Star.
London, England, 1822-09-19 00:00:00

DESTRIICTION OF THE CATHEDRAL A
ROUEN.

(Front the Southampton Canny Otron:cle of yesterday.)

A gentleman, who arrived by the Prince Cobourg, Ham
Parket, this atoning, brings intelligence of the almost total de"
etructiost of Roues Cathedral, an floaday bet. It was set on fire
by lightning about free o'clock is the morning, and continued
burning till the evening of the same day, when the fire was ap-
parently extinguished, but shortly afterwards broke out again
with redoubled fury, and was still raging ea Monday morning,
when our Worn:rant left Rouen. At that time the flames had
extended themselves over the greater part of this once splendid
edince;and the great dome had fallen in with a tremendous crash.
Several houses in the vicinity have also been destroyed. The
most strenuous efforts of the firemen could effect nothing against
such a mass of fire ; and, indeed, the melted lead, which ran in
torrents from the roof, r.rndered a near approach to the building
very hazardous. It is said, that several persons lost their live,
though nothing certain has yet reached us. The storm of thunder
and lightning which was the cause of this catastrophe was one
of the most terrible ever witnessed. It afterwards visited
' Havre-de-Grace, where it is said to have done some damage.
The following historical particulars, respecting Rouen Cathe-
dral, may not prove unacceptable to our readers : It was founded,
A. 13. 990, by Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, brother of Richard
the Second, Duke of Normandy, but was not finished till the
year 1054. It was 410 feet in length, 85 in breadth, the length
of the cross-aisles was 164 feet, and the height of the spire 595
feet. There were seven entrances to it, and 159 windows. It
was one of the most costly and mapilicent Gallic structures
ever seen ; it was literally frosted with ornaments: there was
nut the smallest piece of stone, not the back of a niche, nor the
base of a figure, but was covered. with the finest Gothic work.
In it were interred the bodies of John, Duke of Bedford, Regent
of France ; Henry, brother of al.:hoed I. and the heart of Richard
Canr-ile-Lion, together with many other illustrious wen.

At half-past nine o'clock on Saturday evening a
destructive fire broke nut in a large hop stowage be.
longing to J. Ennis, Esq. situated at the hack of Hall-
place, Harming. The flames spread with the greatest
rapidity, and it was much feared that the extensive
oasthouse atijuining, which was connected with it by
a covered platform, would fall a prey to the devour-
ing element, but fortunately the platform was re-
moved before the flames reached it, and, although
the oasthouse had at one time caught fire, it was soon
extinguished, and the building was preserved, prin-
cipally owing to a small engine kept on the premises.
The flames by this time had communicated to a cot-
tage adjoining the stowage, from whence it soon
spread to the back part of Hall-place,which was very
shortly in a complete blaze. At this juncture the
Kent engines arrived from Maidstone, and were soon
followed by the Norwich Union, but (owing to the
want of water, which was only to be obtained from
pumps and wells at a distance off) they were unable
to work for some time, and then only at intervals, as
the engines could get filled. Owing to this circum-
stance the fire was a long time betore it could be get,
under, and it was principally owing to the very thick
walls of this ancient mansion that the flames were I
prevented from extending. Had they communicated
to a waggon-lodge at the west end of the house, the
greater part of the builcliugs in the yard, with seve-
ral houses in the street, must inevitably have been
destroyed, as the wind set completely in that direction.
It was three o'clock before all apprehension for their
safety was removed. The whole of the stowage
building, containing eight tons of hops, packed and
unpacked, together with a cottage adjoining, were
entirely consumed. Hall-place (formerly the resi-
dence of JOHN CALL Esq. but for many years occu-
pied by Mr. PtLcuEn, as a school) was the greater
part destroyed, scarcely anything bat the bale walls
and chimnies being left standing. The fire is sup-
posed to have originated from a lighted candle falling I
amongst the hops as they were being packed. The
premises, with the hops, &c. in :he stowage, were itr-
sured ; but we renet to state that the furniture be-
longing to Mr. FILCHER was no:; much of which
was injured and destroyed, and several articles of
value stolen, among which were two watches. The
damage in the whole is estimated at between P2OOO
and 1.::$000. We cannot close this account without
a.iverting to a subject which we fain would have
spared—we allude to the apathy and indifference.
with which hundreds of the hop-pickers and others
stood by and witnessed the conflagration, without
off :ring, a hand to suppress it, and who, when en-
treated so to do, with jeers and smiles refused. We
know not of what materials beings can be composed,
who could thus silently gaze and appear pleased at
the destruction of others' property, and who, had they
exerted themselves a little, might have saved much
of that which was consumed. Amongst this number,
we are sorry to say, were many whose dialect told Ifs
tbev were from that country, to relieve the wants of
v.-hose starving people the beneficence of England
has been lately so munificently bestowed. We should
have thought that gratitude alone would have stimu-
lated these to have lent their assistance at such a
perilous time.—Maidstone Journal.
Wednesday morning one of the Bristol coaches
was upset between Keynsham and Bristol, and a
gentleman, named HAMILTON, killed on the spot.
Friday last, a man in the employ of Mr. Plaxton,
farmer, of Weel, near Beverley, took his master's son,
aged about four years, with him in the waggon to the
harvest-field, and when the carriage was loaded, in-
cautiously placed the child on the fore-part, behind the
horses, from whence he was soon thrown, and one of,
tlle wheels passing over him, he was killed on the spot.'
The following was written on the back of a £l9,
Bank of England note, which, among others, was re-
ceived by a tradesman in Oxford-street last week,
and may serve as a monitor to other prodigals of the
present day :
" Let those into whose heads this note may pass sympathise
with him from whom it is just going,; it is the lust not of S,DhOL
which, lathe short period of two years, his folly has dissipated :
but he will severely saber, and *hardy too."

