The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-21 00:00:00

FEARFUL THUNDERSTORM.

On Monday evening a fierce storm of thunder and
lightning passed over Galloway and Dumfriesshire. At
Dalbeattie the storm seems to have raged with terrific
violence ; and the splendid mansion-house of Mr. Well-
wood Maxwell, M.P. for Kirkcudbrightshire, has fallen
a victim to its fury. About half-past eight o'clock the
house was struck by a ball of fire immediately over
the nursery-room. A tongue of flame shot forth almost
instantaneously, and in a minute or two the inmates were
made conscious of their danger by the lurid glare from
the burning roof. Mr. Maxwell was absent in Lon-
don, and Mrs. Maxwell, with Miss Maxwell, were at
Edinburgh. Besides the servants, the only members of
the family at home were four of the younger children.
Three of them had been put to bed, and of course atten-
tion was first directed to them. They were all got
safely out, and through the kindness of Mr. Platt
they were at once conveyed to Kirkennan House.
A messenger was immediately despatched to Dalbeattie,
and hundreds of the inhabitants were shortly on the spot
rendering what assistance they could in saving the furni-
ture and checking the progress of the flames. Their efforts
in the latter direction, however, met with no success, as
the only means they had of procuring water was by bring-
ing it from the River Urr, in cans, a distance of about 200
yards. Meanwhile, a messenger had been sent to Dum-
fries for one of the fire-engines, and at eleven o'clock
Superintendent Malcolm started from that town
with an engine by special locomotive to Dalbeattie. When
he arrived on the scene it was one of awful grandeur. The
building was on fire in every part, and the crowds of men
and women moving about, the shouts, the flames, the
darkness, and the rattle of heaven's artillery almost
realised one's notions of Pandemonium. The men worked
with a will, and several ran considerable risk in endeavour-
ing to subdue the flames. All the best furniture had been
saved, and the silver plate, including the splendid set pre-
sented to Mr. Maxwell about two years ago by the Castle
Douglas Railway Company, was also secured. The fire was
now raging fiercely in the muniment-room, and to this Mr.
Malcolm directed the hose. He succeeded in bringing it
under, and it is believed that the contents of the safe have
received no injury. It was nearly three o'clock in the
morning when the fire was fairly mastered ; but during
the whole of Tuesday it was found necessary to keep
pouring water into the ruins. The house is a massive
granite building, and has been occupied only about nine
years ; the naked walls are all that remain. The furni-
ture in the house was not insured, though the building
itself was, and the destruction done is immense, and must
entail a considerable loss on Mr. Maxwell.

A new publication has been registered under the
title of the Dramatic News, and will make its appearance
early in June. It will be devoted to matters entirely con-
nected with the musical and theatrical world.

CHURCH AND STATE.—A. meeting of the whole
council representing the United Kingdom branches of the
Church Association has been held at King's College, when
it was resolved : ".That it is essential that each member
of the Central Council shall at once use his utmost endea-
vours to promote, in his own district, demonstrations in
support of the United Church of England and Ireland,
and for the maintenance of the union of Church and State ;"
and arrangements were made for giving practical effect
to the resolution.

LORD BROUGHAM. —Lord Brougham was witty
himself, as well as the cause of wit in others. Perhaps the
most humorous speech ever heard at a wedding breakfast
was made by him whose memoirs are just now in all the
papers. He was asked to return thanks for the brides-
maids. He said something to this effect : "I am greatly
flattered by being asked to return thanks for the brides-
maids, and I have been trying to determine for which of
my merits it is that I have been selected for the honour of
representing these fair young creatures—whether for my
youth, for my innocence, or for my beauty." In the end
he took credit to himself, amid the merry peals of laughter,
for the possession of all three.-- Once a Week.

INTERESTING RELIc.—A. lock of the late King
Captain
C. hair, cut from his head after death by C
C. F. James, deputy-assistant quartermaster-genera],
received in Plymouth on Tuesday, and as a matter was
curiosity is now exhibited in a shop-window in George-
street. Captain James, when about to start for Abyssinia,
jocularly promised a friend/ at Plymouth that he*would
bring back a lock of Theodore's hair. On Tuesday the
pledge was redeemed, a note accompanying it, in which
Captain James said : " I send you a real lock of King
Theodore's hair. I cut it ,off myself as soon as we found
his body in the gateway, and I assure you it is genuine. I
little thought when I promised this in fun that it would he
fulfilled realitY."="t4 lift??7*l9 47116