The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-10-15 00:00:00

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE ,AT NEW YORK

THE NATIONAL THEATRE, THREE CHURCHES,! AND
SEVERAL HOUSES
_BURNT DOWN.

(From the k;lvi;O;kiiornin-'i- Herald, September 24.)
Yesterday afternoon, between the hours of four and five
o'clock, smoke was seen issuing from the interior of the Na-
tional Theatre, particularly from the lower windows of the'
side on Leonard-street. One or two persons passing by gave
the alarm of fire, and in five minutes the City Hall bell rang.
The report spread like wildfire through the city that the Na-
tional Theatre was on fire, and thousands flocked to the spot.
When we reached the theatre the flames were still confined
to the rooms under the stage, and were just breaking through
to the pit and orchestra. The cry then was, that the fire
broke out in the gas room, a little dark room, under private
box, letter A. Others, and ourselves among the number,
are of the opinion that it broke out further hack, but still un-
der the stage. Be that as it may, there is little,doubt that it
was the work of an incendiary.
The flames spread like wildfire; and, in a few minutes the
stage was burnt through, and the green room, the wardrobe,
and the scenery, were one mass of flame. At this moment,
the interior of the house presented a most brilliant appear-
ance, and all the new and splendid ornaments, just on the
eve of being consumed, shining with such surpassing bril-
liancy, gave it the appearance of a fairy palace. Unfortu-
nately, the fire occurred at an hour when nearly all engaged
in the theatre were at home ; and hence all the valuable pro-
perties, books, music, instruments, &c. were destroyed.
Mr. Mitchell, the stage manager, had left the house a short
time previous, and there was then no fire in the house, and
only Everard and his wife there. In the course of half an
hour the stage manager returned. On finding that the door
was locked, and that he could not make Everard, the house-
keeper, hear, he next tried to get into the window of his
dressing room. To his great surprise he found this fastened.
He, however, succeeded by breaking a pane of glass and put-
ting his hand in so as to raise the sash. Oh reaching the
stage, he found the fire burning all across the rear, and just
then it got hold of the scenery, and from thence to the body
of the house. Finding that it would be useless attempting to
stop the progress of the flames, he turned his attention to sav-
ing some of the dresses, and particularly the books from the
treasury and other valuable effects.
Nothing could exceed the enthusiasm of all present in their
endeavour to save something from the theatre. Mr. Rock-
ett, Mr. Toomer, and others, rushed into the theatre at the
risk of their lives to snatch articles from the flames, and acts
of heroism were performed without parallel. The efforts of
the engines were fruitless. The flames spread with such as-
tonishing rapidity as to defy all attempts to subdue them. In
half an hour every part of the house was in flames. The
beautiful and extensive private wardrobe of Mr. Wallack,
worth 10,000 dollars (not to be matched in any country) was
entirely consumed. It was deposited in a small room next
to his private room up stairs. Wallack himself was early on
the spot and rushed into the theatre at the risk of his life, to
endeavour to save some articles of great value, but too late.
The expensive wardrobe of Mr. Vandenhoff was in the thea-
tre, just inside the stage door, but part of it was saved.—
Charles Kean's wardrobe was there, and only part of that
was saved. De Begnis had removed only two days before a
wardrobe worth 5,000 dollars, but all his valuable music,
operas, scores, &c. worth 2,000 dollars, were destroyed. Se-
guin lost some music. The musicians lost their instruments.
one lost a Cremona fiddle worth £5OO. Mitchell, Williams,
Lambert, Mrs. Sefton, and most of the others lost great part
of their wardrobes. In short, so rapid was the progress of
' the flames, that little besides the iron chest and th books
were saved. The loss of Mr. Wallack alone is at least 25,000
dollars in dresses, new properties, &c. &c. all paid for, and
on which there was not a centof insurance. The actors have
lost 5,000 dollars. The musicians have lost in instruments
5,000 dollars. And there were lost in cash, notes, and bills
in the Treasury at the time of the fire 5,000 dollars. The
theatre itself was insured in the North American, the Hud-
son, and the Firemen's Offices. This was the joint property
of Mr. Moran and Mr. Aymar. Such is the loss connected
with the theatre.

We have not time nor space to detail the appearance of the
fire as the roof fell in, which was imposing in the extreme.
Mr. Hamblin and Mr. Barry were on the spot, rendering
every assistance in their power to Mr. Wallack, particularly
Mr. Hamblin. Wallack was sadly cut up, as indeed he
might well be. He has passed through two trying seasons.
In the first he lost a large sum ; last season he paid off many
of his engagements, and this season had a bright prospect of
being rewarded for his immense exertions, and all his hopes
are thus dashed to the ground at a blow, at least for the pre-
sent.

