Star.
London, England, 1820-12-25 00:00:00

ROOK.

DEMUCtIrE -Mt AT BATH.

. .
• VI.TRTHZa ritirriceLAßS.
lyrom fist Bath Herald of tke zikiinstant.]
Thursday night, about Il o'clock, those extensive,
elegant, and far-famed premises, the Kingston, or
Lower Assembly Rooms, were discovered to be on
fire. Clouds of smoke were seen to issue from
some of the lower apartments long before the confla-
gration beCame manifest ; at length the Ilinies burst
out with inconceivable fury, and soon presented such
a scene of terrific grandeur and desolation as was
never before witnessedin this city, The engines and
firemen arrived on the spot with great promptitude;
at first the fire-plugs afforded but a scanty supply 0:
water, and gave the destructive element time to get to
so tremendous a head, that it then appeared that if the
whole Avon had been poured upon the roofs, floors,
and staircases, it could not have quenched, though
it might have retarded, the progress of the flames.
The country around was a sheet of elementary fire:
the sky and the hills, with the numerous surrounding
buildings, appearing "one-red." But, perhaps, the
most magnificent sight, and most awfully impressive
moment, was about two o'clock, when the long pent
up Harries in the large Bull-room burst, as if by one
mighty effort, through the six great windows, and
seemed to glare defiance in volumes of liquid flame.'
The conflagration of- the Card-room presented an al-''
most equally heart-rending display of the irresistibi-
lity of fire. About three, the stupendous roof began
to fall in, not with a sudden crash, as bad been anti-
cipated, but by successive fragments of tile and blaz-
ing beams and rafters. By six o'clock, the mighty
element had completely effected its work of desola-
tion, and the whole fabric was reduced to a heap of
burning ruins!
The heat was so intense, and the smoke so over-
powering, that we lament to say hut a comparatively
small portion of the property on the premises was
saved from destruction. Some of the apartments ca
the north end had- hccn handsomely fitted up in the
course.of the last summer for the residence of a
Gentleman, who, we understand, is at present at
Swansea, and who had embarked considerable pro-1
perty in the concern, and deposited in his rooms'
valuables to a large amount, in paintings, plate, &c.
the whole of which, we regret to state, has been de-
stroyed ; but we understand that it had been recently
insured with one of the London Offices.
We can now almost fancy we hear the Genius of
Old Bath, hovering over the once consecrated spot
of his festive rites, exclaim "Sic transit Gloria' Ba-
'Monier Thus is consigned to ashes the dome
which, in former days, was the resort of the Sove-
reign Nash—where Chesterfield, Pope, Allen, War-
burton, Quin, Garrick, and a host of contemporary
wits assembled in learned and facetious circles.—
Alas! scarcely a vestige of your long-famed • resort
twill that fatal night have saved from destruction."—
But we trust that posterity will not suffer it to be said,
4, Nay, the very- spot
Where ye so oft have reveli'd is forgot ;"
and that some edifice may be erected worthy of its
traditionary honours, and still prove an ornament to
Lower Bath, and the seat of its future splendid
amusements.
The conflagration must have been increased by a
great quantity of oil (in which Mr. Mills largely
dealt), which was deposited in one of the rooms near
the spot where it is supposed the fire originated,
being a small space used as a dressing-room to the
Private Theatre, where Mr. Seward had that evening
exhibited his Fantoccini ; but this is mere conjecture.
It was a fortunate circumstance that Mr. Walker's
magnificent Orrery bad been removed front the Rooms
yesterday morning ; that Gentleman having given his
final Lecture the preceding evening.
It affords us much gratification in being able to
state, that though the crowd assembled was im-
mense, and great personal danger was incurred in
many instances, yet not a single accident has come
to our knowledge. Two or three. wretches were de-
tected in the act of thieving; but in general we-be-
lieve the property removed from the Rooms and the
contiguous houses, has been carefully preserved.
Amidst these awful scenes of destruction" it was
one consolation to the numerous spectators, assembled
through curiosity, or a wish to render assistance to
the proprietors of the Rooms, or their alarmed neigh-
bours, that there was but little wind stirring. It was
hapt.ily a calm night, or the opposite premises be-
longing to M r.l.lpham and others,ontheParade-walks,
and particularly the row of houses on the south side
of the Grove, would have shared the same fate as the
Rooms, and perhaps the venerable Abbey would
have sustained rhaterial injury. Its contiguity, how-
ever, served as a depository to some valuable goods.
removed there for safety, particularly from Mr. Up-
ham's Library.
The followiug is the amount of the insurances that
have been effected on the property thus destroyed :
On the Premises - - - - - 864,000) In the West of
Furniture, Ste. belonging to ditto ..4,000 England Office.
Mr. Mills's private Effects - - 2,400
Property belonging to Capt. 11. 30" In the
London Atlas.
The elegant chandeliers, pictures of Beau Nash, Sce.
were all consumed. Some gentlemen were playing at
cards at the time the fire- broke out; but such was
its fury that it could not be got under. Mr. Houlton
is partly insured, and Mr. Mills, the renter, also; but
neither to anything near the value. The ruins this
morning present a horrible appe.irance. There was
not a more convenient or elegant set'of rooms in the
kingdom.
WALTER WOOD, Esq. the son of Mr. Alderman
i.Woon, was unfortunately drowned in the harbour of
Port Prays, on the Bth of Septenaher last.-
James Meat, or APCout, so long well known in
the Courts of Law•and Justiciary in -Edinburgh, and
some time sine:• convicted of the robbery of the Pais-
ley Bank at Glasgow, died in Edinburgh Jail on Wed,
ne.sday night. At the time he received sentence of
death, which was afterwards changed to that of trans-
portation, he was in a weak state of health, and has
gradually. declined since the period of his confinement.
Mance NMI; PUN.— A few days ago, two Gentle-
men, on the Liverpool Etchange, were conversing'
on the badness of the times (the usual topiC of con-
versation at present), when a flock of pigeons happen-
ing to fly over their heads, attracted their attention:
" How happy," exclaimed one, " are these pigeons!
—they hate no acceptances to provide fur." " You
are wrong there," replied the other. 4, follher have
their BILLS to providefOr as wlll as we V

153
151
119
1046
96
96

70
43
63
23