Star.
London, England, 1824-09-16 00:00:00

FIRE Al' ST. CHRISTOPHER'S.

ST. KITTS, JUNE 22.
Between the hours of one and two o'clock on Sunday
morning, the inhabitants of this town and its vicinity
were aroused by an alarm of lire, which was discovered
to proceed from the premises of Joseph Adlam, Esq.
opposite Baker's Corner. hundreds of persons imme
diately repaired to the spot, where the fire had com-
menced in a shop contiguous to diedwelling-house, to
which it communicated with such astonishing rapidity,
that the whole structure was in a few moments one en-
tire mass of flime, raging with a violence that for a
considerable time defied every effort to arrest its pro-

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gress. At this dreadful moment the whole town seemed
devoted to destruction, from the itnmense volume
of the devouring element which issued from the build-
ings, and the sparks which ascended and fell around.
Most providentially, however; the wind was light, and
southerly ; had it been Blowing from the northward, the
houses on the opposite side of the street must inevitably
have taken fire, and in all human probability this valu-
able town would have been at the present moment one
general heap of ruins. From Mr. Adlam's, the fire
eached the pest house, on the same line, occupied by
Mr. Benjamin Watson; this was a brick building, and
the flames therefore had not materials to feed upon tu'
such an extent as at Mr. Adlam's, whose buildings were
of wood, and in whose cellars a large quantity of rum
and brandy heigistened the conflagration ; but the roof,
windows, and every consumable part of Mr. Watson's
house were reduced to ashes. The flames, yet unsub-
clued, it was feared,would extend to the adjoining houses,
and it was accordingly deemed necessary to level them
with the earth, which was effected, after great exertion;
but this tact ifice to the general safety has placed their
late inmates in a state of painful destitution. The con-
flagration did not extend beyond Mr. Watson's, and
about day-light the danger was at an end.
Notwithstanding the imminent peril to which many
respectable and worthy individuals fearlessly exposed
themselves during the whole time, there was no loss of
life. Several, however; were bruised ; and among them-
Lieutenant Clarke, of the 4th Regiment, who received
a severe contusion whilst exerting himself in a distil).
guithed and exemplary style. The Captains of some
of the vessels lying in th• road, and Gentlemen from
the neighbouring estates, were also on the spot, contri-
buting their assistance.
From the circumstance of the shop in which the fire
broke out having been closed in the evening, and the
lights carefully extinguished, it is very strongly sus-
pected that the dreadful event which followed was the
work of an incendiary; and the suspicion is strengthened
by the fact of an attempt having been made on Sunday
night to set fire to a house in College-street, which was
fortunately discovered before the combustible matter in-
tended to accomplish the demoniac desiga had burnt out.
A militia guard (which has been nightly mounted since)
proceeded to the spot, and apprehended a negro man
slave to whom suspicion attached, and who has been
judicially examined and committed to jail. Another man
has been sifite taken into cu stogy, and likewise committed.