
Magazine, are interesting to those who like—as all should
like—to investigate the niceties and abstrusities of chemis-
try. We regard the labourers in this science who extend
their researches to what in common parlance are termed
abstractions as not only pioneers in new discoveries, but as
abaters of error and exemplifiers of truths. Abstractions are
the connecting links between prediction and reality, and
like the image of the bird upon the waters, the presage of
coming presence. To the industrious as well as the scien-
tific world, Prof. Muspratt is, however, better known as the
founder of a College of Chemistry in Liverpool. From this
institution is coming almost continually valuable informs-
'illation for tho operatives in nearly all the arts, to say no-
thing of its contributions to learning in its strict meaning.
His " Encyclopaedia of Chemistry in its Relation to Arts
and Manufactures," is ?. great and acceptable acquisition
for scientific men, which may be consulted as a vade
mecum, and always with profit. True, there are in
this, as there must be in works of progressive instruction,
many doubts thrown upon received axioms, and some ex-
posures of favourite postulates; but these are commenda-
tory instead of being objectionable features—since time,
though it often tolerates, can never sanctify error. Men,
in the general, undertake enterprises of labour and expense,
in the speculative idea of augmenting wealth. This is to
be neither condemned nor disparaged, because Providence,
in a boundless wisdom, adapts all undertakings of popular
benefit to the instincts and aptitudes of the actors. In the
case of Dr. Muspratt, who has always been surrounded by
the aids, appliances, and consolations of wealth, the motor
of his exertions must be of. a more spiritual nature, com-
bining an indefatigable desuy to do a great general good,
with a corresponding ambition to gratify his own taste,
and advance a science suited to his genius, and of which he
is one of its greatest ornaments. It is a delightful thing to
see the fruits of the trees of our own planting ; and they who
accomplish it can read, beforehand, of themselves in the un-
written book what posterity will indite when the time comes.
—C, M.; In the New York Teas

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, WEDNESDAY MORNING.

LETTER FROM THE POPE.

The Freeman of last evening published the fol-
lning letter from Dr. Cullen, and the accompany-
ing reply of " oliness" the Pope, to an address
of condolence from the "Religious Confraternities
of Dublin," forwarded to him through Dr.
Cullen : •

" Oct. 9,1860.
"My dear Dr. Spratt,—l send you the reply of
His Holiness to the address of the Religious Con-
fraternities of Dublin, adopted in your church some
months ago. Be so good as to translate and present
it to the Confraternities. Was it not most kind of
our good Holy Father to forget for a moment his
own afflictions and trials in order to correspond
with his faithful children in Ireland ? lam sure
the Confraternities will highly appreciate the affec-
tionate condescension of His Holiness. Tell them
to pray' most fervently for so good a father. He is
now assailed by all the powers of hell and the
malice of earth. The prayers of the faithful were
never more necessary. Let them ascend every day
like sweet incense to the Throne of the Most High.
They are more powerful than earthly arms, and
they will secure a glorious triumph for the Apos-
tolic See. The Pope's authority is built upon a
rock; it has been founded by the eternal word of
Christ ; it will last for ever. What a happiness
and a glory for us to be connected with that rock.
Though storms are now sweeping the earth, though
the barque of Peter is tossed upon the foaming
waves, yet our faith is not 6haken. We have full

trust in the holy pilot who steers the vessel ; and
we look forward with patience and confidence to
the day of calm and triumph. Still let us pray,
and let us pray with fervour, that God may
strengthen His vicar on earth, that the days of his
trials may be shortened, that darkness may soon be
dissipated, and true faith and religion rule widely
over the earth. Wishing you, my dear Dr. Spratt
and the excellent Confraternities every blessing, I
remain your obedient servant,

" t PAUL CULLEN."
The subjoined is the translation of the letter of
`he Pope referred to in the above—
" Beloved children, health and apostolic benedic-
;ion,—Tour most dutiful letter has been delivered

to us, in which you profess your filial piety, your
reverence and veneration for us and this chair of
St. Peter ; and at the same time manifest how in-
tense has been your grief of mind at the wicked
and sacrilegious aggression on our civil sovereignty
and that of the Holy See by men who, in their hos-
tility and opposition to the Catholic Church and
the aforesaid Holy See, do not hesitate to trample
under foot all rights, human and divine. Grate-
ful, indeed, have been to us your noble sentiments,
praiseworthy in the highest degree, from which, in
the midst of our overwhelming difficulties and
sorrows, we have derived no inconsiderable solace.

