The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-09 00:00:00

THE GREAT FIRE AT QUEBEC.

The following is a copy of the despitch in which
Lord Monck, Governor-General of Canada, an-
nounces the great fire at Quebec :

" GOVERNOR VISCOUNT MONCK TO LORD CARNARVON.
" Quebec, Oct. 22, 1866.

_ .
"My Lord,—lt is with much regret that I have to inform
your lordship that a terrible fire took place at Quebec on
Sunday, the 14th inst., by which a large portion of the city
lying outside the fortifications was completely destroyed.
" Nearly all the houses in the:district of St. Sauveur and
St. Roch, where the fire occurred, were built of wood, and a
strong gale of wind was blowing at the time. Consequently
the conflagration soon attained. such dimensions as defied
all attempts to check it, though the most strenuous and
gallant exertions to do so were made by the troops of the
garrison under Col. Lord Alexander. Russell, and by the
crew of her Majesty's ship Aurora, under Capfilka Liddell.
The progress of the flames could not be arrested, and the
fire finally burnt itself out, after consuming almost the
whole of the suburbs situated to leeward of the street where
it commenced. These suburbs were densely inhabited by
the poorest class of the population, consisting chiefly of
French Canadians, and though there has not yet been time
to procure details in the matter, I have reason to believe
'that upwards of 2,000 houses have been destatred, and"
nearly 18,000 persons rendered homeless. Every effort has
been made by the Mayor and citizens of Quebec to alle-
viate the sufferings .of these unfortunate people, and to
provide the vast multitude suddenly thrown for support on
the charity of their neighbours with food, clothing, and
temporary shelter but such is the magnitude of the cala-
mity, and so wide-spread the distress consequent upon it,
that I look forward with much apprehension and anxiety
to the early approach of winter, and to the unprepared
condition of the sufferers by the late disaster to meet it.

" Subscriptions have been set on foot throughout the
province for the purpose of sending assistance to Quebec in
this pressing emergency, and a memorial presented to me
by the General Committee of Relief, praying for a grant of
Rublic money, is now under the consideration of my
DZinis-
" I have the honnur to transmit herewith a copy of an
address issued by the Mayor of the city, the Bishops of the
diocese, and other principal persons, immediately after the
occurrence of the fire. .

" Precise statistical information in regard to the extent of
the destruction caused by the conflagration shall be sent to
your lordship as soon as it can be obtained.--I am, &c.,

" Aloxcx.

" The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon, &c."

" TO THE PEOPLE OF CANADA, TO THOSE OF THE
MOTHER COUNTRY, AND TO THE GENEROUS-

HEARTED OF EVERT LAND.

" ' Twenty-one years ago two conflagrations, separated
from each other by an interval of but 30 days, reduced to
ashes about two-thirds of our city, and left nakedand on the
smoking highway upwards of 20,000 human beings. At the
sight of so much suffering the whole civilised world was
moved to profoundcompassion, and abundant contributions
flowed in from all sides to the sufferers of such heart-rend-
ing misfortune. Canada subscribed liberally, the Mother
Country was superabundant in her gifts, and foreign nations
were not behindhand in sympathy and generosity. Our
agricultural population, though impoverished by adverse
seasons, was moved to compassion and contributed all that
it could in money, but more especially in produce. We
we were then at the beginning of summer, at the sight of the
brilliant sun overhead, promising opportunity and reward to
industry and toil, and of such universally expressed sym-
pathy, hope and courage, took possession of the hearts of so
many thousands struck by misfortune. Soon the subscrip-
tions poured in so abundantly that the Relief Committee
appointed by the citizens were enabled to aid them in rebuild-
ing, and this assistance was given ou the condition that
nothing but incombustible materials should be employed in
the reconstruction of their houses. Thus it was that nearly
3,000 wooden houses were replaced by as many of stone and
brick, and saved from total destruction on Sunday last the
entire quarter destroyed by fire in 1815.
" Put the high wind which prevailed blowing in a con-
tmly direction, a considerable portion of the St. Roch's su-
burbs, also built of wood, has escaped the disaster cf 1815.
Since that period au entire town has been built iu wood
beyond the Quebec city limits, and in a locality over which
our municipal authorities could exercise no control.
"' On Sunday last, at about half-past 4 o'clock in the
morning, a fire broke out on the west side of Crowu-street,
on the limit of the quarter whence proceeded the conflagra-
tion of 1845, destroying all that lay before it to the eastward
of the same streq for a length of over a mile, and covering
a width of about half a mile. The easterly wind, blowing
a furious hurricane, carried the fire in every direction with
desolating rapidity, hurling to a great distance the burning
materials, and multiplied the centres of destruction to suclt
a degree as to baffle every expedient and render futile all
efforts to stay the terrible ravages of the destroying ele-
ment. The military authorities and the men of 11.11.5.
Aurora lent, under the circumstances, to the municipal
body all the assistance within their power, and many times
oven risked their lives in efforts to save property, and to
them we owe, in a great measure, that we have not to de-
plore a still greater disaster. In a great number of cases
blowing up with powder was had recourse to, in the hope,
by creating wide breaches, to isolate and circumscribe the
fire, but without success, for the flames did their work of
ruin with the impetuosity of a torrent, bounding from place
to place as if to avoid obstacles and overleap distance. Al-
most 2,500 dwellings were thus reduced to ashes in a little
less time than 12 hours, and from 15,000 to 18,000 persons,
at the approach of a rigorous winter, left without food,
without clothing, and without shelter. Men even perished
in the flames, whose calcined skeletons were rescued from
the smoking ruins after the day's destruction was over.
The heart bleeds at the sight of so much desolation and of
so many thousand unfortunates clamouring for bread
shelter, and warmth.