The flames caught simultaneously the roof of the African
Methodist Church, corner of Leonard 'and Church-streets,
and the beautiful French Church, corner of Church and
Franklin-streets. These were soon consumed. The fire
then caught the Reformed Church in Franklin-street, and
several houses in the vicinity, some grog shops, some assign
nation houses, some respectable dwellings, some schools and
missionary houses ; the strangest medley that ever was des-
troyed in one burning. The exertions of the firemen were
tremendous, and after working four hours, they got the fire
under with the following loss : Dollars.
National Theatre and properties, ...... 120,000
French Church
Dutch Church . 35,000
Negro Church . 15,000
Five * * * * * Houses 20,020
Three Dwelling-houses

260,000

IMPORTANT TO SHIPOWNERS.—The following resolution
has been lately passed at a special meeting of the General
Committee for managing the affairs of Lloyd's Retister of
British and Foreign Shipping, viz.,
_

"'That it will be made 'a
regulation, that every ship, after
her return from a voyage beyond the Cape of Good Hope, or
Cape Horn, shall, previously to her departure upon another
distant voyage, be required to be placed in dry dock, or on
the ways, for the examination of her bottom."
And notice has been given, that the regulation will be adopted
and carried into effect forthwith.

Mr. J. G. Yandenhoff made his debut, yesterday evening,
at Covent-garden Theatre, as Leon, in Rule a Wife and
Have a Wife.

A COUNTRYMAN'S ADVENTURE.—On Wednesday, the 2d
instant, Robert Duckworth, a carter, in the service of Mr.
Downall, of Ashton, farmer, was sent to Liverpool with a
load of hay, to sell for Mr. Gregory, the brother-in-law of
his employer. The . hay was sold for five pounds some odd
shillings, and the carter and the young lad by whom he was
accompanied, returned the same night to St. Helen's. Here
the carter took it into his head to have a " spree," and ac-
cordingly he sent the lad home with the team, while he, tak-
ing a contrary direction, towards morning found himself in
Warrington. About day-light he went to a house of ill-fame,
at the Town's End, kept by a woman named Ellen Howard.
Before he got there he had spent his own money, but, on
" taking stock" he found he had still remaining the five
pounds and a few shillings, belonging to Mr. Peter Gregory.
He put £4. in sovereigns and five shillings in silver in his
fob, and the remainder, which was in silver, into his waist-
coat pocket. Ellen Howard was in bed, and another female,
named Mary Johnson, was washing a pair of stockings. They
were soon joined by a third female of the name of Taylor.
Some liquor was sent for. The carter got as drunk as a car-
ter, spent his money as foolish as a carter, and then fell asleep
as sound as a carter. By and bye he awoke—his " ladie
loves" had fled—his dream of joy was ended—his money
(or rather Mr. Peter Gregory's) was non est. Presently two
men came into the house and said, " Where is the man with
the money. The carter said his money was minus. They
did not believe him, and while the one held him, the other
took out of his pockets a few coppers his female friends had
left, and bade him a hasty farewell. Ellen Howard was af-
terwards at the Rodney public-house drunk. Betty Taylor,
be found at the Hanging Ball, drinking with the two men
who had been mean thieves enough to take his copper. He
challenged her with the robbery. She said she did not take
it, but that she had seen Mary Johnson take four sovereigns
out of his fob. He next went in search of Mary Johnson,
and was about questioning her concerning the money, when
he was apprehended by the police on the charge of embezzle-
ment. On Monday all the parties were brought before the
magistrates—the three females were committed for trial, and
Duckworth, in default of finding sureties for his appearance
to prosecute, was also sent to Kirkdale.—Man. Courier.

CORRESPONDENCE.

TO LAWRENCE HEYWORTH, ESQ.

SIR,—A card, bearing your address as a candidate for Gt.
George Ward, having been left at my residence, I respectfully
request to know whether you are the same person who at-
tended a Chartist meeting held some short while since in
this town. A REFORMER.
14th Oct., Upper Pitt-street.

NIGHT TRAVELLING.

TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.

