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

DESTRUCTIVE FIRES.

Last evening, about half-past seven o'clock, a con-
flagration, nearly attended with fatal consequences
to two persons, broke out in the premises belonging
to Mr. Crawcour, a surgeon-dentist, carrying on
business in Addington-place, Camberwell-road. The
premises, which extended some considerable distance
backwards, were five stories high, including the
basement, the upper one being occupied as a manu-
factory. At the time of the outbreak the only per-
sona in the building were Mr. Crawcour and his
cook, and they were in the top story. The woman,
perceiving a strong smell of something burning, in-
formed her master of the circumstance, and they pro-
ceeded towards the lower portion of the house to as-
certain the cause. Ilaving descended a few stairs,
they found the smoke rolling upwards in such
clouds as to prevent their descending further. They
therefore retraced their steps as quickly as possible
towards the upper floor, and escaped by the roof to
one of the adjoining houses. In a very brief period
flames in huge bodies shot through the windows of
the ground floor both back and front. The parish
engines speedily arrived, and were closely followed
by numerous more powerful ones, belonging to the
London Brigade and West of England-office. The
Lambeth Company's mains having yielded an im-
mediate supply of water, the engines ,were at once
brought into operation, but, owing to the firm hold
the fire had previously obtained, it continued to spread
with great rapidity. By half-past nine o'clock the
fire was subdued, but not until the whole of Mr.
Crawcour'i property was destroyed, and some da-
' range done to the premises on either side by fire and
water. Fortunately Mr. Crawcour was insured in

the Phoanix Fire-office.
On Tuesday morning last, at about four o'clock, an
extensive fire broke out on a farm belonging to the
Duke of Wellington, in the occupation of Mr. Luke
Goddard, situate in the parish of Strathfieldsaye, near
Reading. Owing to the early hour at which the out-
break occurred, when but little assistance could be
rendered, and the want of engines at hand, the fire
quickly gained a fearful ascendancy, the flames
spreading from one rick to the other, until at length
all were in a blaze. The conflagration lighted up the
country for 'many miles around during the darkness
That prevajled, and *hen daylight appeared volumes
-of Smoke were seen issuing forth from the burning
mass. The destruction of the entire farm homestead
was inevitable when the fire was at its height, as no-
thing could arrest the progress of the flames, and only
the dwelling house, at a little distance off, seemed
likely to escape from the burning wreck. The flames
gradually began to get under after awidle, until even-
tually nothing but a mouldering heap of ruins pre-
sented itself. The whole of the farm produce, con-
sisting of several new ricks, and other corn in store,
both thrashed and unthrashed, homestead, buildings,
and erections, implements of husbandry, and other
property, were entirely consumed. The fire, there is
every reason to believe, was the act of an incendiary,
and it is rumoured that suspicion rests on the carter
and boy about leaving the service, who are to undergo
'an examination. The loss is very considerable ; but
the entire farm property destroyed is, we believe, in-
sured, partly in the NorwichlUnion Fire-office.
INCENDIARY FIRE.—The quiet village of Frodes-
ley, in the county of Salop, has been thrown into the
utmost alarm by its having been the scene of one of
the most extensive and destructive incendiary ,fires
that ever occurred in this county. On Monday
morning, the 7th instant, at a quarter before two
o'clock, a barley and wheat stack belonging to Mr.
' Meredith were discovered by James Rothero, a black-
smith, residing in an adjoining cottage, to have been
just fired, as the flames were then only running about
the loose straws beneath the thatch. Without dress-

ing himself he proceeded at once to arouse Mr. Mere-
dith, his family, and all the nearest villagers, who
quickly and readily responded to his summons. Mr.
Meredith's farm is an extensive one, and the buildings
attached to it were very complete, and on a large scale.
The stack-yard contiguous to the buildings was
plentifully filled. Though in the course of about a
quarter of an hour several persons had arrived it was
at once discovered that they could possibly do nothing
to slve any portion either of the hay or grain. Most
unfortunately the morning was very windy, a strong
breeze blowing from the S.W. For some time past
the weather had been remarkably calm, and doubtless
this particular time had been carefully selected for
the perpetration of the diabolical deed. In a very
short time the whole stack-yard, containing 14 stacks,
and some of them very large, was enveloped in
flames, and all hopes of saving anything were given
up. The wind carrying the flames in the direction
of the buildings, they too very soon caught fire, and
the scene now presented was awfully grand. One
building after another became a prey to the devour-
ing element, and in about an hour and a half two
large barns, granary, waggon-shed, straw shed,
stables, and feeding stalls had fallen into ruins. The
farm-yard forms three sides of a quadrangle, the
house forming the fourth. At one time strong fears
were entertained that the house (a respectable resi-