On the night following the disaster the municipal
authorities caused food to be distributed, and on the day
following the citizens met, under the presidency of the
Mayor, to organise relief. About $30,000 have already
been subscribed among our citizens, and the subscription is
still going on, and even some distant localities have, with
spontaneous generosity, already lent us their assistance ;
but how insufficient will this be to cover losses which do
not fall far short of $2,000,000 ! The law, which within
the city limits, compels those sufferers to rebuild with in-
combustible materials, will. be for them equivalent to a
forced expropriation unless wo can assist them to a certain
degree in complying with its terms.
" To the generous-hearted of all countries, then, we
direct our appeal, and in the recollection of the compassion
bestowed upon us in 1845 we place our hopes to be enabled
to surmount the appalling misfortune of 1866. For the
present the sufferers find refuge in the undestroyed por-
tion of the city, in the surrounding parishes, and in the
public buildings, where food is distributed daily by the
Relief Committee. If, as already narrated, some among
them have perished in the conflagration, how many others
must succumb to the rigours of a Canadian winter, or to
those diseases which develope themselves and often
propagate in a terrible manner in large and crowded agglo-
merations of human beings! Some of the places in which
they are sheltered are now so overcrowded as to endanger
alike morality and existence. In a month hence our city
will be covered with the snows of a long winter, and,
ter-
rible as was the scourge of 1845, from that fact alone it
was
less calamitous than the conflagration which on sieso_a,n,l„2.
ay
last threw over our city so much mourning and .
sion
For this reason, then, we humbly crave
Permuirs sympathy
peal to you in our distress, and to implore
unutterable misfortune.
of Quebec*
and your generous contributions towardthyeorelief of our
"'JOSEPH CAUCHON, Mayor
C. F. E
Diocese.
o J. W. QUEBEC. Q.B.L.C.
VEQUE DE THOU,
" 'J. DuvAl, Chief Justice; L. 0., Canada.
A..innistrator of the
" W. J. TESSIER,
cc C. 'MEREDITH, Chiefnerai.
tg I C. F. CAzEAtr, .
ster of St. Andrew's
COON D.D., gnu
," Jour' , SPeake Justice, S.C.L.C.
Church.
Slf tv, M.A., Rector of Quebec.
• GEORGE V.
:Xecutive Committed "
"'(On behalf ofrlth°erE

The following letter, written by command of her Majesty
as been addressed to Mr. Watkin, a;the Queen,
chairman of the committee of the fund now being raised iu
aid of the sufferers by the recent terrible conflagration a.
Quebec. The subscriptions received in London up to las
evening amount to about £9,500 :
" Windsor Castle, Nov. 7.

“sir,—It having come to tho knowledge of the Queen
that a public subscription is being raised for the relief of
the sufferers by the late calamitous fire at Quebec, her Ma
jesty has commanded me to address you as chairman of the
committee formed in London to receive contributions, and
to express her Majesty's sympathy for the unfortunate
persons who, in an inclement season, are deprived of shelter
and the means of subsistence.

