The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-20 00:00:00

FIRE AT NORTHUMBE.RLAND HOUSE.

On Wednesday night a disastrous fire broke out in a
wing of Northumberland House, alarming the whole
immediate neighbourhood, and doing in many respects
irreparable mischief. It occurred in the ball-room and
picture gallery, which are at the back of the house,
on the Whitehall side, and at right angles with the
Strand. It was a building about 15011. long and 50ft.
high, roughly estimated, with a roof almost flat,
and lighted by two tiers of windows on both sides
throughout its whole length. It contained pictures,
frescoes, tapestries, magnificent vases, and other
articles of vertu, many of them altogether unique, and all
of rare interest, most of which have perished, with a great
part of the wing itself ; but, fortunately, the rest of the
fabric remains altogether unarmed. The fire, in fact, was
happily confined, by the well-directed exertions of the
Metropolitan Fire Brigade, to the part of the building
in which it originated, though there it has occa-
sioned incalculable damage. The Duke and Duchess
of Northumberland are understood to be now
residing at Alnwick Castle, and their town house was
left, as it frequently is, in the charge of servants. Persons
residing in the immediate neighbourhood perceived a
strong smell of fire about half-past ten o'clock, but
could not tell whence it proceeded, and nearly an hour
elapsed before the discovery was made. The fire had
then appeared in the upper part, or roof, of the picture-
gallery and ball-room, and by a quarter to twelve
o'clock the building was in a blaze. The police authori-
ties at Scotland-yard bad received the alarm about a
quarter or twenty minutes past eleven o'clock, and Mr.
Superintendent Walker, with a large body of men, was
speedily on the spot, and rendered material service in
guarding the approaches to the house and co-operating
with the Fire Brigade. Mr. Williams, the house steward,
Mr. Grove, a neighbour, and others were able by
great exertions to save some vases and other
articles of great value and interest, but little in
comparison with what has been destroyed. The Sre
was for some time confined to the upper part of the
structure and burnt downwards ; but by half•past 12
o'clock it was Tr anrestly under the c ontrol o 7 therf
and all anxiety as to the safety of the main body of the
fabric was allayed. The roof, portions of which fell in at
intervals, had almost wholly perished at 1 o'clock in
the morning, and daylight will have revealed only the
bare walls of what was on Wednesday a state
apartment, magnificently embellished and furnished,
and replete with works of art. It is said
that workmen had been employed in that part of the
building during the day ; but last night, in the exertions
which were made to arrest the progress of the fire, no one
connected with the establishment could stop to inquire as
to its origin. It seems, however, to have commenced in
the middle of the room, for when the flames broke forth
the centre of the roof was the first part to give way,
and at last the fire was confined to both ends of the
room. For some time there was a scarcity of water,
but when the firemen obtained a supply they soon gained
the mastery over the fire. Fortunately, the drawing-
rooms, dinng-rocm=, marble staircase, and upper suite
of saloons and the valuable paintings there have escaped
destruction. A superb Sevres china vase, about three
feet high, valued at £lO,OOO, the gift of Charles X. of
France to the Duke Hugh of Northumberland, who
was Ambassador Extraordinary from the Court of St.
James's at the coronation of that monarch, and some
splendid frescoes from the antique have been destroyed.
It is very fortunate the fire was discovered so early, other-
wise the entire building might have been imperilled. The
last time the ball-room now destroyed was thrown open for
ducal hospitality was when their Royal Highnesses tho
Prince and Princess of Wales honoured the third Duke
and his Duchess Eleanor with their presence at a grand
banquet and fete about four years ago.

THE " SENILITY " OF THE CORPS LEGISLATIF.
—The Liberte makes a curious calculation as to the ages
of the members of the Corps L4gislatif. It finds that
the united ages of the 283 deputies amount to 1G,014
years, which gives an average of 56A years for each
deputy. "It is, therefore," says the Libcrte, "the most
senile Legislature which has existed in France since
1789." Next in order comes what is known in French
history as the Chambre Introurable. The average age of
the Opposition, though it comprises old men like Berryer,
Thiers, and Marie, is 49.

A BOAT CAPSIZED.—During the visits of the
Channel fleet to Portland large numbers of " bum-
boat" men and women go from Portsmouth in wher-
ries in order to supply the crews with fresh provi-
sions and other articles. On Monday it was determined
by the owners of the bumboats to make for Portsmouth.
They left almost all together, but when off Warbarrow,
some five or six miles distant, the Favourite, belonging to
William Sutton, suddenly capsised, owing, it is said, to
the shifting of the ballast, and sank. Some of the other
boats picked up two of the crew who were struggling in
the water. These saved themselves by clinging to a box,
but the third, a discharged soldier of the 43rd Regiment,
drifted away and was drowned.
A case of some interest to the journalistic profes-
sion came before the Liverpool County Court on Tuesday.
The plaintiff had been engaged upon a publication called the
Liverpool Leader as sub-editor, and a dispute having arisen
between himself and the proprietor, a Mr. Norfolk, he
gave and received notice. The questions involved
were whether he was engaged as sub-editor,
and whether, being so engaged, he was entitled
to three months notice. The first fact was clearly proved,
and the second point, as to length of notice, was esta-
blished by the evidence of several witnesses, and among
others Mr.. John Dignan, late of the. Liverpool Chronicle,
who spoke from a 40 years' experience. Under these cir-
cumstances the judge awarded the plaintiff the full amount
claimed and costs.

A PERILOUS ADVENTORE.7A yOung man named
Thornhill, from Birmingham, went out for a row in a two-
oared boat from Douglas Head, Isle of Man, a few days
ago. After getting out about a couple of miles from the
land he found to his horror that it was utterly impos-
sible for him to return, the wind and the current being
very strong and the tide fast going out. About two
o'clock in the morning the sea became very rough, and
the solitary ocsupant of the little boat found himself no
longer able to keep his position at the oars. The latter
he placed in the boat, and laid himself down in the boat's
bottom, awaiting what he felt sure must be speedy death.
At 6 o'clock ho was, however, providentially picked
tip by the schooner J,:r:n, of Drogheda, CAptain
Owens, bound frgp 4tVt.:o3y tg 11101072oPyitli. h tOgo