The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-18 00:00:00

WHITECROSS STREE r PRISON.

The Registrar (Mr. Miller) sat on Saturday for
the purpose of disposing of cases No. 31 to 40 on
his list.

Thomas Dike, formerly a builder, of Denbigh-
place, Pimlico, who had been in prison since July
last, and who had never been a bankrupt before or
petitioned the Insolvent. Debtors' Court, was op-
posed by the detaining creditor for a sum of
£1,500, odd lent him on mortgage. He stated his
debts to be about £2OO, and amount of mortgages
£5,500. His property consisted of eleven houses
in Pimlico, and a small house in Dorsetshire ; he
had also effected a policy on his life for £l,OOO in
the London Assurance, which had been as-
signed to Mr. Mayhew. He attributed his
bankruptcy to the fact of Mr. Mayhew having
called upon him to pay the £1,553 due on mort-
gage without giving him a moment's notice.
Mr. King, on the part of Mr. M tyhew, produced
thejudgment obtained against Dike in the year
1855. The bankrupt repeated his statement, that
he never knew of the judgment which was out
against him till he was arrested in July. Mr. King
said that the cause of his being opposed was that he
was continually annoying the tenants in possession
in every possible way. This was contradicted, and
again Dike vowed he had never been sued. The
Registrar declared that this was impossible upon
the face of the documents produced. He was will-
ing to be adjudged a bankrupt, having no means ;
another adjudication was granted, with the dis-
charge from prison.
In the case of Joseph James Dale (or Dell) it, ap-
peared he had been made bankrupt on Aug. 16,1856;
has passed his last examination, when his certificate
was refused, and there was nothing on the order to
permit his release after any period, he being im-
prisoned by the assignees on a B.A. certificate. He
was also detained by a creditor who had not proved
his debt under the Bankruptcy Act, The Registrar
said he could not release the prisoner, but advised
him 0 make an application to the commissioners.
He had been in prison nearly four months. Two
prisoners had been discharged, and others had peti-
tioned the Insolvent Court, being "pending cases:'
This concluded the business of the day.

7HE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION.

The first consignment of goods for the Exhibition
of next year arrived in London on Friday. As was
the case in 1851, these earliest contributions are
from Russia. The Government of the Czar are
thoroughly in earnest in this matter, and they are
resolved that the products, the industry, and the
fine arts of the empire shall be well and thoroughly
represented. Most of our readers will remember
what interest the Russian department excited at
the last Exhibition, with its malachite doors and
jasper vases, its rich jewellery and gorgeous em-
broidery. Next year the products of Russia will
not be less interesting, and the description of
goods which have already arrived as well as of
those which aie to follow will serve to illustrate in
a striking manner the vast wealth and resources of
that great empire. The collections of pictures and
works of art will, we understand, be exceedingly
rich, and the treasures of art in the Winter Palace
and other residences of his Majesty have been in
the most liberal manner placed at the disposal of
the Russian commissioners, with a view to selec-
tions being made for the purpose of shipment to
London. The goods which arrived on Friday are,
we are informed, mainly raw products and manu-
factures of iron and steel, a branch of industry in
which Russia occupies a high position, and which
was acknowledged at the Exhibition of 1851 by the
award of one of the council medals. The reason
why these things have been sent at so early a period
was in consequence of the closing of the navigation
of the Neva; and had the packages not been for-
warded before the frost set in, it would have been
necessary to have sent them by a very circuitous
overland route.

D_ESTRUCTIV R FIRES AND PROBABLE

LOSS OF LIFE.

On Saturday morning an alarming fire broke out
at Mr. Clifford's, John's-court, West Smithfield.
The inmates were aroused by the cracking of wood,
and on opening their bed room door, found the first
floor on fire. They instantly raised an alarm and
sent for the engines. In the meantime, Mr. Clifford
was extricated from his bed much burnt. He was
conveyed to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where he
now remains, without the slightest hopes of recovery.
With a good supply of water the engines got to
work, but the fire was not subdued until consider-
able damage was done. The fire was caused by
smoking in bed.
Another fire, of a most alarmirg character, broke
out on the homestead of James Marshall, farmer,
Shundland farm, Hendon. The cngines from King-
street, Baker-street, and Wells-street, were quickly
on the spot, but the fire was not extinguished until
some hay-ricks were destioyed, supposed to be the
act of an incendiary.
Yesterday a fire took place in the premises be-
longing to Mr. H. Gupp, a cabinetmaker, &c.,
carrying on business at 20, Crown-row, Mile-end-
road. As the Watling-street engine was going at a
rapid pace along the road, one of the wheels got
into an opening caused by the traffic along the
thoroughfare, and the bumping of the engine caused
the driver, a man named John Langston, to fall
head foremost between the horses. He was removed
to the London Hospital, but has sustained such
serious injuries that he is not expected to recover.
The flames could not be subdued until the premises
in which the disaster commenced were burned
down, and the private dwelling-house and contents
severely damaged by fire and water. No. 19, in the
same street, belonging to Mr. J. Bry, is also dam-
aged by the hasty removal of the furniture, &c.
Mr. Gupp was fortunately insured in the Atlas
Fire-office; and Mr. Hodsall, the assessor of losses,
was quickly in attendance to take charge of the
salvage. The other losses will fall upon the
Ph eenix Fire-office.

Yesterday morning, about nine o'clock, as a
youth, of the name of Young, was delivering a
newspaper at a shop opposite St. Matthew's Church,
Oakley-square, he was alarmed by seeing a large
quantity of smoke issuing from the windows of
the sacred edifice. He immediately ran to the
police-station of the S division, Pratt-street, where
a number of men were preparing to start off on
day duty. Upon the Acting Inspecting Sergeant.
Conway being told that the church was Gn fire,
he sent off the entire body to the spot, when it
was soon found that there was a fire raging near
the Communion-table. The sergeant was followed
by Inspector Gibson, and in a few minutes by the
parish engine from the workhouse. The police
would not allow any door of the sacred building to
be opened till the arrival of the engine. Upon
that being in readiness, and there being a good sup-
ply of water, the hose was applied to the spot where
the fire was raging, which was adjoining the pul-
pit. The progress of the destructive element was
promptly arrested, and shortly after the arrival of
two engines, from Crown-street and Holborn, was
extinguished, but not before several of the pews
and part of the flooring were consumed. The fire
is supposed to have been caused by overheating the
underground pipes and flues for warming the
church. A sermon was to have been preached the
same forenoon in the church by the Rev. Dr. Champ-
neys, on behalf of a fund, which is in course of col-
lection, for the repairs of the sacred edifice. The
damage done will entail a considerable additional
expense.