" The Queen is gratified to notice the efforts which are
being made for their relief, and desires me to announce to
you a subscription of £3OO from her Majesty. —I have the..
honour to be, Sir, your obedient humble servant,

" T. M. BIDDITLPH.
" To E. W. Watkin, Esq., M.P., Chairman of the
Committee of the Quebec Fire Relief Fund."

must return to the iheilia.ustible
•- iEling, if on3y to point out that.
y the rarisian demimonde) of yellow
a tinge of rod or auburn, is simply the
began under more respectable auspik
mencement of the reign of Louis XI V. The two Queens,
Anne and Maria Theresa, dowager and regnante, the se-
ductive heroine of the Fronde, the Duchess de Longueville,
and the two first favourites, Mdms. de la Valliere and de
Fontagnes, were blondes; so, for all the aspiring beauties
whom nature had made a shade too dark, there was no
alternative but to wear a wig or dye. The men fell into Um
custom, as may be learnt from 3foliere, who makes
the Misanthrope exclaim to Celimeno
" Vous etes-vous rendue, avec tont lo beau monde,
Au merite eclatant do sa perruque blonde."

The assumption of the perruque by Jean Baptiste, the.
son of Racine, secretary of embassy in Holland, is regularly
discussed between him and his mother-in-law : " Your •

father deeply regrets the necessity which you say you are
under of wearing a wige. He leaves the decision to the
ambassador. When your father is in better health he will
order M. do Marguery to make you such a one as you re-
quire. Madame la Comtesse de Gramont is very sorry for
you that you should lose the attraction which your hair
gave you."

The entry in Pepy's Dairy for May 11, 1667, runs
thus :

"My wife being dressed this day in fair hair did make
me so mad that I spoke not one word to her, though I was
ready to burst with anger. After that Creed and I went into
the Park and walked, a most pleasant evening, and so took
coach, and took up my wife, and in my way home disco-
vered my trouble to my wife for her white locks, swearing
several times, which I pray God may forgive me for, and
bending my fist, that I would zaot endure it."

They renewed the discussion the nest day, Sunday, and
came to an understanding that she should give up her white
locks on his agreeing to give up keeping company with one
Mrs. Knipp, of whom there is frequent and rather compro-
mising mention in the Diary.

There was no concealment nor fear •of detection on the
part of either sex. The false lairz2lLp4tezor off b- the
idunnen like a bonnet oi4-a. cap ; and a court lady would
have felt little abashed at an accident such as recently
happened to a fair equestrian, who had the misfortune to
drop the whole of her back hair or chipzon in Rotten. row.

The fashion of powdering the hair with gold dust, which
has recently found votaries both at Loudon and Paris, was
commenced by PoppieA, the wife of Nero, and also by
Lucius Verus (the adopted son of Aurelius), who was ex-
travagantly vain of his hair. Authorities are not wanting
to prove that the golden and auburn tints which we admire
in the portraits of Titian, Tintoret, and Paul Veronese
were produced by a tincture in vogue at Venice in the
sixteenth century. The collections show that other shades
of colour, especially brown and black, have had their dny ;
and it is a disputed question in connoisseurship whether
the highest degree of beauty has not been attained by the
brunettes. Red or carroty (which is the corrector trans-
lation of roux or rousse) has been at a discount in all ages.

It was thought ominous of evils by the ancients, and
typical of villany during many ages of the Christian era.
"Judas-coloured hair" is the spiteful reproach of Pope.
" Aussi, da,ns tout notre range de coiffure, pas un chevou
roux ardent couleur de carotte."
The reason why Racine put off ordering his sou's wig
is obvious enough, when we find that the price of one of
the fashionable colour was a thousand French crowns.
The gentlemen whom Sydney Smith, in reference to the
length and redundancy of his curls, accused of growing
hair for sale, might have driven a profitable trade at that
time.—Edinburgh Review.

SOME CLUB .MEN.—The other London guests
may just be " observed," as the reporters say.
Doddy Dalston —let us save the honour of his
sponsors by mentioning that ho was christened
Theodore was not thought to have much ima-
gination; but if he had a dim idea of a future state,
it was held that Doddy's visions were of some place
where nobody has to ply debts. His earthly power
of incurring obligations of the kind, notoriously
never meeting them, and yet of always looking like a
gentleman, and having money for everybody but creditors,
amounted to a financial and social miracle. His utter
ruin had long ceased to be matter of prediction and
had taken its place in history ; but there Doddy sat, ex-
ceedingly well dressed, and listening with an air of
complacency to solvent men, and as if his only doubt
was whether he should buy the house which one of them
wished to sell, or to beg the other to invest the money for
him in Madagascar Passives. Moreover, whether Doddy
Dalston got hold of his money by burglaries, aasome of his
friends insisted, or by picking the pockets of bankers' clerks
in the City, as others contended, he got it, and never
sponged. It need not be said, therefore, that Dalston was
much liked. So was Jemmy Itydon, for other causes, the
most salient perhaps being the capital parties which he was
fund of giving at a certain secluded villa in a north-western
suburb, where Mr. Ryden, who always intended to marry,
but never did, was rehearsing domesticity. SO was little
Walter Latrobe, because he had been a gallant soldier, and
in an emergency had held a fort with a handful of men
against a raging mob of Indian Diggers, and with his own
small white hand had sent a dozen of them to Padalon, before
the relieving force of cavalry came down to the slaughter.
lie had a gentle feminine voice, and was loved of women
fur his beauty and valour, and of children because his busi-
ness in life was the invention of child-games. It may be
that he was wicked at odd hours. Then there was the
instructive Dick Marsden, who knew everything, and the
indolent Tom Alford, who knew nothing; and the remain-
ing typo was Willy Daimes, who went in for politics, and
was always standing for some place or other, and always
losing because he made his agents leave off bribing just at
the point when another three hundred pounds would have
sent their principal into the British Legislature.—" Sooner
or Later," by Shirley Brooks.

