Star.
London, England, 1809-02-27 00:00:00

DR URT.LANE THEATRE.

We have very few facts to add to the account we
gave on Saturday of the destruction of this superb
structure. It is a total loss. Up to two, on Saturda)
morning, no fatal accident had happened ; hut about
three o'clock, one of the fragments of the wall
Russell-street, in falling into the street, killed a p or
' man, who was indiscreetly standing at a door . ppo•
site to the place. Another person was wounded, but
not severely. Thc walls fell to the ground, at inter-
vals, as the fire consumed the timbers in their centre;
but the danger was visible from the cracks— and
they generally fell inwards. Through the whole
night, however, the tottering fragments hung in the
most tremendous form—and raised the most lively
attention of the spectators who watched their fall.
On Saturday evening, at six o'clock, the wall at
the east end fell with a tremendous crash, on the side
next Drury-lane. The warehouse of Mr. Allen, the
tallow-chandler, together with that of Mr. Hughes,
the oilman, and some back premises belonging to the
Harlequin (public-Souse), were completely buried in
the ruins. There was also some slighter damage done
to the dwelling-houses of these and other persons ;
but the crash was for some time expected, and there
was nopersonhurt._

A high pailing fence has been properly erected
round all the avenues to protect the passengers from
further accident.

.

The first cause of the fire yet remains undiscovered.
We now learn that when Mr. KENT, accompanied by
Mr. NISBETT and Mr.. PHILLIPS (who both live in,
Vinegar-yard), first got into the Theatre, followed
soon after by Mr. HODSON, they observed a woman
in tke house as well as the two watchmen. She seemed
frantic, and ran about shrieking and putting out the
candles which these persons lighted, to endeavour to
discover the engine and pipes. This was in the first
moment, and when it was doubtful where the fire
actually was. Even upon this point the statements
differ. The labourers who were in charge of the
house say, they first observed the flames in the room
above the saloon, where the plumbers had been at.
woi k ; but Mr. KENT and Mr. NISBETT say they cer-
tainly saw it first, or at least as soon, in the lobby
below the s.►loon, as in the saloon itself. But they
all agree that the burst was nearly instantaneous.--
What is most singular, and which is to be made
the subject of particular investigation, is, that no
one of the people of the house knew the woman
that was observed when the flames first burst out, nor
has she been heard of since. She is described as a
large bulky woman, of ruddy complexion, and they
say that she was half undrest.
Mr. MATHEWS, Mr. RUSSELL, Mr. DE CAMP, and
Mr. PENLEY, the performers, were at the house of
RICHARD WILSON, Esq. of Lincoln's-inn-fields, when
the alarm was given of the Theatre being in flames.
They all started together. The three first were just
in time to save their properties. Mr. PENLEY arrived
only to see his dressing-room enveloped in fire.
It has been said that the reservoir was empty of
water. This is not true. A fireman belonging to
the British, of the name of White, had the care ot it,l
and but two days before he had inspected the pre-
mises, the engine, pipes, plugs, and buckets, and they
were all in order. If there had been persons in the
house, who knew where to lay their hands on the
pipes and buckets, when the fire was first discovered,'
the theatre might have been saved.
The rapidity of the flames was unexampled. As
-soon as it reached the front boxes, it ran along like a
train of powder. This was owing to the very dry oil
painting of the fronts. From the boxes it communi-
cated to the fly-wings of the stage, and thus spread
one universal torrent of fire over the whole hollow
extent of the. Theatre. If the walls had been a solidi
mass of masonry, like the Albion Mills, the fire would;
in all probability, have been limited to the area ; but
the building, as we have stated, was a timber carcase,
nogged and faced with brick, so that when the fire
reached the beam-ends, the casing gave way, and piece
after piece was precipitated to the ground.
The baker's shop closely adjoining the building of
the Theatre in Drury-lane, does not appear to have
been in the least damaged, nor even disturbed. It
was open on Saturday, and at business, as if nothing
had happened. The next house down the lane, in
which was the stage door, and the next house
to that, which was the Treasury, do not seem to have
been injured by the fire, though they are disordered,
some of the windows out, &c. One man standing at
the end of Crown-court, had his leg broke by the fal-
ling of a brick.
The following is a correct statement of the amount
of the Insurances effected on the property :
British Fire Office . • .
Imperial
Hoye 10,000
Eagle . 6,500

af $l,OOO

f: ' - -

NAT, IL INTELLIGENCE.

FALMOUTH, FEB. 24. •
Arrived the Daniel, PAINTER, and the Fly, RAMP-
sox, from Cork I the Vine, MARTIN, and Deodana,
R.OSKUI3I4 for Lisbon, to join convoy; Henry, DUN-
KIN, from Madeira, two months' passage, for Lon-
don • American brig Adamant, ALLEN, from Ply-
mouth.—Sailed the Susannah, BuTruEn, for Barba-
does ; his Majesty's ship HUMBER, GREAVES, for
Portsmouth, with a fleet of transports under convoy;
Sir Sidney Smith, COPPERY, for Hayti ; Hopewell,
Qulcx, for Bristol ; his Majesty's ship SYBILLE, for
Spain ; Duke of Kent packet, LAWRENCE, for Ja-
maica.—The Duke of Kent packet, COATSWORTH,
with the mails for the Mediterranean, put back yes-
terday.—The Lisbon fleet passed this port yesterday
morning.—Wind S. W.