The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-27 00:00:00

ONDON DURING THE DEST.RUCTITE FIRE AND LOSS OF
WEEK.
LIFE IN THE LONDON DOCKS.
The most fearful scene that has probably ever
occurred within the London Docks since their open-
ing happened yesterday forenoon., and was attended
with the loss of one life, a 'serious destruction of
property, and almost fatal ..r,onse
,of 50 persons—firemen P.:nd dock servants,
lishment it
From the best infor quences to upwards
!nation that could be. 'obtained
from the officials ao:a othera engaged in ihe estab-
on
o'clock yesterdi
appears that between nine and ten
to a peonija some of the men em-
ployed,iy morning
of the the Aast Quay had-their attention called
sound,
proceeding from the south end
8-°...ern brandy vaults. At first it was ima-
gined
„ °clot a portion of the arch of the vaults had
fa'-iP,n upon some of the casks, and thereby caused
thr.i unusual noise. Mr. Chandler, the principal ma-
nager of that department, was at once communi-
cated with, and that gentleman promptly attended
with a strong body of labourers and the firemen of
the docks. Upon opening the doors it at -once be-
came manifest that a fire, and one of no little magni-
tude, was raging amongst the brandy stored away
in this part of the premises.
It should be here stated that this portion of the
property covered between 10 and 11 acres of ground,
forming fonr distinct compartments of cellarage,
separated by party walls and double iron doors.
In these four departments were deposited many
thousand " pieces" of brandy, and when the exist-
ence of the fire became known in the immediate
neighbourhood the most fearful apprehensions pre-
vailed amongst the many hundred poor persons liv-
ing near, lest such an enormous quantity of spirits
should become ignited, and blow up the whole of the
vaults. Fortunately such did not occur; if it had, the
work of devastation unquestionably must have been
carried amongst the shipping in the basin, and also
into the many houses outside the walls of the docks.
Nevertheless, from the dense vapour emitted it
was quite manifest to all present that the flames
had obtained possession of no inconsiderable
portion of brandy casks, and all the engines
stationed at the different entrances to the various
warehouses, as well as the hands employed, were
summoned to the place, and the company's power-
ful floating engine was also drawn to the
the basin.
The hose of the different land engines were
dropped into the basin, and the machines were
called into operation, as well as the float, but the
difficulty which then presented itself was, how was
any one connected with the docks able to carry the
hose under the arches, so as to be able to distribute
the water upon the exact scene of the conflagra-
tion. Many made attempts to get to the spot where
the flames had commenced, but they were obliged
to return very quickly almost exhausted. Intelli-
gence of the disaster having been forwarded-to the
London fire brigade, in the course of a few minutes
the engines from Wellclose-square, School-house-
lane, Jeffrey-square, Watling-street, Farringdon-
stree, Holborn, Crown-street, Chandos-street, and
the two powerful steam floats, reached the spot
under the direction of Mr. Fogo and Mr. Hender-
son, the chief officers of the A and D districts, and
Engineers Bridges, Maidman, Holloway, Perryer,
and a great number of other officers. This power-
ful force at once went to the assistance of those con-
nected with the docks. The first thing sought to
be accomplished was to do what the local firemen
were unable to effect, and for that purpose the dif-
ferent hose from the two steam floats 'and. several
land engines were taken into the long range of
vaults. The moment the water was discharged,
the most serious part of the day's proceedings com-
menced, for all of a sudden a cry was raised, " A
man off the float in the water." This unfortunate
man it seems had gone on the dock-floating engine
to assist in working it, but by some means he lost
his balance and fell into the water. The drags were
at once obtained, and whilst the men were dragging
for the poor fellow, a still more fearful scene
happened.
Mr. Fogo, and Mr. Henderson, with about
twenty of the fire brigade and some thirty of the
dock hands, went into the cellars for the purpose
of reaching the fire, when they were struck down
by the heated vapour and became insensible.
For the space of a few minutes it was feared that
the whole of that first number of men had perished,
when the brigade lamps were lighted, and others
were sent down to render assistance ; but the mo-
ment they reached the vaults, so strong was the
vapour that the lights in their lamps Were extin-
guished; the men were thus left in total darkness,
and it was impossible to tell in what portions of the
cellars they were owing to the vast accumulation
of vapour. The patent smoke jacket was then sent
for, but owing to the narrowness of the passages
between the rows of casks of bmndy, it could not
be used, and ropes were obliged. to be dropped into
the vaults, and the firemen arid others, with the
assistance of those not so muc'a exhausted, assisted
in hauling the men out. They were taken at once
to a couple of sheds, where Dr. Brown, the brigade
medical officer, and nearly 20 of the local medical
gentlemen, attended and did all that was possible
to restore the unfortv.nate sufferers—and, fortu-
nately, their labours were crowned with success,
but the different persons suffer still from excessive
pains in the head, though nothing fatal is appre-
hended from inhaling the heated vapour. The
body of the man viho fell off the dock-float was
found in about 7 in mutes. It was placed in a warm.
bath, but owing to the poisonous nature of the
water into whic)a he had fallen, life was ettinct.
The deceased, it, was understood, was named Jacob
Mar rit, and Nve,s employed in one of the warehouses
of the docks.
The fire brigade, and also the dock firemen, kept
to their worn, and many thousand gallons of water
were thrown amongst the brandy casks, but, in
spite of th.7.s, the conflagration could not be said to
be entirely extinguished until late in the afternoon,
when the vapour had so far cleared off that the
firenaeia were enabled to enter and examine the
place, when they found that about 50 casks of
brandy had been 'destroyed, and a great number
of other cases of brandy severely damaged, many
of the casks having the wooden hoops burned •
off, and being kept together only by.the iron ban-
darges. The spirit contained in these, it is
hrardly necessary to state, must have been greatly
deteriorated in value, for to such a height did the
heat rise that even the bungs were driven out of
the barrels by the force of the fermentation.
The official report describes the damage done as
follows :—" The stock of brandy in three arches
destroyed, and the goods in another partly con-
sum ed. '