GENTLEMEN,—Judging from the' beneficial arrangement
made in respect to passengers continuing in the same car-
riages throughout the whole distance to London, and other
points regarding their comfort, I am induced to believe
that any suggestion involving that object will not be passed
over by your honourable board without some consideration.
The fact that the majority of night passengers avail them-
selves of those trains for the sole purpose of saving time and
transacting their business the succeeding day, after accom-
plishing which they will frequently return on that same
evening, thus losing two nights repose, call for these remarks.
Being occasionally subjected to the above occurrence, I take
the liberty of recommending to your attention a plan by which
the fatigue would be remedied, and I think the following
would accomplish it, at a trivial expense, far outweighed by
the repose and comforts it would yield to the traveller.
Instead of having a carriage with three divisions, each
containing six seats, I would propose a night carriage, also
with three divisions of six feet length, but the opening or
door of the carriage to be at the extreme end, leaving a pas-
sage in the centre of the three divisions, which should, in-
stead of seats, be fitted up with three berths and a hair
mattrass, on each side of the separate divisions; the carriage
would thus contain eighteen berths, and near the pillow of
each might be fitted in a small window, on the same principle
as the berths of a ship, allowing the ingress of fresh air
without incommoding any other passenger. The space be-
tween each berth would certainly be limited, say about 21
feet, but the recumbent position would afford much more
rest and comfort than a sitting posture.
Some additions may naturally occur to you, and I certainly
hope they may be effected by you in adopting a plan which
would add so materially to the advantages of steam travelling.
Recommending the above, with very great deference, to
your consideration, I remain, gentlemen, yours obediently,
MERCATOR.
Liverpool, 10th October, 1839.

THE REV. H. STOWELL & THE OXFORD TRACTS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.
SIR,—As a warm admirer of the principles, piety, zeal,
and talents of the Rev. H. Stowell, perhaps I shall not be
considered presumptuous if I make a few remarks upon a
letter, which appeared under the signature of " Ridley," in
the Liverpool Mail of Tuesday ; in which an attack is made
upon the rev. gentleman, for the bold and uncompromising
manner in which he denounced the poisonous heresy con-
tained in the Oxford tracts, in his admirable speech-delivered
at the late Protestant meeting in Manchester. It is not for
the purpose of defending Mr. Stowell that I have been in-
duced to trouble you—he needs no defence from me,—but
to point out a few absurdities contained in the letter of
" Ridley." He says :—" I rejoice sincerely that there is a
marvellous approximation of numbers of the English church
to the true Catholic church again, from which they had been
led astray ; and I trust that vulgar Calvinism will soon be
banished from our pulpits, and Catholic doctrine and prac-
trice be restored, as at our glorious Reformation. Then, be
assured, Romish and Protestant dissent may bray against
our Zion in vain."

What " Ridley" means by " Catholic doctrine," does not
very clearly appear; but it appears that it is something op-
posed to what he calls " vulgar Calvinism"—therefore we
may erlclude that he means Puseyism, which is Arminian-
ism mit,ed up with a little Popery. But, if this is what he
means by the doctrine of the " glorious Reformation," I
must candidly tell him that he is quite ignorant of the doc-
trine of the Reformation. Be assured that the glorious Re-
formation was not achieved by preaching the half-and-half
gospel of Puseyism; no, but by the preaching of the great
and glorious truths of the everlasting gospel, as taught by
apostles and prophets, and as embodied in the articles of the
Church of England, and which are reiterated Sabbath after
Sabbath by Mr. Stowell and every true and faithful minister
of the Church of England. These truths may be sneered at
as " vulgar Calvinism," but they are the only " weapons"
that are " calculated to deal a death-blow at the monstrous"
errors of Popery, " drawn, as they undoubtedly are, from
the armoury of the" infallible and unchanging Word of God.
Had the doctrines of the Church of England been faithfully,
and fully preached by all the clergy ever since the Reforma-
tion, Popery never would have spread amongst us to the
extent that it unfortunately has ; for as it was these truths,
preached by the Reformers, and accompanied by the Divine
blessing, that was the means of effecting the Reformation,
so it can only be by the same means that the Reformation
can be preserved. I feel assured that Arminianism and Pu-
seyism are paving the way for the spread of Popery ; but I
trust that the day is not far distant when the unscriptural
doctrines of high-churchmen, as they very erroneously call
themselves, will " be banished from our pulpits," and the
glorious doctrines of the Reformers of our church be re-
stored, and preached through the length and breadth of our
beloved land. " Then be assured that Romish and Protes-
tant dissent may bray at our Zion in vain."
I shall now show that the Reformers of our church were
evangelical in their doctrine ; indeed we have abundant
proof of this from the articles and homilies of our church,
which were penned by those excellent men. They breathe
throughout the doctrines of grace, or evangelical doctrine,
as must be quite evident to every one who, with an unpreju-
diced mind, has read those excellent works. But perhaps a
few quotations, proving that the Reformers were evangelical
in their doctrine, may not be out of place. I shall begin with
Ridley, whose signature the writer in the Mail has thought
fit to adopt, with what propriety remains to be seen. The
quotations I shall give upon the authority of a clergyman of
the Church of England, whose works are now before me.
The following will shew that the great Reformer Ridley was
an evangelical divine, or, as the writer in the Mail would
say, a " vulgar Calvinist :"
" His definition of the true invisible church is not a little
remarkable. By the Church of England,' says Ridley, I
mean the congregation of the true chosen children of God
in this realm of England, whom I acknowledge, not only to
be my neighbours, but rather the congregation of my spiri-
tual brethren and sisters in Christ; yea, members of one
body, wherein, by God's grace, I am, and have been, grafted
in Christ.' In his pathetic ` Farewell to all afflicted for the
Gospel,' he thus concludes : Farewell, farewell, 0 ye, the
whole and universal congregation of the chosen of God here
living upon earth, the true church militant of Christ, the
very household and family of God, and the sacred temple of
the Holy Ghost, farewell! Farewell, 0 thou little flock of
the high heavenly pastors of Christ, for to thee it hath
pleased the heavenly Father to give an everlasting and eter-
nal kingdom. Farewell, thou spiritual house of God, thou
holy and royal priesthood, thou chosen generation, thou holy
nation, thou won spouse, farewell, farewell.' " Again "It
was an essential branch of Ridley's theology that the great
gift of perseverance is vouchsafed to all the elect. He says :
' Ye therefore, my brethren, who pertain unto Christ, and
have the seal of God marked in your foreheads ; that is, to
wit, who are sealed with the earnest of the Spirit to be a
peculiar people of God ; quit yourselves like men, and be
strong. You know that all that are born of God overcometh
the world, and this is the victory that overcometh the world,
even our faith. Let the world fret, let it rage never so much,
no man can take us out of the Father's hands, for He is
greater than all. Who shall lay anything to the charge of
God's elect? It is God that justifieth : who then shall con-
demn ?' "

