The Sun.
London, England, 1844-09-02 00:00:00

'

CULINARY LEGERDEMAIN.
1 ARIEL DISH.
(FRO 31 A CORRESPONDENT.)
On Thursday last, a party of culinary artists met at the
magnificent hotel of Signor Dotesio, at Slough. The object
of this meeting was that six of them should each produce
a new dish. Amongst the number present were her
Majesty's two principal chefs de cuisine, the Dowager
Baroness Rothschild's and the head cook belonging to that
establishment, with two others. The table was laid for
twelve—six competitors, and six to judge the result of
this beneficial public innovation. The challenge was
that the one whe produced the newest, lightest, and most
delicate dish, was to be presented with a piece of plate ;
the judges not to know the authors of the respective
dishes until after the degustation and decision. After
an excellent course of soup and fish, five dishes were
placed upon the table, four of which met with the great-
est approbation from the severe jury. But a general
clamour was raised for the sixth, when in walked the
worthy host with an excellent dish, labelled " La Crous -
tade Sylphe en surprise a la Cerito," and upon the lid
being removed by the chairman, to the astonishment of
every one present, out flew a beautiful pigeon, which
immediately found its way to the terrace; and took its
departure for London. The party, however astonished,
were not disappointed, for upon removing a false
bottom, an ample supply of " Se.iade de filets de grouse
la Roliimienne" seas discovei-ed, and beneath that some
artificial cotelettes and trAishrooms were sweetly resting
on a " creme aux p 'Catles."
The author of curious dish made a wager a few
days previous t'oat he would send part of a dish Of his
oon compo-,ition from Slough to London, in a manner
which, for speed, should only be exceeded by the electric
telegi-agh ; consequently, at the moment the dish was
Paced upon the table, it was announced by telegraph to
the parties in London, and in fourteen minutes afterwards
they received the principal part of this atmospheric dish
at the spot appointed by the author, with a paper under
its wing, upon which was written, " Please to pay the
chef de cuisine of the Reform Club the sum' of 501., for
my private apartment in his new dish, and make the
ehecque payable to A. Soyer."

DISASTROUS FIRE AT HULL.
On Wednesday morning last, at ten minutes past
eight o'clock, a fire broke out in Messrs. S. T. Hassell
and Co.'s warehouse, Blayde's-staith, High-street, which
in the course of a few hours destroyed property to the
amount of 10,000/.
The premises of Messrs. Hassell are situated at the
corner of Blayde's-staith and the river Hull, and had a
frontage of about fifty feet towards the river, and one
hundred feet towards the staithway. They consisted of
extremely substantial buildings, occupying three floors
and an attic ; there were three warehouses adjoining
each other, commencing from the river, and bounded by
another substantial building, the ground floor of which
was occupied by the firm as offices, and the upper rooms
used in their business as merchants and warehousemen.
The frontage towards the river was entirely of wood.
It appears from inquiries since made, that men had
been at work in the warehouses in the morning up to
eight o'clock, and at that hour one of them passed
through the room which in a few minutes afterwards
was one mass of flame, but in which he then perceived
neither sight nor smell of fire. At ten minutes past
eight, the flames burst forth towards the river and to-
wards Blayde's-staith, with such a vivid glare, and spread
so rapidly, that the whole neighbourhood was immedi-
ately upon the alert. An alarm was given, the authori-
ties of the town were warned, and in a few minutes effi-
cient assistance of almost every description was upoa
the spot.
The fire originated in the highest room of the ware-
house, with the exception of the attic. It was full of flax.
The whole of the warehouses were as full as they could
hold of hemp, flax, corn, s4l 4c., the inflammable
nature of which, and the firs old which the fire had
got before any assistance could be rendered, baffled, for
a short time, the attempts to arrest it, particularly as it
had taken hold of the roof, by means of which it
set fire to the second warehouse. The attention of the
firemen was early directed tolprevent the extension of the
fire in that direction, and also to preserve the ad-
joining warehouses on the south, the property of
the Rev. John King, which cover probably six times as
much ground as those occupied by Messrs. Hassell.
In the latter attempt, aided by a slight wind from the
S.E., they were completely successful. The roof of the
first warehouse fell in a few minutes before nine o'clock;
at seventeen minutes past nine o'clock a circumstance
occurred whickaittly aided the operations of the fire-
men, although. Viiumber of them had to run for their
lives. About trty-six feet in length and forty feet in,
height of a brieK-and-a-half wall,,facing Blayde's-staith„
and forming the greater part of the boundary of the first
and a portion of the second warehouse, fell down into the
staithway. A number of men were under the wall when
it began to fall, but most happily every one of them es-
caped. All danger of the fire spreading beyond the
warehouse in which it originated, and the one adjoining
it, was over before half-past ten o'clock.
We are happy to state that the buildings were in-
sured, and nearly all the warehoused goods are under-
stood to be so.
The origin of the fire is not certain. Many incline
to the opinion that spontaneous combustion took place
among the flax • but others, among whom is Mr.
assell,
think it probable H
that some sparks had flown from the
chimney of a steam-tug which passed the warehouse
shortly before the fire broke- out, and had alighted on,
the flax.

The property is partly insured in the Sun and partly
in the Phoenix Fire-offices.—Hull Advertiser.

