The Sun.
London, England, 1850-10-26 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE FIRE AT PLYMOUTH.

PLYMOUTH, THURSDAY.—Last night one of the
most extensive fires that has ever occured in this
neighbourhood broke out in the large soap manufac-
tory at Coxside, in this town, the property of Messrs.
Bryant, Burnell, and Co. t appears that after the
men had left work, the wife of Mr. James, of the
starch-works, when retiring to rest, was attracted to
the window of the house, when she discovered a part
of the soap works to be on fire. An alarm was in-
stantly given, and it was ascertained that the fire
originated in the engine-house, which was almost
consumed before the engines could be brought into
operation. Simultaneously with each other the en-
gines of the County Fire-office and West of England
arrived, the latter accompanied by its brigade, who
at once directed the jet of the engine to the main
building. The County engine was also set to work,
and played on the right wing of the factory.
By this time the fire had got considerable mastery,
and, stretching from the engine house to the boil-
ing house, broke out with great violence at every
part. Barrels of oil, tallow, and resin were fortu-
nately removed, as were also the papers and books of
the office. Two companies of the 23d Royal Welsh
Fusiliers, under Captain Philips, arrived, followed by
four companies of the same regiment in fatigue dress,
under Captain Wynne, the whole commanded by
Major Lysons. The people, who had considerably
increased, were driven back, and the soldiers in good
earnest set to work at the engines, taking the County
engine to the back part of the premises, and prevent-
ing the fire from extending to the starch works of
Mr. James. Some of the sparks fell down one of the
chimneys in Mr. James's house and set fire to a bun-
dle of straw, but further than this no injury was
done. Captain Fyers, Lieutenant Harrison, and
Surgeon Gambol], with a party of 150 men of the 4th
King's Own Regiment from the citadel then joined,
as did also Captain Willett and Lieutenant Elgee,
with 25 men of the Royal Artillery, with the garri-
son engine. A party of 20 marines and 80 seamen,
under the direction of Lieutenant Dowell, of her Ma-
jesty's ship Albion, arrived, with Lieutenant Bow-
land and Mr. Harris, mate, and 50 men from her
Majesty's ship Agincourt. There was also a large
party of seamen and marines from her Majesty's ship
Rattlesnake. A party of Marines from the barracks
was also in attendance, with an engine.
The attention of the seamen was directed to the
starch works adjoining the property of Mr. James,
when they climbed a high wall, and jumping into a
large reservoir, threw out large quantities of water
on the remains cf the engine-house, which nearly
extinguished the fire that was raging there. The
whole of the windows of the building, above one
hundred in number, were wholly destroyed, as was
the roofing, which fell in, together with the flooring,
with a tremendous crash, forcing up large showers of
red sparks and volumes of thick smoke. Two coppers
of soap in the boiling house, ready for clearing, were
burnt, together with several thousand pounds worth
of manufactured soap of all kinds. The inside of the
building appeared to be one mass of flames. Indeed,
never did a fire do its work more completely than on
this occasion.

Major-General the Hon. H. Murray, accompanied
by Brigade-Major Nelson, was on the ground, as was
also the Mayor, Mr. John Moore, and several of the
magistrates. About twelve o'clock the whole esta-
blishment was thoroughly gutted, and within the
bare walls lay a heap of burning ruins, now and then
sending forth immense showers of red sparks. The
extent of the damage, we regret to say, is very large,
amounting, it is said, to about 30,0001. Of that sum
only 2,5001. was insured in the Star-office ; and
2,7001. in the County Fire-office; and it also unfortu-
nately happens that a great number of poor men will
be suddenly cast on the world. The manufactory
was built in 1844, at a great outlay, and a flourishing
business was being done up to the time of this dis-
aster. At one o'clock the troops were marched home,
there being no probability of the fire extending fur-
ther, and the police were then left in charge.

SHOCKIIVG OCCURRENCE in CHESHIRE.

DRUNKENNESS AND DEATH.
Yesterday considerable sensation was produced in
Birkenhead and the adjoining district in consequence
of rumours which prevailed that several men had lost
their lives through drinking an excessive quantity of
raw spirits on the previous afternoon. Although the
circurnaconces are extremely painful in themselves, as
showing the fearful extent to which some men will
pander to their passion for strong drink, and have
been fatal in their results, yet, so far as we have been
able to ascertain, the loss of life is not so great as was
at first supposed. We give the particulars as fully as
could be obtained up to last night.
It appears that, for the last week or two, some-
where about 250 men have been employed by the
Liverpool corporation in restoring the Wallasey
embankment, which had been washed away during
the late gale. Early on Wednesday afternoon,
some of the cartmen discovered a large cask or
puncheon of rum at the head of the embankment,
which had been washed ashore, and is sup-
posed to bave been a portion of the cargo of the
ship Providence, recently wrecked on the Burbo
Bank. The men instantly secured their booty. Sir
Edward Cust, Bart., of Leasowe Castle, who, we are
informed, was passing at the time, warned them not
to broach the cask, but to take care that it be se-
cured. The men, however, heeded not the injunc-
tion, but proceeded at once to open their fatal
prize. The contents were soon taken away in buckets
and jars, and no little strife arose as to who should
get the largest quantity. At dusk the great body
of the labourers left their work, and then a scene
commenced which baffles description. Many of the
men, in their madness for the raw spirits, disputed
with one another as to who should first partake
of the liquor. Some of the men managed to take
quantities away from the ground ; others drunk and
drunk until they were in a state of helpless and hope-
less intoxication; whilst not a few, in consequence of
the general rush, never tasted a drop. The newness
and strength of the rum soon produced its effect.
In every direction the men were to be seen prostrate
from the effects of their immoderate draughts, and it
is matter of astonishment that many did not perish
in endeavouring to reach their homes through
the marsh which adjoins Wallasey. About nine
o'clock information was obtained that one of the
men, named John Morris, had been taken out of a
ditch into a field about a mile from the embankment,
and was supposed to be dead. One of the labourers
immediately proceeded to the spot, where Morris was
found in an apparently lifeless condition—his clothes
saturated with wet, and his body cold. He was conveyed
to his house at the Dock-cottages, where Mr. Downing,
surgeon, of Birkenhead, was in immediate attendance,
but without any beneficial effect, as the vital spark had
fled. During the evening the body of James Farrell,
foreman to Mr.W. Rimmer, the contractor for the Cor-
poration, was also discovered in a field in the neigh-
bourhood of Wallasey. This man had also fallen
a victim to his thirst for rum. He was conveyed to
the Leasowe Hotel, where the body now lies awaiting
a coroner's inquest. These are the only two men, so
far as we have ascertained, whose lives have been
shortened, and their families deprived of their sup-
port, by their indulgence; but we are told that there
are two or three others considered in imminent dan-
whilst others are suffering severely.
An inquest was held yesterday afternoon on the
body of the man named Morris, before Mr. Churton,
coroner, at the Dock Cottages. The evidence chiefly
related to the unfortunate man having been seen
drinking a portion of the rum, and found dead in the
field. Some of the jury suspected that the man
niight have lost his life by being drowned whilst in
a state of drunkenness, and the following . verdict
was returned—" Found dead in a field in 13nIston."
The deceased was twenty-five years of age,
was a strong, powerful man, and has left a widow and