Star.
London, England, 1805-07-02 00:00:00

FIRI AT WDOLWICE WARREN.

At about i quarter. before ten o'clock an thoday
night an alarm was given, that a fire had hrohlos out
in a large range of wooden Blue Store-houfes in Wool
wich Warren, not far diftant from the Magazine.—
The Royal Artillery were infiantly turiteei out, and
ran down to the place, when it was found impoflible
to lave any part of the building on fire, or of another
building of the fame defeription near it. The firft
and grand confederation was to prevent the dame:
Lion of the Magazine; the fecond to rave a large
clothing flare, in which were fuits for Sotto men,
both of which were not more than thirty paces from
the buildings on fire.
The Royal Artillerymen alcanded the roof of t!te
Magazine. and notwithflanding the great heat from
the buildings on fire, they continued there covering
the top of it with wet blankets and wad-mill till.
(generally ufed to cover large waggons) until it yr.'s(
declared out of danger. At one time the heat from
the premifes on fire was Co intenfc, that the faldiets
oo the Magazine requelled to have water from the•
engines thrown on themtclres, to enable them to
Rand to the work they acre employed in. The two
buildings confirmed were full of what is called dead
ammunition, fuch as grape and cannifier shot in
boxes, ready to be Cent. to different garrifons at home
and abroad. The boxes are fuppored to have amount-
ed to half a million in number. The buildings eon-
fumed were fituated behind the Mote, and were about
the length of 160 or tyo feet, and two Rorie. high..
not a veflige of which remains. The buildings, with
what they contained, were very viluable; the efii-
mate of damages is not yet afcertained, but it is Cop-
pofed to be from fifty to one hunched thoufand
pounds. Notwithilanding the imminent danger that
almoft every inftant threatened the defiralion of the
whole of the Royal Artillery, by the blowing up of
the Magazine, not an individual was abfent from his
poll. The orders of the General to his Officers, and
of the Officers to their men, were equally prompt and
judicious. It was not until near four o'clock yeller-
day morning that the fire was fo far extingoiffied as to
place the Magazine out of danger.
The Huntingdon and London Militias were under
arms. and rendered much fervice in keeping off offici-
ous or impl.oper perfons; but from tie great number
of the Royal Artillery employed in extinguiffilng.e
fire, they could not have been called on to affii
tiler with any advantage.—There is every reafon to
believe that the fire did not originate from accident.
The Rore-honfes in which it broke out, were, by the
proper officers, locked up on Saturday night, and
not opened all day on Sunday ; and, what is very re-
markable, five centinels and a watchman gave the
alarm at the fame indent, and in the fhorteft time
imaginable the Blue (lore houfes were fo fat enve-
loped in flames as to render any attempt to fare them
ineffee.tual. come perfons arrin cuftody on forpicions
but nothing yet has been found out, which it would
be proper to communicate to the public. We are
happy to announce, that no lives were loft, and only
a very few trifling accidents happened.
ANOTHSR accoosT.—At half paR nine o'clock,
on Sunday night, an alarming fire broke out in the
Royal Arfenal, lately Woolwich Warren, clofe to the
Powder Magazine, which threatened the whole plies
with deftrudion. There was a long range of wooden
ore-h oufes parallel to the Magazine, and at a diftance
from it of between to and zo yards. This range was
filled with empty boxes for ammunitior, hemp, cor.
dage, oil for panning, and other combuftible matter.
Parallel to it Rood a fecond range of lore-houfes.
built with the like materials, and filled with the like
matter, except the ground floor, which was fitted up
as Rabies for the horfes, tired in the bnfinefs of the
arfenal. The diftance between thefe two ranges was
not more than fufficient for a waggon to pats, and it
was in the fecond or more remote of the two ranges
from the Magazine the fire broke out. The fire, as
might to expelled from the nalnle of the building
and its contents, made a r. pid progrefs ; and before
the expiration of many minutes aft .r it was difcovered,
the two ranges of ftore•hot: fes we. e one dreadful blaze.
—The flore.hcares being completely enveloped in
flames, and their being no chance of faring them.
the attention of thofe who fird came to the (pot was
direaed to the magazine. A great number of wad-
mill tilts (large pieces of 'tuff, like carpets, but
much thicker and coarfer, and made of coarfe
woollen yarn) were hauled up upon the face of the
magazine, fronting the fire, and carried over the
roof. The engines of the Arfenal and town of
Woolwich were inllantly brought to bear upon the
magazine ; and, though of a fmall capacity, they
kept the wadmill tilts fo wet. as to prevent them
from catching fire, notwithfianding the fury and
proximity of the flaming ftore-houfes. We do not
know the exaa quantity of powder in the magazine ;
but it has been Rated to ns at between two hundred
and three hundred thoufiend barrels. The greater
portion of this is of courfe dep( crest in apartments
prote.fted againft accidental fire. Still, however, a
great quantity of it remained in an expofed Rate, from
the neceffity of having it convenient and at hand for
the workmen daily employed in making cartridges.
&c. The apprehenfion that prevailed at Woolwich.
on the grit report of the fire, was, that it had broken
out in the Magazine, and every inhabitant of the
place momentarily expeael that the Magazine would
blow up, and that the whole town would be involved
in univerfal ruin. The horror, confternation. and
confufion that enfued, would be difficult to defcribe.
The women and children loft not a moment to make
their efcape. Some fled to Shooter's Hill, fume to
the Barrack-field, fome in other direftions. In every
approach to the town they might be leen, fume dref-
fed, others half drefred, particularly children, who
had gone early to bed, and were fuddenly roofed
from their (lumbers. Several hoofs were Oro flrip-
ped by their owners, who were bufily employed in
carrying off their furniture, and depofiting it in a
place of fafety. Fortunately, however, the engines
fucceeded in preventing the flames from extending to
the magazines, and the two ranges of ftorehoufes were
in about two hours totally vsniumed. ur ut tt
farther mire:lief. About twelve o'clock feveral
gives had arrived frOm within a diftance of le,
miles • but the fire had completely fublided, and
only (erred to reftore confidence to the tremblim
habitanis. It is oniverfally believed at Wool
that the place was intentionally fet on fire, as ne
or candle has ever been allowed within thefe
houfes. Had the wind blown at S. W. no effort
Ihave fared the magazine.