" Continue, then, beloved children, to beseech,
without intermission, the great and omnipotent
God to calm the winds and waves, to deliver His
holy church from dire calamities, and to adorn and
enrich her every day with new and brilliant
triumphs, and to sustain and console as ie our
afflictions ; and, moreover, to lead back by His
omnipotent power to the ways of truth, justice,
and salvation, all the enemies of the Church and
this Apostolic See. In conclusion, as a pledge of
all Celestial gifts, and as a proof of our paternal
charity, we most affectionately impart to you, most
beloved children, from our inmost heart, our Apos-
tolic benediction.

" Given at St. Peter's, Rome, the 4th day of
July, 1860, and 15th of our Pontificate.

" Pius PP. IX.
"To our beloved children the members of the
Confraternities of the city of Dublin."

RUMOURED LEGAL APPOINTMENTS AND CHANGES.

The journal before mentioned says :
" It was rumoured yesterday that the following
legal appointments and changes were made :—Ser-
geant Fitzgibbon, Q.C., to be Master in Chancery,
vice Acheson Lyle ; Mr. Andrew, Q.C., Chairman
of East Riding, Cork, to be Chairman of the county
Donegal, vice Jonathan Henn, resigned; Mr. De
Molynes, Q.C., appointed to the Chairmanship of
the East Riding, Cork Sir Colman O'Loghlen, Mr
Armstrong, Q.C., Mr. Wolfe Flanagan, Q.C., Mr.
Rolleston, Q.C. and Edward O'Sullivan, Q.C., are
spoken of for the vacant coif."

Another paper states authoritatively that Mr.
Lyle has retired, and that Serjeant Fitzgibbon has
been appointed to the vacant Mastership in
Chancery.

TILE BATTLE OF THE VOLTU.RIV 0:

(From the special Correspondent of the Times.)
SANTA MARIA, OCT. 2.
As is often the case with victories, the most tan-
gible fruits of that of yesterday were reaped the
day after.

The Dictator, who had displayed the whole day
of the battle an almost superhuman activity and
energy, had retired for a few hours rest in the
modest little chamber of the parish priest of St.
Angelo, when about 10 p.m. a telegraphic despatch
arrived from Caserta informing him that a Neapo-
litan force had made its appearan cc on the moun-
tains to the north of Caserta, and that a body of
them had even occupied Monte Briano and above
the cascade of the park, which is not a mile from
the palace. With that rapidity which characterises
the resolutions of Garibaldi in moments of emer-
gency, orders were given to the Carabinieri Genoesi,
to a couple of hundred men of the brigade Spanzaro,
which were alone at hand, all the others being en-
gaged in guarding the long advanced line which
had been taken, and to the Calabrese volunteers to
be ready next morning at 2 a.m. At the same time
General Sirtori, the chief of the Staff, who was at
Santa Maria, was ordered to collect likewise what
force he could without endangering his position,
and go by the main road to Caserta. He took a

portion of the brigade Amanti (Division Cosenz),
and the Swiss company of the brigade Eber, both
just returned from the fight, and started for his
destination. General Bixio at Maddaloni was
cautioned to be ready at dawn, and while guarding
for the safety of his position to send a column over
the slopes of Monte Caro, in the direction of Caserta
Vecchia. Lastly, the order was despatched to the
Piedmontese Bersaglieri, and to the two companies
of infantry which were at Naples, to come down in
the morning to Caserta by rail.
Caserta lies at the north-easterly corner of the
Campanian plain, and is surrounded from north-
west to south-west by groups of mountains,
scarcely a mile distant from the palace and
town. The slopes of all these mountains are well
wooded, and have been turned into game pre-
serves, while their tops are steep and bare. In
one of the depressions of these mountai❑ tops lies
Caserta Vecchia, built by the Lombards, and still
retaining its old walls built a thousand years ago.
•It was here and on the neighbouring heights that
the Neapolitan column had taken position on the
evening of the Ist. This column, the same with
which Bixio had had to do in the morning, seeing
that it could not penetrate at Maddaloni, had made
a flank march, in order to attack Caserta. Accord-
ing to the accounts of the prisoners which we have
now, it seems that they were encouraged in this
foolish proceeding by a report which reached them

from Capua that our whole force at St. Angelo and
at Santa Maria was defeated, and that at Caserta
only two headstrong Hungarian generals held out
with a few troops.
The park of Caserta, laid out to the north of the
palace, forms a large square of well nigh three-
quarters of a mile, surrounded on all sides by a high
wall of enclosure. At the south-easterly angle of
it, leaning on to the palace and park, and only
separated from them by the road, extends the town
of Caserta : at the north-easterly angle the village
of Aldifreda ; at the north-west, the village of
Ercoli ; and half a mile to the north of it, on the
road to St. Leuci, another park and preserve, con-
taining the Palace of Belvedere, and the village of
Briano.