-
THE BANDA AND KIRWEE PRIZE MONEY.—In
very few days the Royal warrant for. the first distribu-
tion of the Banda and Kirwee prize money will be issued.
The troops which will be entitled to share are those which
accompanied General Whitlock to Jubbulpore, Saeger,
Banda, or Kirwee, and which were still under his come
mand on the 19th of April or the 6th June; 1858. The
corps which are included in this category are the follow-
ing :—The left wing of her Majesty's 12th Lancers, No.
8 field battery Royal Artillery ; also of the East India
Company's army—The A troop European Horse Artil-
lery, the F troop Native Horse Artillery, the C com-
pany of the 4th battalion of Artillery (horse battery), the
B company of the 4th battalion of Artillery, the L company
of Sappers and Miners, the 3d European Regt.,thelst Regt.
of Madras Native Infantry, a detachment of the 50th Regt.,
Madras Native India, and a squadron of the 2d Regt. of
Cavalry, Hyderabad Contingent. To these must be added
her Majesty's 43d Regt. Light Infantry and the 19th Regt.
of Madras Native Infantry, as these joined them under the
command of Brigadier 3l'Duff, and by a detachmentof Sikh
Cavalry under Lieutenant Metje, known as Metjo's Ilors,°.
Besides these we must include those portions of theanUtc!
European Regiment, the 50th Madras Native In.fatoit_ry('3,,ene-1
other portions of the Madras army which had d
werer Wsbtiitillouc Whitlock
dbeerf before hoe mmheita tub;
ae nt et thney
daatteßoafu
thedis°,iaennapd.tluvrl.eolaf_
will be paid to the representatives of
Banda or Kirwee. The share of thet
aiinkderetisheeenvtailtuleed
ofto
panartditchipeagteen.irHalonazentedadridvi
jsfioanizal staff Lire
Nov.Nlv . —Last week the
THE TIN TRADE IN vOR
per choenilamteanLdoerrdinClcyhdlee,f
the best tin ore is now .£
things in every mining district in
price of tin again fell
to £45. The state of
insteadoi better. Mine agents and ad-
venturers the ton; for common, £43
Cornwall is worse
end. Work as close as they
venturers are at their
not make
both ends meet. There are now
may they cannot make
deed are paying even the shadow of a
very few mines in the country which are not making
calls, and few in
dividend.
s calls before long.
Eventually there must bit,eolamosntospbtoostthiensfeoltaiorgeed
pigehethr.at
Working
nhrskoimhge
abehho
%roe, paida d
still leaving the country, and they must
,aoinn,iviad thesee
monthst matters
h o
pricec a n of nl y
metals
m ay
offeithers
--
- last e reFaarve ri
Friday forst a rav e.
month's At
a w largeork minei
t h7CI aboutm en
.£wl
this mine has been most liberally supported for years by
large-hearted and rich adventurers for the sole purpose of
giving employment. At present the existence of the mine
hangs on a very slight thread, and a meeting is to be held
next week to determine as to the carrying on of the opera-
tion. Meanwhile the tributers have been ordered to close
their bargains and finish up their work as soon as possible,
the there
A t Whealne a
hd a Margerycalle4lsse.
tit,:ei.es,riashhbooaairsleeaottnowt
and many of them have been discharged. The reports of
per
Clearly,
f.£
made.l,l 95A t against
meetings held lately tell an almost universally dismal tale.
Pen-
deenConsols there was a loss on the quarter of £785, and a
cmaullstwreelknawdeorokf Cornish miners
this
snethrso
better. Winter is close upon them. If they can obtain
work such as they can perform in any part of the kingdom
it is to be hoped that their more intelligent and well-to-do
neighbours will help them. The choice in many cases lies
between this and the union workhouse. Merchants and
holders of metals cannot command prices at will. Demand
and supply are the only governing principles in this ease,
and demand can no Inure be created by our millionaires
than by our paupers. Manifestly, then, we innet tvait
patiently. Meantime, our population cannot, mist eat
starve. Already there is poverty, if not absolute distt..,se,
and nothing but prompt and energetic action can save, the
mining population from the latter in a very short t
Weste? it 3101111119 Ne2C3.
3 ' tment.—Turn which
[AnvERTISEMENT.]
thise Ointment. For
who have a ready word of p e_
rus
d forprains, it is an invaln-
way you will, go wherenyoor p'al9-i'sseo,lpn
chaps, chafes, scalds, bruises,
shy‘ accident or cold, it
able remedy • for bad legs,
causedfor effecting a sound and
rsons will be found
may be confidently relied opofn
swelled ankles, erysipelas,
permanent cure. In cases
reducing the inflammation, cooling.
greatest comfort for .
adjusting the circulation,
the blood, soothing the
.neive,,
This Ointment should have
gout, and rheumatism, nolloway's Ointment gives the
cure the long list of skin
a place in every nursery
originate in childhood, and gain strength
affections, which
with the child's growth.
the impuritie
and expelling

TITEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE.
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, FAUST. Mr. Phelps ; Messrs. Ed-
mund Phelps, W. Harrison, and Johnstone; Mrs. Hermann
Yezin, Mis I'oole, and .irs. II Vandenhoff.
To conclude with bhakspere's COMEDY OF ERRORS.
Brothers Dromio by the Brothers Webb.
Commence at Seven.

THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET,
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. Buckstone,
THIS EVENINJ, A BALLET DIVERTISSEMENT.
The Sisters Ilealy.
After which, A DANGEROUS FRIEND. Messrs.
MChe
as.
MA he, Howe, Kendal Gordon, Weathersby,
d.tim sws C. Mathews, Moore, , Chippendale, Laws, Hill, C.
Fell ,wed by Tl 3 E CRITIC. Mr. C. Mathcwv.
Concludin,.; with A KISS IN TILE DARK.
Commence at Seven.

ROYAL LYCEUINI
,M THEter
N'rRE.--
• Sole Lessee and Managerr. Fech.
Miss
'l'lllS EVENING. nittyrUS AN CE3A .R.
fi ade.
A t a Quarter before S. the new Drama, in Four Ac, TIIE
LONG 6'l' 1111i.E, written by Dion Boucicau:t. The New
Scene
by'ltl.
Mr. 1. Greive and .ssistants. Evans, S Emery,
Widlicomb, Itzpatrick, Dalt,,,n. V. Anderson,
INesvionnd Stanley. Lomas, 3loreland, Andrews, Reynolds,
and J. C. Cowper.
To conclude with TWEEDLETON'S TA.IL C,)AT. Toby
Tweedleton, 'Mr. 11. Widdlcornb ; and Miss Gratton.
Acting Manager, Mr. 11. Barnett. Stage Manager, Mr. W.
West.

Box-office open daily front Ten till Five.

rill-1E LONG STRIKE.—ROYAL LYCEUM
T HEAT ttlC, Johnny Willy (an Irish Sailor), Mr. D.
Boncicault; Jane Learoyd (a Factory Girl), Mrs. D. 13ouci-
caalr. At 7 o'clock,

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI.
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
T HIS EVENING. at 7 precisely (2tth time), EIIIEL ; or,
ONLY A LIFE. Miss Kate Terry, Mr 3. Allred Mellon,
Miss Furtado, Miss Emily Pitt ; Messrs. Billington, Stephen-
son, Ashley, Homo'', C. J. Smith, &c.
To conclude with HELEN; or, TAKEN FROM THE
GREEK. Mrs. A. Mellon, Miss Furtado. Miss Emily Pitt ;
Messrs. Paul Bedford, It. Phillips, F. A. Shaw, Ashley,
Eburne.

HOLBORN THEATRE ROYAL.
Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. Sefton Parry.
TliiS EVENING, L 411,KINS' LOVE LETTERS. Mr.
Balmore ; Miss C. Saunders.
After which, Boucicault's drama of FLYING SCUD.
Messrs. Neville, Belmore, Blake. Garden,Vollaire ; Mesdames
F. Josephs, C. Saunders, B. Foote, J. Fiddes.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. swanborough.
THIS EVENING, IN THE WRONG BOX.
After which, will be produced a Grand Burlesque of
DEO. FREISCHUTZ ; or, A Good CaMst for a Pece.
Messrs. 1 horne, Jamee, and Robson ; esdames Swan-
borouc.rb, RAynliam, Johnstone, and tltr..ttes.
To conclude with BOOTS AT TIIE SWAN.