The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-10 00:00:00

EXTENSIVE FIRE,

The usually quiet village of Merstham, in Surrey,
about twenty miles from London, was on Monday even-
ing last alarmed in consequence of the outbreak of a fire,
of a very destructive character, upon the home farm
contiguous to Merstham House, the seat of Sir W. G. H.
Joliffe, M.P., for the borough of Petersfield.
The first discovery was made by Sir William's gar-
dener, about ten minutes before eight o'clock, who ob-
served a large sheet of flame bursting through the roof
of the stabling, an extensive stone and brick building.
It may here be necessary to state, in order that the
reader may correctly understand, that the farm, of which
the stables formed a part, is bounded on either side—on
the west by the splendid mansion, on the north by the
rectory, belonging to the Rev. Mr. Manley, the minister
of the parish; on the south by a row of magnificent elm
trees; and on the east by the turnpike road. No sooner
was the fire perceived, and before sufficient time had
elapsed to raise the necessary alarm, than flames were
seen breaking through another part of the same building
at some distance from where they were first discovered,
and separated from it by an extensive stone arch. A long
loft passed over the whole, which contained articles of a
very inflammable nature, such as hay, straw, &c. Fire
once communicated to such combustible commodities, it
is unnecessary to state that the progress of the flames be-
came unusually rapid. In a very brief period the whole pre.
seated a fearful aspect; the flames travelled with almost
the swiftness of lightning, not leaving sufficient time to
save any of the stock contained therein. The picturesque
village by half-past eight o'clock was brilliantly illu-
minated, and vast numbers of the inhabitants from Rei
gate and the more distant hamlets were to be seen
wending their way towards the desolating scene. From
the first, it became apparent that the flames could not be
extinguished without the aid of engines, and expresses
were therefore dispatched for them to the neighbouring
stations. Without delay two excellent working engines
arrived, one from Reigate, and the other from the seat of
the Countess of Warwick at Gatton. Unfortunately a
lack of water retarded their efficiency, the only supply
that could be procured being from a pump some distance
from the seat of the fire. The mill stream near was so
low that the water was not sufficient to turn the mill.
Shortly after the engines were gut to work the roof of
the stabling gave way, and fell with a fearful crash,
when the blazing embers. and myriads of sparks were
sent flying in every direction. Some of them fell upon
the thatch of a range of shedding, upwards of 100 feet
long, all of which speedily fell a prey to the fury of the
destructive element. There were at this period a great
number of horses, oxen, and pigs, in the sheds, and it
was with the utmost difficulty that any of them could be
got out. As it was, notwithstanding that every exer-
tion was made, a valuable bull, brought from Germany
for the purpose of increasing the value of the English
breed, fell a sacrifice to the fury of the flames, as
well as two horses, and from 12 to 18 pigs, and a
couple of sprincr carts, with a valuable assortment of
agricultural implements. The fire continued to burn for
several hours, but, owing to the exertions of Sir William
and Mr. Currey, the distiller, and numerous ether par-
ties, the flames were prevented from extending any fur-
ther, although at one time it was greatly feared that
several stacks of wheat, barley, and other produce stand-
ing at the rear would be destroyed. Had the wind only
been in the opposite direction, nothing but almost su-
perhuman efforts could have prevented their destruction.
Owing to the judicious arrangements of the parties en-
gaged in subduing the flames, a spacious granary was
saved, as indeed was several thousand pounds worth of
other property. The most lively apprehensions were en-
tertained during the time the fire was at its height lea
some of the burning flakes should fall upon the noble
mansion ; fortunately it escaped uninjured. Upon the
intelligence reaching town, two active firemen, Carter
and Paul Gerrard, were sent by Mr. Braidwood, the Su-
perintendent of the Brigade, to render assistance in pre-
venting the extension of the fire, who arrived at an early
hour in the morning. Up to a late hour last afternoon
the engines were still engaged in pouring water upon the
smouldering ruins. The precise amount of the damage
is unknown, but it must amount to some hundreds of
pounds. The respected owner is only partially insured,
and that in the Norwich Union-office. As to the origin
of the fire nothing with certainty is known, but the fact
of it breaking out in two distinct places leads to the sup-
position that it was the work of some incendiary.

METROPOLITAN POLICE ACT
and the LICENSED VICTUALLERS.

—.--
In the list of cases called on for hearing at the Mid-
dlesex Sessions yesterday (before Mr. Serjeant Adams,
Assistant Judge), there were a number of appeals from
licensed victuallers against convictions of the magistrates
at the various police-courts, under the provisions of the 2d
and 3d Victoria, cap. 47, sec. 44, of which the preamble
and proviso run thus :
" And whereas it is expedient that the provisions made
by law for preventing disorderly conduct in the houses of
licensed victuallers be extended to other houses of public
resort ; be it enacted, that every person who shall have
or keep any house, shop, room, or place of public resort
within the metropolitan police• district wherein provi-
sions, liquors, or refreshments of any kind shall be sold
cc consumed (whether the same shall be kept or retailed
therein, or procured elsewhere), and who shall wilfully
or knowingly permit drunkenness, or other disorderly
conduct in such house, shop, room, or place ; or know-
ingly suffer any unlawful games, or any gaming what-
soever therein; or knowingly permit or suffer prostitutes
or persons of notoriously bad character to meet together,
and remain therein, shall for every such offence be liable
to a penalty of not more than SL, provided always that
if the offender be a licensed victualler, or licensed to sell
beer by retail, or to be drunk on the premises, this
enactment shall not be construed to exempt him from
the penalties or penal consequences to which he may be
liable for committing an ottence against the tenor of the
license to him granted."
Before any individual case was entered upon a conver-
sation arose between the Learned Judge and Messrs.
Clarkson, Bodkin, M. Chambers, and Wilkins, the coun-
sel concerned in hem, from which it appeared that there
was a great desire on the part of the Commissioners of
Police, as well as of all other persons in any way affected
or supposed to be affected, by the Act, to obtain the opi-
nion of the court as to the construction which ought to
be put upon the statute in repect to its applicability to
and operation upon licensed victuallers. During the dis-
cussion it appeared that the learned gentlemen of the bar
whom we have named, with the exception of Mr. Cham-
bers, had been retained to advocate the same side of the
question, namely, on behalf of the respective appellants.
The Learned JUDGE thereupon said, as that was the
case, he should be glad to hear what that Learned Coun-
sel had to urge in support of the conviction in the case in
in which he was engaged.
Mr. M. CHAMBERS then rose, and observed, that he
appeared not so much in the character of one who was
retained simply for the purpose of pressing heavily
against the appellant by obtaining a confirmation of the
conviction, but rather in the latter capacity, with a view
of eliciting from the Learned Judge an opinion as to the
proper construction of the statute, for the information
of the police magistrates and the Commissioners of
Police. It would seem, that up to the present time very
considerable doubts had existed—indeed still existed—
as to whether a licensed victualler was amenable to this
Metropolitan Police Act. There was no doubt but that
he was liable to very much heavier penalties under the
" Licensed Victuallers' Act" than were inflicted by this
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