The Neapolitans who were in possession of the
heights sent down a couple of battalions next morn-
lug. Although their appearance on the evening
before had caused alarm, they succeeded in coming
down without being perceived, and actually got
possession of the first houses and of the barracks
situate on the north-easterly flank of Caserta. The
sentinel at the barracks was the first to give the
alarm. Gen. Sirtori collected whatever force he had
in hand, among them two companies of Pied montese
Bersaglieri and two companies of the Line, which bad
came down by rail from Naples a short time before.
The resistance was not very energetic,:owing; pro-
bably, to the circumstance that a part of
the Neapolitan soldiery was already more busy
plundering than fighting. They were soon pressed
back, and a number of them taken prisoners ; of
the rest, a part got into the direction of Madda-
loni, where Bixio came down upon them, and made
likewise a number of prisoners. While this was
going on Saulis had drawn nearer with his brigade,
and Garibaldi had come up to the heights. The Pied-
montese as well as some other troops were sent up
to assist, and then the race began, with the Pied-
montese Bersaglieri in front. The Neapolitans tried
to make a stand in front of Caserta Vecchia, but
were soon made to yield, leaving 400 or 500 pri-
soners in our hands. This done, the whole assumed
altogether the character of a chase. Two entire bat-
talions, cut off towards the left and pressed back,
fell into the hands of Colonel Viackler, of the Bri-
gade Saulis, and were made prisoners almost to a
man. It was quite ludicrous to see the numbers
of prisoners, many of whom still had their arms,
escorted by a few men as prisoners to the Palace
of Caserta, in the courtyard of which, before even-
ing, 2,500 men, and two colonels and several other
superior officers, had found accommodation. The
rest were dispersed in all directions, so that of the
column of 5,000 very few will probably return to
the right bank of the Volturno.
This success of the second day considerably en-
hanced the advantage gained on the first. It makes
several thousand enemies harmless, and makes,
likewise, a good show, which is by no means despi-
cable with a not very warlike population like that
of Naples. But, after all, the success of the second
day was but the ripe fruit which fell from the tree
by a little shaking. It was on the Ist of October
.that the question was decided.
The Neapolitans, threatened as they saw them-
selves to be, taken between two fires, and confident
in their numbers, made a desperate effort to break
through our line at all points, and were beaten back
on all, with the loss of at least 1,500 killed and
wounded and nine guns.* They were followed up
under the very gates of Capua, and our outposts kept
their places at the very edge of the glacis of that
fortress. Officers and soldiers had been kept in
utter darkness of the events which were taking
place around them ; they were made to believe that
the intervention of the Austrians had already de-
stroyed Garibaldi, and that all that remained was

to finish the work of destruction. And now to find
such a reception as they have had, and the heavy
losses, are not calculated to raise their courage. On
the day of battle they fought stubbornly, for they
thought that the Austrians were at Naples, and
would co-operate in our rear.
As for their dispositions, their plan, with the
exception of the flank movement towards Madda-
loni, was what is commonly called " taking the bull
by the horns." They attacked the two nearest and
strongest points, Santa Maria and St. Angelo, in
greatest force, and made the flank movement to-
wards Maddaloni weak enough to be overpowered
just in time to allow the reserves from Caserta to
go up to the points most threatened and decide the
day. had the column against Maddaloni held out
long enough during the day to keep the reserves
at Caserta in check, or even to oblige us to send off
equally
the whole or a part of them in that direction, it
might have put us into an awkward position.
Our general dispositiods were necessarily
simple—to hold the threatened points, throw back
the enemy, and send of the reserves from Caserta
so as to make face to the emergency on both sides.
It was in this last respect that our concentric posi-
tion gave us considerable advantages, which were
from Santa
not a little increased by the railway

*2,800 prisoners and several hundreds dispersed.