Star.
London, England, 1831-01-26 00:00:00

PROGRESS OP IN4RMART FIRES.

DESTRUCTION 07 ST. PETER'S CHURCH.
BIZNINGNAN, TVISDAT MORNING, HALIP.TIIST Two
w*Ctocio-mi mita to info, of 400_4;1 thwasost dread-

ful conflagrations that has oicurred in this tows for many
years. The beautiful Church of Saint Peter's, situate in
Dale End, and which has not been completed more than
three years, is reduced to a heap of smoking ruins. The
firs was first discovered about twelve o'clock last night,
by some persons in the street ; the doors were broken
open, and it was perceived that the fire had commenced at
or near the altar. The engines of the various Fire-offices
were quickly in attendance, but did not get-to play.upon the
fire till it had acquired a great ascendancy. The whole is
now consumed. The flames, when they reached the beauti-
ful cupola, appeared awfully grand, and might be seen at
the distance of many miles as a bright column of fire.
Nothing of any moment is saved ; a fine and expensive
organ fell a prey to the all-devouring element. Conjecture
is busy as to the cause of the conflagration ; some attribute
it to the use of flues, but a much larger number to the act
of an incendiary. The circumstance seemed to excite very
little regret among the crowds who had been drawn to the
spot, and I heard more than ens group of mechanics dis-
cussing the oppressions of Government, but more particu-
larly those of the Clergy.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

BaixtursaAm, TIIIIIIAT.

" Last night, at about 12 o'clock, a thick cloud of smoke
was perceived to issue from the vestry-room window at the
back of this beautitul edifice ; in a few minutes the engine
of the Birmingham Fire-office was at the spot, followed by
more of various offices, and of the barracks ; but although
every exertion was used, in about an hour and a half the build-
ing was completely gutted from one end to the other.
The organ, considered to be the finest in the town, stationed
at the west end, came down with the gallery. The appear-
ance was awfully grand at the time, lames issuing from about
six oblong windows in the steeple. The cress at the top,
and the bell fixed under, together with the belfry, fell with
a dreadful crash. There was no one hurt, and nothing but
the benches and the seats. were saved. It is rumoured that
it either proceeded from the vestry-room fire on Sunday, or
was the work of an incendiary. Parties of theborse soldiers
were stationed in various places daring the conflagration."
We stated a week or two ago, that a man of the name
of Benjamin Rea had been lodged in jail here, on suspicion
of haring set fire to a stack of hay at Faster Carole, in the
parish of Skene. The matter has been investigated by the
Sheriff, and Rea is now committed for trial.—Aberdeen
Journal.

We regret to learn, that a stack of oats, consisting of
aboul 25 quarters, belonging to Mr. Pratt, was destroyed
by bre at Oaktborpe, within throe miles of Ashby-de-la-
Zouch, but in the county of Derby, on Friday night, the
7th inst. There were other stacks nearly adjoining, but
by prompt assistance, the fire did not extend to them. The
act is strongly suspected to be the work of an incendiary.
We have received the following note from Lord Rolle :
" You are authorised and desired to contradict a paragraph
copied from the Plymouth Journal into your paper—' That
the tithe barn, containing a quantity of corn belonging to
Lord Rolle, at Bicton, was burnt to the ground,' as it is en-
tirely without the least foundation and untrue. A threshing '
machine and barn of Mr Cutler's, who holds the groat tithes
of Colston Rawleigh, on a lease Air lives, under the Dean of
Exeter, were totally destroyed by in, the diabolical act of
some unknown infamous incendiary.