Saturday next, being St. Matthew's Day, according
to annual custom, the Lotto AlAeos, Aldermen, She-
riffs, and Governors of the several Hospitals will at
tend Divine Service at Christ Church; after a Sermon
by the Rev. %Vat. litsnov.s HATNE, A.M. they will
adjourn to the Great Hail in Christ's Hospital,where
two Orations will be delivered—in Latit, by SArrost:
HINOESTOIR, in Eligii%ll by JOSHUA NW-mu, the two'
senior scholars of the Gramma: bcilool.

NORRIBLE

FlOll Telt IMMIX JOURNAL OF aternwera 16.
Friday evening, some bailiffs having a writ against
an individual aimed Walter Irwin, accompanied by
M'Clinnick, who, it is said, represented the
person who had marked decoction, repaired to Bar-
rack-street, for the purpose of assessing Irwin ; a
scuffle is stated to have taken *arm* in which the un-
fortunate Irwin received two desperate wounds fiom
a sharp instrument; the captors sawed him, and in
this state lodged him in the Sheriffs' Prison. At first
it was conceived that his hurts were not dangerous;
mortal symptoms, however, quickly appeared; and
the dying man declared, in the presence of peace-
officer Phillips, of blonntradeotreet division, 4‘ that he
knew a man named James Bowles, who (he declared)
had stabbed him in the groin with a dirk; he also
knew another person named Connell, who had at the
same time stabbed him with some sharp weapon in
the breast: a man called M'Cormick had a pistol in
his hand ;and another, named Hetherington, a sword,
when he (Irwin) was assailed, but he could not say
whether the two latter had struck at him or not."—
Shortly after this declaration he breathed his last.

Warrants were immediately is,ued for the arrest
of the four just named. They were handed to peace
officer Philips, who took two or three assistants with
him, and went in search of M'Cormick, to his resi-
dence in Barrack-street; he was denied there at first,
and was subsequently warned not to go up stairs, for
if he did, M•Corsnick was provided with a brace of
pi-toll and swords, and would assuredly blow his
brains out. The determined and active officer de-
manded his prisoner, and on threatening to force hi.,
way through all impediments, the doer was opened,
and MiCormick yielded himself. The other persons
included in the warrant were taken in Charles-street,
whence one man made an ineffectual attempt to
escape through a b.tck door. All the prisoners were
safely lodged in Newgate.
At one o'clock yesterday, Alderman Jones, as Co-
roner, attended the Sheriff's Prison, in the Chapel of
which a Jury was summoned, and an Inquest held.
Mr. R. Sennet attended as Agent far the prosecution,
and Mr. T. Taafe on behalf of the prisoners.