PHOSPHORUS.--Until the last ten years this sub-
stance was prepared but in very small quantities, and
used merely fur experimental purposes. It is now im-
ported to the extent of about two hundred thousand
pounds per annum, besides the quantity manufactured in
this country, being used to this extent in the fabrication
of Congreve matches and instantaneons lights.
METROPOLITAN BUILDINGS REGULATION ACT...
Yesterday (Sunday) was the day on which the
Metropolitan Buildings Act, for regulating the construc-
tion and the use of buildings in the metropolis and its
neighbourhood came into operation, as far as rt.•
lates to the appointment of districts and the nomination
of officers (the other portions of the statute coming into
operation the first day of next year). The enactments,
however, that now commence their operation, provide
that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London, and Jus-
tices of the Peace in Quarter Sessions for other parts, may
appoint the districts, and nominate surveyors for such dis-
tricts, the qualifications of which surveyors are to be
ascertained by examiners appointed by Commissioners
of Works, &c. The certificate of examination is to be
produced by candidates one week before election.
These surveyors are to hold office during pleasure, but
are not to act as justices in their districts. The present
surveyors are to be continued in office subject to the
Act. Deputy surveyors can be appointed in cases
of illness, &c. ; and assistant surveyors nominated,
if any districts appear to the official referee too large.
Official referees are also to be appointed, but never to
act as surveyors. They are, among other powers, to
act as arbitrators, and their award is to be binding on all
parties and bodies. Their salary, and that of the re-
gistrar of metropolitan buildings (who is to be nominat-
ed by the Commissioners of Works and Buildings), is
not to exceed 1,0001. per annum. This registrar is to
have the custody and inspection of the records of the
official referees ; and the Commissioners are to appoint
a place of business for him. The surveyors are to be
paid by fees, which are determined by the Act. Such
are the chief outlines of those provisions of the Act
that now come into operation. Those portions that re-
late "to the buildings, streets, and other matters," do
not operate until the Ist of January, 1845.
FIGHTING ATTOICNEY-GENERALS.—Just at the time
the fighting mania of the Attorney General for Ireland
had exhibited itself in the Four Courts, his brother
Attorney-General for Van Diemen's Land, Mr. Walsh,
was so rabid as to fight two duels in one week, as ap-
pears from the following account copied from the Hobart
Town Courier of the 24th of March last :—" In the
course of the week two duels have been fought—the
first between T. W—, Esq., and R. S—, Esq. ; and the
second between T. W—, Esq., and T. Esq. In
both cases the disputes which led to the appeal to arms
were quite of a personal character." In the same paper
there is also an advertisement signed J. E. Bicheno,
which was as follows :—" By his Excellency the Go-
vernor's command, Thomas Horne, Esq., is appointed
Attorney-General of the Colony of Van Diemen's Land
until the Queen's pleasure be known." So much for jus-
tice to Ireland. Mr. Smith still retains his position,
while Mr. Walsh is dismissed.

SUPPOSED CHILD MURDER.-011 Thursday after-
noon George Manners, a rat-catcher, found, while hunt-
ing with his dogs in a ditch, on the premises of Miss
Hibbert, at Barnes, the body of a new-born infant ; it
was in a state of putrefaction, and was wrapped up in a
satin,
t andbn heakd.
born a
The
tightlyof round he
having
which the body was found communicates
Thames, the tide having free access. _ es w ith the
tpeeccd
appearance
Barnes,he remains of
the infant are now at the Bull Inn,
B awaiting
an inquest.
ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL G
ARD:NS.—The lovers
of music will have a rich treat at these gardens this
week. Mr. Godfrey, the eminent director of music, and
leader of the band, has been
, for some weeks preparing
and arranging Beethov
~en s celebrated Battle Sinfonia,
descriptive of an engagement between the English and
French armies (accompanied with discharges of artiller •
Sec.), which wille brought o t thi d discharges
' h •31.
u s ay wit an in-
creased orchestrad hg
an t e most attractive selections of
the season.
HEART BURIAL.—During the rebuilding of part
of the church of Chatham, in Kent, in 1788, there was
found in one of the vaults a leaden pot, containing, =-
cording to inscription, the heart of a woman one Hester
Harris. The pot appeared to have been nailed up to
the side of the vault, there being a piece of lead soldered
on for that purpose.
THE SPOILS OF THE MOORISH WAR.—The famous
parasol, belonging to the son of the Emperor of Morocco,
which was taken at the battle of Isly, had, through a.
singular chance, been manufactured in Paris, by a mercer
of Rue St. Denis, for a house of Marseilles, which has
extensive commercial dealings with Morocco. Three
years ago that house sent it as a present to the Emperor,
it being the custom to make such gifts to the African
•
sovereigns to secure their good graces. It is entirely
lined with green velvet, embroidered with arabesques„
and edged with a long gold fringe. This beautiful piece
of workmanship cost I,Boof.—Presse.
SHEFFIELD AND MANCHESTER RAILWAT.—This
line is now opened to Woodhead, a distance of about 19
miles from Manchester. We understand that General
Pasley's report was highly commendatory of the con-
struction and condition of the works. The other part.
of the line are proceeding very satisfactorily. There is
a rumour that the Leeds Company are about to purchase
the line.—Railway Record.