It is unknown at present in what offices the pro-
perty was insured. The police rendered essential
aid by keeping the crowd out of danger.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN LIVERPOOL.

A fearful conflagration, resulting in the destruc-
tion of the huge mills situated on the banks of the
Leeds and Liverpool Canal, at the north end of this
town, occurred yesterday afternoon.
This is the second time the same building and its
contents have been totally destroyed. The first oc-
casion was on the 17th of May, 1853, when it was
used as a cotton mill. The loss on that occasion
was estimated at £102,000.

The building was since then rebuilt as a rice and
flour mill, and was of great extent. I:i shape it
was cruciform, eight stories in height, and after
presenting a long frontage to the bank of the
canal, extended back the same height for a conside-
rable distance. Attached to the mill are ranges of
offices and a series of terraced cottages four stories
high, erected for the use of the work-people.
The fire was first discovered about half-past one
o'clock yesterday afternoon
and hose
afternoon, and the alarm was imme,
diately given. Expresses
were instantly sent to
the fire-engine stations, and
engines
were promptly brought to the scene of the con-
flagration ; but between the time of the discovery
of the fire and their arrival the devouring element
had made such rapid progress that the whole mill
was in a blaze. The, character of the building and
the nature of its contents—grain and rice—all con-
spired to hasten the catastrophe. Within an hour
and three-quartera, of the mill itself only portions
of the outer walls' were standing, and from their
immense height, great fears were entertained that
they would giv e way. The canal furnished a plentiful
supply of waster, and:the engines, aided by the hose
attached to fhe mains in the street, were mainly
directed 'w save the offices and houses of the work-
people.

The :e has not as yet been time for investigation,
as ttic contents of the different stories are blazing
fief cely piled 'upon the ground within what of the
vialls are standing; but there is no doubt what-
ever that several lives have been lost. Many have
been bruised severely, and were conveyed to the
hospital.
Nothing, as yet, has transpfred as to the origin
of the fire, but it is presumed to have, commenced in
the lower portion of the mill, for t'ae work-people
were seen, in their efforts to escape, jumping and
dropping from the windows thre,... and four stories
high.
Thousands were collected on the farther bank of
the canal, in the fields, and streets adjacent, but
everywhere in the immediate neighbourhood of the
front of the mill was kept ch ;a .1. by the police and
a detachment of military.

COAL EXPORTS.—MesSTS. -VAT. H. Laird and C 0.,,
e.ircular, just published, state
the month of June la: it amounted to 711,602 tons,
trom England and Scotland
thofa Lt itvheerprootosli in
exportstheir mofonotohaly,
being an increase on the cor
of 56,898 tons. The northe rnr e
portsspo n d responding
spreg
do d3908f , Ivi i ywona rs ,
being a decrease of 129,99? i. From the Yorkshire ports
there were 30,849 tons, be lag an increase of 4,206'; and
from Liverpool 69,996 tons, i being an increase of 11,2418.