Surgeon strokes proved that the deceased had died i= conse-
quence of wounds iraiicted on him by sharp instruments.
Denis O'Loughlin was next examined—He said that he con-
ducted business for Mr. M'Caem, in Barrack-street, and that he
saw a great tumult ottside the door on Friday evening after tea;
he Identified Bowles and Connell (who are under bailiffs) as
haviug been then present; Hetherington and WCormick were
likewise there: be said he observed the deceased ; saw him stab-
bed with a bayonet, &c. and by persons wisom he would know
azsin. Bowies desired witness "to hop off, for that Irwin was
his prisoner." Irwin refused to go with the men who held him ;
his hands were then bleeding ; one of the bailiffs swore most vio-
lently that, if he would not go to prison with him, they would
murder him.

Peace-officer Phillips was next exatnined.—Tie deposed as to
the declaration of the deceased previous to his death, it was in
substance as above.

Alderman Jos deprecated in strong terms the bar-
bareus conduct of the bailiffs to:Yards their wre:ched
prisoner—at the same time animadverted on the ne-
cessity of due submission to the laws in all cases, where
actions were marked against debtors, and in conclu-
sion, told the Jury that having been assembled only
for the purpose of inquiring how the deceased came
by his death, he conceived that little difficulty op-
posed itself to conviction in the case then under their
consideration. The body of the deceased was examined,
and the two ghastly wounds inspected.
The prisoners were in the room during the Inquest,
and were heard iu their defence, they were then with-
drawn to Newgate, and after sonic short delibera-
tion, the Jury found the following verdict We
find that the deceased Walter Irwin, came by his
death inconsequence of wounds inflicted on him with
some sharp instrument, by James Bowles and James
Connell, and that William Hetherington and Hugh
M,Cormick, were, during part cf the time present,
armed with a cane-sword, and pistol."

A few days since, a young lady, named Term
Nowlan, was committed tor having taken a hat from
the head of Mr. M'Currnick, and ran into Pye-corner
ith it. When taken she declared, "on her honour,
it was only a joker—Dublin Paper.
A VERY LARGE Fisu.—Saturday last, a fish weigh-
ing two tons, got amongst the rocks on Killiney
shore, where atter ineffectual efforts to regain the
deep water, it was at length exhausted, and was taken
possession of by the country people when nearly dead.
Crowds assemble to view it, notwithstanding that 10d.
admission is demanded. In length it is 21 feet, and
is very full about the middle, probably eight feet
in girth.
FARSIMOYY v. PRODIGALITY.—A person of rather
singular habits, well known by the name of Dicky
Willan, has been in the neighbourhood of Witherslack,
Westmorland, for some years, and is at present lodg-
ing at Matthew Martindale's, of Uipha, reaping corn
' for James Thotnlinson. He regularly reaps, binds,
and shocks between 35 and 40 hattocks per day ;
and, what is still more remarkable, he lives upon
nothing but meal and water. He takes with him to
the field a small bag of :teal, and a tin can; and when
hungry, he repairs to the nearest pool or ditch, and
then he revels in luxury over a new-made can of
o:udy ! About three years ago, he reared for Mr.
W. Stockdale, of Witherslack Hall, 42 or 43 hattocks
per day—his diet meal and water, his bed the hay-
mow. It is certainly worthy of notice, that when this
singular being has earned five or ten pounds, he re-
sorts to some public-house, and then makes merry
with his neighbours till all is expended. It is not
uncommon, at those times, to see a bottle of gin, a
bottle of rum, and a bottle of brandy, all on the table
at once ; and the little man urging his companions
to drink. When these revels are over, he returns
peaceably to his labour, living upon meal and, water,
and sleeping in outhouses, till his purse is once more
replenished.