Star.
London, England, 1815-09-19 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF PORT Rona, JAMAICA

FURIVER PARTICULAk3
( FROM rue JAMAICA ROY AL 04zEtTit.)
" !tinges, Umiak, July IL
" We have this day the melancholy and distressing
task of recording the effects of a fatal and destructive
fire, which broke out in the town of Port Royal about
half past one o'clock on Thursday afternoon. It be-
gan in a negro yard, in Cannon-street, and was occa.
atoned by a negro woman making a fire in an impro-
per
place. Itscruickly cornmenicated to the adjoining
buildings, and, among the first, to Miss Finnan's fine
lodging-house ; front thence it spread its ravages to
the adjoining and opposite houses, and, from the very
strong breeze that prevailed, burning shingles, &c.
were soon wafted to others, which, being remarkably
dry, quickly burst out into a blaze, so that by two
•'cls'ck three or four parts of the town were burning-
in a most horrid manner. The consternation that
now prevailed in the town, as we are informed, sur-
passes description ; every minute fresh flames were
tssuiog forth ; the principal street, in which the
Court House, Tarrant's Tavern, Mr. Bassan's and
Mr. Jackson's stores, are situated, became a volume
of file and smoke, and from thence it spiced to the
whole of the streets and lanes towards the harbour,
the, wharfs, and the Naval Hospital, Mr. It. M'Kow.
an's house and wharf, and all adjoining, to within a
few hones of the Officers' quarters on the Parade.—
The fire having communicated to Mrs. Whittaker's
house towards the west corner of .the Parade, it was
suggested to pull down the house opposite, so as to
open a passage between those on firs to those which it
had not yet reached, which, being effected by very
great exertions, was the means of preventing tLe-
flattilei from continuing their fatal raicos along the
row of houses on the Parade leading to the Artillery
fiaspita!,'which were thus fortunately preserved from
the dreadful element. The Dock-yard has been mi.
reculeasly saved ; nothing but the extraordinary ex. ,
ertians and skill displayed on the unhappy occasion
Mild hate 'Mired it; as it is, some of the buildings,
near the wall, cloie to birrJackson's store, have been
demolished, partly by the fire, and partly by puling
them. done, to prevent the Rama from communica-
ting to those of more value, situated, futtinr in the
yard. To attempt to estimate the loss sustained by,
or particularize individuals who have suffered on this
melancholy occasion, would be absuid.. Suffice it to
say, that, of all cl uses, some have log much, and
same th - little all . The firs was not Completely
g_ut under until early
-yesterday morning,' and of ill.
tared P..--. _ _

. Port Royal, ill. that now %manta, besides the
Dock-yard, is Fort Merles, the Artillery Barracks
and Hospital, the Church, the street At which Mr.
Peter Duffues house is situated, the street at the back
of it, in which Mr. Henry Beer's liquoi4tore is, and
also from
sellout fourteen to sixteen houses on the Pa.
rade, commencing from Mrs. Clarke's old lodging-
house, and running e ich way to about six or seven
buirses. We regret to state that several lives were
lost on th:s unfortunate occasion.
66 An alarm afire was also gir•n in this city yes-
terday, which, however, was •oon extiliguishea ;—it
proceeded from a small house in Matthew's lane, and
it was discovered that a parcel of rags had been
stuffed un4er the shingles, which hatl tsken fire. In-
deed, from appearances, it teemed as it they had been
wilfully set ou tire by some incendiary."

Suiday sennight, about nine o'clock in the even.
ing, as Mr.Virm. l'ibbs, an active and intelligent con.
stable of Gosport, was preparing to leave his home,
for the purpose of attending his duty as inspector of
the nightly watch in that town,, he was suddenly
seized with convulsions, and expired in a very tew
seconds.
" On the 4th inst. William Ferscutt,.. a, .dealer in
horses, and landlord of the'4p9hor public house, at
Hartford, neat Huntingdon, having, while attending
• Barnet fair, received intelligence that his wife had.
died during his absence ; anxious to get home in the
evening, he waked in a public house by the road side
until a coach passed, which happened to be the mail
running after it, he endeavoured to climb up by the
dicky, but this the guard opposed, telling him the
coach had its full complement of passengers, and that
it was as Reich as his place was worth to take him.
Atwr clinging some time, the poor fellow was obliged
to get down, and had not walked' many yards, *lien
three ruffians rushed from a hedge, and robbed him
et £125, with which ;target clear off before any is.
sistance came up.
Friday se'nnight, as M. 'Bower, son of Martin
Bower, Esq. of West itinford, in the county of Not-
tingham, was travelling op the outside of the Wel.
linicton Coach, from !Nano 'to Newark s when on
their entrance to*. utter place, they had to pass
some sealftldings ififtittees a 'quantity of rubbish was
at the same moment ditfortanately thrown ; at which
the horses took alernsi and becoming ttareiernab_ le,
proceeded fall speed *Wards the inn, where they bad
been accustomed to 'sp. In their progress, the
coach ran against a signpost, near the said inn A—.
"and Mr. Bower and the coachman, perceiving it
would be-overturned, leaped off. The latter was-
'not materially Injured, but the coach fell upon the
former, and braised hint to much, that he lived little.
More than two hour: after the accident occurred.

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