The Sun.
London, England, 1844-07-22 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL.

BRUSSELS, JULY 17.—A letter from Antwerp, dated
yesterday afternoon between one and two o'clock,informs
us that the Dike of Lille, has again given way. An
inhabitant of Lille has sent a short notice of it to the
Precurseur ; he says—this morning at ten o'clock, the
part of the new dike made after the accident of the 3d
of last month gave way. This breach is exactly like
the first, and at the same place. This event is extremely
unfortunate, and has caused general consternation here.
It is doubtful, after what has happened, whether the
works for restoring the dike can be continued this year.
We are informed that a journeyman mechanic named
Corneille Seheers, living at No. 11, in the Faubourg de
Schaerbeck, has just applied for a patent for 15 years,
for the invention of a machine which is capable of
acquiring great motive force by means of a moving
weight without steam, without' water or air, and calculated
to supersede all steam engine. This important discovery
has cost the author of it, ten years continued labour.
BRUSSELS, JULY 18.—The Senate in its sitting to-day
agreed to the project of law on the differential duties
by a majority of 28 to 5. Three members declined'
voting. It also passed a vote of credit for the continua-
tion of the Campine. Immediately after the vote of the
Senate, the Minster of the Interior read the royal,decree,
which closes the session.
BRUSSELS, JULY 19.—The Moniteur of this date con-
tains two royal proclamations—the first announcing the
closing of the session of the Chambers, the second con-
voking them for the 22d of October next.
The Foul& d'Ostende says:—" To make travellers
understand with what rapidity they may now pass from
Great Britain to Ostend, we will mention the follow-
ing Afact :—On Tuesday, at half-past two o'clock,
we received the Times of the same day, printed
at six o'clock, A. 31 , and brought to Ostend at ten
minutes past two by the Princess Mary steamer, Captain
J. Paul, belonging to the Dover Railway Company. On
board the steamer there were some of the Directors of
the Company, who immediately proceeded to Brussels to
confer with the Minister of the Interior respecting the
conveyance of the Belgian mail and of passengers to
London. If they succeed in their mission, travellers may
take their tickets at London or Cologne, and be conveyed
from one of these cities to the other by the English,
Belgian, and Rhenish Railways, and by the steamer of
the Dover Railway Company. They may if they please
stop on the way, and afterwards continue their journey
with the same ticket by means of one of the conveyances
belonging to the contracting parties.
THE HAGUE, JULY 17.—Their Royal Highnesses the
Prince and Princess of Orange left the Hague yesterday
morning. They are going to visit Italy.
AMSTERDAM, JULY 18.—The Minister of Finance has
given notice that the total amount of Treasury Bonds
issued by virtue of the law of 27th December, 1840, and
of 19th June, 1843, and in circulation on the Ist of this
month, was 4,899,700 florins.
It seems that his Majesty is not expected to return
direct from Luxembourg. He will come back by
way of Maestricht and Tilburg, and arrive at the latter
town on the 23d or 24th at the latest.
COBLENTZ, JULY 12.—Accounts from Berlin, coming
from persons worthy of credit, say that we may expect
to see the King and Queen in this city for some time
during the autumn, and that they will reside in the
castle of Stolzenfelo. Preparations are making for the
august visitors in the palace and gardens. The Queen
will previously go to the Ischl for the benefit of the wa-
ters, and then& to. Munich, where the King will fetch
her, and accompany her to the Rhine.
HANOVER, JULY 12.—According to a statement laid
before the Second Chamber of the Estates of the
Kingdom, our public debt, amounted, to the Ist of
October, 1841, to the sum of 14,154,988 dollars, and on
the Ist of October, 1843, to only 10,430,594 dollars,
which is a diminution to the amount of 3,724,394
dollars.

Soon after one o'clock on Saturday 'morning an
alarming fire, attended with considerable havoc of pro-
perty and, which caused the greatest excitement for
several hours in the immediate neighbourhood, broke out
in a double house in the occupation of Mr. Riley, green-
grocer, and Mr. Francis South, watchmaker and jeweller,
1, Clifton-place, Wandsworth-road, situate a short dis-
tance from the Britannia, on the south side of the road.
The premises were newly-erected houses, and, ivith four
others that adjoined, formed a terrace, the whole of
them being inhabited. In which of the former the fire
originated there is much difficulty in ascertaining, but
there seemed very little doubt but that it commenced in
that portion rented by. Mr. Riley, for that part was
partly consumed before the other. From Mr. Riley's
statement it appears he was awoke at about ten minutes
after one one o'clock, by a choking sensation produced
by his bed-room being filled with smoke, and on opening
the room door he discovered to his utter astonishment that
the house was on fire, and that escape from the staircase
was wholly impossible, as the fiery element had reached
it, and was making rapid progress upwards. Perceiving
the imminent danger his family and servants were placed
in, he lost not a moment in getting them out ofthe house
on to the leads of a small outhouse at the back, acces-
sible by the bedroom windows, where he remained some
considerable time unobserved, although he kept calling
loudly for assistance. At length a ladder was procured,
and being placed against the wall, they all descended,
but with very little covering on besides their night-
clothes. The loss sustained by the parties burnt out
will, it is expected, exceed 1,5002, in addition to the
re-building of the premises, as the whole of them are in
ruins, the party walls having given way and fallen before
the fire was got under. The other sufferers by the fire
are as follows :—No. 2. Mr. W. Moseley, shoemaker,
insured in the Sun fire• office ; No. 3, occupied by Mr.
Tervall, fishmonger ; No. 4, tenanted by Mr. Meggs,
dealer in toys, &c. ; and No. 5, occupied by Mr. Horley,
not insured. It was nearly eight o'clock in the morning
• before the engines were withdrawn from the spot. -
We learn from good authority that Alex. Oswald,
Esq., M.P. for this county, is about to lead to the hymeneal
altar Lady Louisa Johnstone, widow of the late Sir Frederick
.• • ••
Johutstone, Bart.—Ayr Observer.