The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-11 00:00:00

THE BANK,

The Bank of Hamburgh, long regarded as one of the seett,
in Europe, is alto among the buildings destroyed. The mer-
chants of the city have lung derived great benefit from this
specie-bank, which was founded in 1619. Whether any bullion
has been destroyed we cannot as yet tel ; but as this city has
no pap:r-money, the silver needed for daily use was always de-
posited in the cellars of the Bank, secured with iron-bars.
Nothing in its transactions was paid but in bullion or pure silver
and gold, and it never discounted.
Among other public buildings of note, which we have not
space more particularly to notice, is St. Peter's Church, and
the House for Orphans, and Armoury, in Admiralty-street
The 13orsensa.:1 or Auction.roorri, was over the Exchange, and
goods of every kind were daily brought there to be sold from
evi ry quartar of the world. The hotels eve' e richly furnished,
and fitted up for every fashionable and luxurious purpose.
The old town which has thus been destroyed is so inter-
sected with canals as to resemble a Dutch city ; these canals
were chiefly filled by the Elbe, but partly by the
sAlster, and
almost all .he warehouses are close to them. The lister farms
on the north side of the town a fine basin, chiefly used for par-
ties of pleasure. On the south side of this basin, in which the
fire appears to have made very severe ravages, was the spacious
walk planted with trees, and called the Jungferhsiieg, or Young
Ladies' Walk. tiiice the peace, this favourite promenade had
been continued along the west s de of the basin, sa as to join
he nanparis, the whole of whit`, were lad out as a public
garden and promenad. , the carriage-way being broad enough
icr three carriages all round the city.
The house in which the tire is supposed tohave oriffinated was,
as our readers are aware, that of a Jew cigar-manutaeturer's, a
branch of business which in Hamburgh has of late years in-
creased to an astonishing extent. A recent trave:ler observes,
that this habit of tobacco-smoking was universal. The whole t f
the male population, boys of eight and ten years, as well ts
men, are constantly armed with either a pipe or a cigar ; and
even handsome, well dressed girls, are seen luxuriating with a
genuine Havannah. This practice, it has been said by the
doctors of the town, has pronuced, even w i.hin the memory of
man, changt sin the constitution of the inhabitants ; and the se,
the descendants of the strong ancient Germans, have grettly
degenerated by the use of this enervating weed.
'lhe number of Jews, of as hick fraternity the supposed in-
cendiary Cohen is one:who were resident in this part o' the
town and Hamburgh in general, are estimated at 14,000, but
this is supposed to be double the real number. In 18:-.4 the
bills of mortality estimated thOm at 4,000.
As the steam-boats from the mouth of the Thames, make
their passage to Hamburgh in between forty and fifty hours, and
several of these have been delayed only by contrary winds, we
may speedily expect arrivals and fuller accounts from Cuxhaven,
and the city itself.

DREADFUL RAILRO'►D
ACCIDENT NEAR PARIS.

IMMENSE LOSS OF LIFE.

Pants, 9.—1 have this day to announce to lou one of
the most friOuful events that has occurred in modc.n times.
Yesterday was fixed for the celebration of the King's fete at
Versailles by the display (or play) of the great .saterworks,
fireworks, &c. On such ()cessions Versailles is, I need hardly
say, crowded beyond conception by the Parisian', and by fo-
reigners resident for the time in Paris. The waterworks were
over at half-past five. An immense number of persons im-
mediately repaired to the terminus of each line of railroad, and
took their departure for town. The train of the lett bank was
unusually long; it consisted of seventeen carriage , impelled by
three engines, and conveyed from 1,500 to I,'c'.qo passengers.
On arriving between Meudon and Bellevue the Laic-tree of the
first engine broke. Tre body of it, the fire, &c., fell to the
ground. The second engine, so great "a= the impetus,
smashed it in pieces and passed over it, and OR boiler burst,
throwing the unfortunate stoker fifty feet lute the air. The
carriages arrived of course, and passed over the wreck, when
six of them were instantly set in flames by the tire ; being
newly painted, they instantly ignited. 'Thies were totally
consumed, and three others partiatly, without the possibility of
escape to their unhappy inmates, who were locked up according
to the dreadful practice of such establishment,.
I shall not here give any of the rumours or statements that
abound on the subject, but proceed to describe that which
came under my own view on proceeding this day to the scene
of the accident.

On teaching the Barriere du Maine, where the principal
station lies, 1 found the place suit °untied by horse and toot
Municipal Guaros, an an immonse crown of spectators and
persons coming to inquire after some relative or friend, who
had not reached their homes since this event occurred. No
information, however, could he given to Clem there. the esta-
blishment being closed, and all the employes having been sum-
moned to the Prefecture of Police to attend the inquiry iLsti_
t uted by order of the Prefect, M. Gabriel Delessert. The hall-
consumed remains of the clothino, of some of the victims only
were left at the station ; but they were reduced to rags, and
could not serve to enable the friends or :datives of those to
whom they had belonged to identify them. Those persons were
accordingly recommended to
n4ake 112(1146es at the chgerent