The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-12 00:00:00

Metropolitan Board of Works.

1 T hTwhaei tce sniAn 1 tizhmeA chair.Nrern
The usual weekly meeting or this board was held
yesterday, at the offices in Spring-gardens—Sir J.
Ffirroemha: takencii
es
i places
cated with some largea
indedtheboara that a serious
storeowa,nwonhticahinihnagdpeeotironnileunnmi-.
tutteell3it appeared. that the petro-
leum had been stored without any license from this
board, quantities. Under these
circumstances
an and e
rected their chief officer of
b stet very large
di
the Fire Brigade (Capt. Shaw) to make a special re-
port on the subject, and also Mr. Vullianay (the su-
perintending architect) to examine the premise; so
that the board might be in possession of all the facts.
From these reports he thought it would be found
that there really was more danger to be apprehended
to the general public than they were aware of. It
taken efun
fire to
wlfurtheriilat appearednnthtahte thee canal, which
hhaat
floating
four barges, and it might have communicated to the
shipping whichwas lying near in the river. It there-
fore, he thought, became the duty of the Govern-
ment to prevent these large storages of petroleum.
The reports referred to state—" I have to report
that at a quarter before 9 o'clock on the night of the
9th inst. a fire broke out on the premises of Messrs.
Tyler and Pace, lucifer match manufacturers, of
Bow-common, close by the Limehouse Canal, and
before the arrival of the fire-engines had spread to
the adjoining premises occupied by Messrs. Cassell,
Smith, and Co., oilrefiners. Messrs. Cassell and Co.
had at the time on their premises about 1,600 barrels
of petroleum oil, which burnt with great fury. A
large quantity ran into the canal in a state of igni-
tion, continued to burn on the surface of the water,
and set fire to four barges ; the premises adjoining,
and those at the opposite side of the creek, are oc-
cupied by animal charcoal manufacturers, oil refiners,
naphtha and pitch manufacturers, as well as asphalte
and felt manufacturers. They have been severely
scorched, and were for two or three hours in
imminent danger of being totally destroyed.—.`fir
G. SHAW, chief officer of the Metropolitan Fire
Brigade." " The fire at Bow-common began at the
lucifer match works of Messrs. Tyler and Pace,
where warehouse rooms about 100 ft. by 30ft. each
in area and one story in height were destroyed with
the contents. Only a thin brick wall separated those
premises from those of Mr. Crossley. The canal is
in front of both. These match works are wholly
illegal, having been established in 1862 and 1864,
and without isolation, as required by the Building
Act of 1844. The adjoining works are those of Mr.
Crossley, where paraffin oil and pitch were stored.
assist-
ant,iliviena tntAolorp.enascertain Newall,yard t; h
etbshooeuf premisesnaodthed;
theo n btatiir-
The person in charge of the wharf showed my
edsl aos
wereyu, t
h w
bhsyet
nn t
hr
eh
dee
Limehouse cut, and on the north by a narrow way
leading to several premises to which Glaueus-street
and Campbell-road lead from Bow-row to Devon-
road. There is now nothing left in the yard but a
mass of twisted iron hoops where the barrels of oil
had been piled in several layers. It is a singular cir-
cumstance that Mr. Crossley was about to put a tile
roof over this yard and raise adjoining walls, and
only the day before he sent to this office to inquire
as to what materials might be used. The yard slopes
towards the canal, and the heated oil thus flowing
into the water ignited three barges lying opposite,
and communicated fire to the large gates and fence
of Messrs. Blott and Engest, and Rolfe's premises.
These are naphtha, pitch, asphalte, and felt manu-
facturers. The flames from the oil in the yard of
Messrs. Crossley did not spread, as there was little
wind, but part of a roof, and a large quantity of
bones and some fencing were injured on the premises
of Mr. Little, animal charcoal manufacturer, on the
east. Further eastward, separated by a narrow street,
Messrs. Denton and Jutsum, oil refiners, have pre-
mises abutting the canal. These were shown to Mr.
Newall by Mr. Denton, and appear to have been
very carefully arranged and managed, with various
iron doors, iron and underground tanks, and secured
drains, so as to avoid danger and satisfy the insur-
ance companies. Mr. Denton will probably apply
for a license for Rangoon petroleum. There was no
damage on these premises, but many casks were re-
moved, and 'sand and tarpaulin put over others.—
GEORGE VULLIAMY, Superintending Architect." The
chairman said the act empowering the board to grant
licenses for the storage of petroleum was intended to
protect the metropolis, but it would become alto-
gether a dead letter unless something was speedily
done. He would see Sir G. Grey, and perhaps he
might feel disposed to bring in a bill on the subject.
After some further discussion, the matter was re-
ferred to the solicitor for his report on the legal
steps advisable to be taken.
Capt. SHAW presented a report as to the fire that
took place in Bishopsgate-street, where two persons
unfortunately lost their lives;
andafter narrating
the events, said he believed that
everything
that could had been
save life, but it was
e house for the smoke;
utterly impossible to live
in th
to persons lost their lives
through an accident which and that the unfortu7bich
could not have been ob-
external aid of any kind
viated or influenced by
whatever.
received ; and, after the of th The report wasrest g
had been disposed of, the board ,adjourned.
business

t—
! SILK SPIDER.—The Boston Journal states that
Dr. Wilder, late surgeon of the 55th Regiment; Massachu-
setts Volunteers, has just been giving a lecture in that city
on a species of spider discovered by him on Folly Island,
in Charleston harbour, while in camp there in August,
1863. He wound from his body in one hour and a quarter
150 yards of yellow silk. The next year another officer
wound from 30 spiders 3,481 yards, or nearly two miles of
the silk. A single thread of this was strong enough to
sustain a weight of from 54 to 107 grains. In 1865 Dr.
Wilder showed his specimens to Professor Agassiz. and
Others, to whom the species was new. Returning to
Charleston, he succeeded in getting a numberd doffresi
spiders. In the course of the' season these afll
living,le &C.
lack of knowledge as to their habits, mode of
were pro-
From the eggs deposited, however,
dwnecaekdo.r,
so It
that
a thet ou t habit
of
fseveral of the
thousands istrongernavinyaes:ctl
dreds were raised. The fact,
.however,d
and live through a
yfveodwutrmlnotthnne--
strated that they could be
d a silver white, and as
raised
silk were exhibited,
°lyeadrael
nbwioihrliltoihahenrwtn
as winter. iotnhf t een rm.
geotlSadlp:oicnim yellowen
appearance.

The citizens of South Danvers, Connecticut, the
birthplace of George Peabody, have prepared to receive
him upon his arrival in America. A committee of his fel-
low-citizens will meet him in New York. .Wherever he
goes in this country Mi. Peabody will be welcomed by
thQuande.

2
Q EUSTON ROAD, IS SUBDIVIDED
into Departments for JUVENILE CLOTHING,
.-JADIES' RIDING HABITS, LIVERIES and other
CLOTHING MADE TO ORDER,
At E. MOSES & SON'S.