deuce) would take fire. This, however, moat provi-
dentially, through the advice and exertions of the
rector, the Rev. T. L. Gleadowt, aided by the as-
sistance of some of his parishioners, was prevented.
The Rev. Gentleman was one of the first at the scene
of desolation, and immediately dispatched his servant.
on horseback to Shrewsbury for the fire engines.
Though Frodesley is eight miles from that town, the
engines arrived within an hour and three-quarters
from the time of their being sent for. The fire-
men were active in the discharge of their duty, but
their exertions were principally confined to playing
the engines upon the mouldering stacks to prevent
the flakes of fire, row rising, from being blown into
the neighbouring and continuous premises of another
extensive farmyard, near to which were also the
church and rectory-house. About 11 o'clock the fire
was pretty well put out. The farm belongs to Sir E.
J. Smythe, Bart., of Acton Burnell ; and it is calcu-
lated that by the burning down of the buildings he
Will sustain a loss of 1,0001., and that that of Mr.
Meredith will amount to 1,2001. Early in the morn-
ing Mr. Lewis, superintendent of the county con-
stabulary force, was in attendance with some of his
men. In the middle of the day Mr. E. W. Smythe
Owen; a magistrate for the county, and Captain
Mayne, the head of the police force, arrived at
Frodesley. A most searching investigation was set
on foot, but we regret to add that nothing has been
elicited which is likely at present to lead to the dis-
covery of the wretch who perpetrated the horrid
crime, for there exists no doubt that it was the deed
of an incendiary. We must not, however, omit to
notice the admirable manner in which the whole of
the villagers who were present, men as well as
women, conducted themselves throughout the whole
affair. No measured praise is due to them for their
untiring exertions in rendering every assistance in
their power; and though the• whole of the valuables
and furniture were removed from the house when it
was supposed that it must have unavoidably been
burnt, on their being replaced not a single article of
any kind was missing.

PROPOSED STEAM LINE FROM LIVERPOOL TO THE ST.
LAWRENCE.—We are informed that a scheme is now pri-
vately in agitation for the construction of a line of steam-
ships, of large carrying capacity, between the Mersey and
Quebec, in order to promote the prosperity of the Canadian
provinces, and the comfort of emigrants and passengers
to the settlement of the far west, of Canada, and the United
States. Several documents bearing on the project have been
placed in our possession by the gentleman from whom it has
originated, but our restricted space will not permit of any
detailed description. •Ire believe the leading features to be,
however, the formation of a steam.line as indicated, and
the advantages may be summed up in the following brief
space : Ist, Extension of steam. enterprise. into a new
region; Tendency to throw emigrants. into the British
who,theq uianys
steoafd
Newof b
colonial possessions, rather than those of a foreign Power;
3d, Greater comfort and welfare of emigrant passengers,
may be carried up to Quebec, there
elci_nogricl,anded among
.the sharpers who throng
transferred to steamers of 500 tons burden, and at once
draughted on board those steamers to the far west of Canada,
or rid the lakes, rivers, and Welland Canal, to the far west
of the United States, or, finally, rid the Mississippi, even to
the Gulf of Mexico ; 4th, Tendency to cement the union
of the parent country and her magnificent dependency, to
foster the Canadas as sources of timber supplies, in the event
of an interruption of supplies from the Baltic by the occur.
rence of a war with Russia, and also to develope the agricul-
tural resources of the colony. During the week the plan
has been submitted to several' gentlemen in Liverpool, and,
we believe, Lai also been laid before Lord Stanley, and Mr.
Hawes, Under-Secretary for the Colonial Department. For
our own part we are happy to introduce it to public notice,
expressing, however, no opinion save upon the general expe-
diency of the merchants of this country grasping every ad-
cantage offered to advance the growing development of
si eam communication in almost every region.—Liverpool
Albion

[ADVERTISEMENT. j—The further examination of
the parties suspected of the Frimley murder will take place
on Saturday, which will enable the Observer of Sunday, Oc-
tober 13, to give the fullest particulars, and all other matters
connected with this atrocious affair. The Observer, of Octo-
ber 6, gave nearly four columns of the murder, including edi-
torial remarks. The extensive publication of the Observer
commences on Sunday mornings at four o'clock, in time for
all the Sunday morning railways. Monday's edition at four
_Monday afternoon. . , .