This shall suffice as it regards Ridley.. I shall now prove
that his fellow-sufferer Latimer was equally a Calvinist with
himself. Many quotations might be adduced : one, how-
ever, shall suffice : it is as follows :—" Do I now, in for-
giving my neighbour his sins which he hath done against me;
do I, I say, deserve, or merit, at God's hand, forgiveness of
my own sins ? No, no : God forbid. For, if this should be
so, th(n farewell Christ. It taketh 4im clear away. It di-
minisheth his honour, and it is very treason wrought against
Christ. Remission of sin, wherein consisteth everlasting
life, is such a treasure that it passeth all men's doings. It
must not be our merits that shall serve, but his. He is our
comfort; he is the majesty of God ; and his blood-shedding
it is that cleanseth us from sin. Therefore, whoever is
minded contrary to this, he robbeth Christ of his glory, and
so casteth himself into everlasting danger. As touching our
salvation, we must not go to work to think to get everlasting
life by our own doings. No : this were to deny Christ's
salvation, and remission of sins, and his own and free gift."
Thus speaks the great Reformer Latimer. Would to God
that all the clergy of the present day had such clear views of
justification as that great Reformer !
I had thought to have given several other quotations to
prove the soundness of the doctrines of Cranmer and Hooper,
but fearing that I shall take up too much space in your valu-
able paper, I forbear. Enough has been said, I trust, to
prove at least that Ridley and Latimer were no Arminians,
and that the " Ridley" of the Mail has degenerated from the
principles of the great Reformer. But, Sir, " Ridley" seems
to insinuate that if what he calls " Catholic doctrines" were
restored, it would go far towards preventing the spread of
" Romish and Protestant dissent." But, alas ! Sir, what is
the fact ? Where the cold, lifeless doctrines of high-church-
men (falsely so called) are preached, the church is forsaken,
and the chapels of " Romish and Protestant dissenters" are
filled : but where the doctrines for which I contend, and for
which our martyrs bled, are set forth, there the people flock,
and there converts are made from both " Romish and Pro-
testant dissent." If proofs were wanting, we should have
no need to go out of our own town for them. What churches
are the best attended in Liverpool ? and where are the most
converts made from " Romish and Protestant dissent"? I
answer, without the fear of contradiction, in those churches
where the old-fashioned doctrines of the Reformation are
taught—the doctrines which " Ridley" calls " vulgar Cal-
vinism." But " Ridley" seems very sanguine in his expec-
tations. He hopes that " vulgar Calvinism will soon be
banished from our pulpits" ; but I think there is little pros-
pect of his hopes being realised. Evangelical doctrines are
fast gaining ground. God is raising up faithful ambassadors,
who do not shun to declare the whole counsel of God" ;
and although ungodliness, " heresy, and schism" are abound-
ing on every hand, yet I thank God there is an amount of
real piety amongst us, such as there has perhaps never been
since the days of the glorious Reformation. God is carrying
on His work, and must succeed in spite of all opposition,
until " the number of His elect are accomplished," and His
will shall " be done on earth as it is in heaven."
I am, Sir, yours, &c.,
A MEMBER OF ST. JUDE'S CHURCH.
October 10th, 1839.