Star.
London, England, 1808-05-11 00:00:00

J

WETMOUT7I, mArt

Our Spring Season has commenced with an early
appearance of gaiety, and wears a very flattering as-
pect. The arrival to day of the 2d Sornersetshire
Militia, commanded by Lord HINTON, is not a little
gratifying, and cannot fail of enlivening this town,
The commencement of the present month, with all
its other beauties, has proved enceeding propitious
to this favoured wateringirhce bringing with it the
completion of the Esplanade, that has been so many
years in a state of improvement : it is near a mile in
I length, and is now become one of the most elegant
and picturesque walks in the kingdom, affording the
valetudinarian in particular every gratification that
can be found on the sea side.

The undertaking first commenced under the aus-
pices of our gracious Sovereign, vho felt particularly
desirous of forwarding a plan that is sure of contri-
buting highly to-the interest of the town.
The Balls at the Royal Assembly Rooms have al-
ready commenced, and are well attended.
The Bands of the different Regiments alternately
in the evening, frequently perform on the Esplanade,
affording the promenaders and elegantes much grati-
fication.

SPORTING MAGAZINE.—On the Ist of May was
published, price ls. 6d. embellished with-1. A Por-
trait of the late Lord Grosvenor, from an original
picture, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and-2. of
the celebrated Mare, Eleanor, No. 187, of The
Sporting Magazine. This work, which abounds in
Sporting subjects, and others of an interesting and
amusing tendency, has lately adopted a New Feature,
viz. Disputes between Gentlemen on Points of Ho
inour. The Engravings are likewise more beautifullyl
executed than heretofore, and the sale of Numbers
and sets daily increasing.—No. 186, published the Ist
of April, completed the Slst Volume. The whole,
containing near 400 Copper Plates. may now be had,
half bound, or any odd Number or single Volume. I
—Printed for J. Wuratm, 18, Warwick-square, and
sold by all Booksellers in London, York, Dublin, &c.
&c. &c.

• Yesterday morning, an alarming fire broke out at
five o'clock, in the kitchen upon the first floor, at Mr.
Wallis's, No. 4.51, West Smithfield. It was providen-
tially discovered by Mr. Wallis's youngest son, who
slept in the room above, and was awoke by the falling
of plates, glasses, &c. The family escaped with the
loss of every article, but the clothes they hurried on.
The adjoining house, belonging to Mr. West, was also
totally consumed ; and the warehouses of Messrs.
Scott and Kinworthy ; we are happy to learn all the
parties were insured. Fortunately, by the activity
of a fireman, who cut away a partition, the flames
were prevented from extedding to that part of
Mr. Scott's house, where his books, acc. were depo-
sited ; in doing which, some of the ruins fell and in-
jured him so much, that he was conveyed to St. Bar-
tholomew's Hospital. By the great exertions of a
considerable number of Blitecoat boys, in supplying
the engines with water, which they had to fetch front
a considerable distance, the church was preserved, with
only the destruction of the vestry, out of which the
registers were rescued by the intrepidity of the watch-
man of the hospital. It is not precisely ascertained
how the fire originated.
A fire broke out on Friday se'nnight on the pre-
mises of the Rev. H. Dawley, at Hartford Lodge, in
Kent, which consumed the dwelling house and
stabling.
At a late hour, whilst the family were in bed, or
the night of Saturday, the 2Sd ult. a tire broke cut it
the house of Bartholomew Dillon, farmer, on the
lands of Kuockglass, near Boyle, in Ireland, which
not only consumed the house and every article con-
tained in it, to a considerable amount, but also Dillon,
his wife, and two children, one ten years old, the
other six, the three latter of whom suffered so much
from the flames that their remains retained not a ves-
tige of human form, being one mass of burned matter,
the man only survived a few hours. Thiee children
have been saved by the exertions of their unfortunate
parent, who perished in endeavouring to save the re-
maining two children. An adjoining ems -house, in
-,,hich were five cows and two calves, was totally con-
sumed, nothing remaining bat their bones, burned to
cyder. How the fire originated is not known. A
great quantity of flax and yarn greatly contributed
to the violence and rapidity of the flames—about 90
barrels of oats were also consumed, and so intense
was the degree of heat, that a quantity cf silver coin
was melted down.
Last week, a person residing in Maidstone, went
from her house, to purchase a few articles fer domes-
tic use, and left two small children at home, in a
,00m where there was a fire. On her return to the
house, both children were enveloped in flames—the
youngest, about a year and a halt old, died in a short
time; the other, about three years old, was not so
much burnt, but it is feared cannot recover.