The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-16 00:00:00

DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.

The followinir account of the discovery of the conflagration
has been furnished by two watchmen of the Broad-street ward,
named White and Whitley. They state that a strong, smell of
of burning prevailed about the neighbourhood of the Exchange
some time before the fire was actually seen. The circumstance
was made known to the inspector of the ward, who hastened to
the spot, and in a few minutes saw fire raging in Lloyd's
coffee-room. commonly known as the captains' room, which is
directly facing the south-east portion of the B,tnk of England.
They then endeavoured to force the gates leading to the coffee-
room, but without success. About ten minutes after the tlis-
covery this portion of the Royal Exchange was one mass of fire,
and it spread in two directions, east and west, until the whole
building was encircled.

r
The intensity of the.frost certainly retarded in a great mea-
sure the operations of the fire brigade. but there were neither
firemen nor engines sufficient to combat such a vast body of
flame, and the engines during, the night were frequently at a
stand still for the want of sufficient hands. A. liberal supply of
refreshments and warm stimulants on such a cold night would
have encouraged a number of labourers who were on the spot
to work with greater energy, instead of dropping off one by one
alter standing for some time in cold water. The Bank of
England porters and others connected with that establishment
rendered great assistance during the night in saving property
and working the engines. It surely is not too much to expect
that within a circuit of two miles, embracing the East India
House, the Custom House, Manion House, Royal Exchange,
Bank of England, Excise Office, South Sea House, Guildhall,
the courts of justice, not less than thirty large churches, and a
great number of banking houses and large commercial establish-
ments, that a corps of firemen and watermen, with a sufficient
number of engines, should be maintained for the especial pro-
tection of such properly.
One of the most remarkable circumstances connected with the
fire at the Royal Exchange, is the fact that at 12 o'clock, when
the flames lad just reached the north-west angle of the building,
and were rapidly making their way to the tower, the chimes
struck up as usual at that hour the old tune "There's nae luck
about the house," and •continued for five minutes. The effect
was extraordinary, and the tune was distinctly heard. Alas!
it was the last time the silver-toned bells, whose joyful notes in
playing at intervals of every three hours " God save the
Queen'," " Life let pscherish, ' "'!'here's nae luck about the
house," anti on Sundays the old 104th Psalm, have so often
gladdened the hearts of the citizens, and amused the frequenters
of 'Change, are silent for ever, and are either melted by the in-
tense heat or broken.to pieces. The grand peal of 12 bells in
the steeple of Spitallields church, with similar chimes, were de-
atrosettby fire about two years-ago,-and, to the disappointment
of the people of the east end, have not yet been restored. The
only chimes now existing are those of St. Clement Danes, in
the Strand, on which the old 10,11 h Psalm is played every four
hours, and the musical chimes of St. Giles's church, Cripple-
gate, and St. Diou's Backchurch, Fenchurch-street. Formerly
a great many churches in London, including St. Margaret's
and St. Sepulchre's, had chime hammers annexed to the bells.
The following are additional particulars of the fire, and its
consequences, which we have collected from various sources:—
The streets leading to the scene of devastation were covered
with ice and water yesterday; notwithstanding., people flocked
from all quarters, unmindful of the cold and the wet, to obtain
a glimpse if the ruins. In the evening the open space at the
bottoM of Cornhill was crowded with people of both sexes. The
dilapidated appearance of the tower and the walls of the Ex-
change presented a wotul sight. Volumes of flame and smoke
occasionally issued from the ruins, producing a feeling of awe
and terror in the minds of the spectators. Mr. Braidwuod still
remained on the spot, giving directions to his men. In the
course of the afternoon two large iron chests. belonging to the
Royal Exchange Fire and Life Assurance Company, were
dragged out- of the ruins into the open street, where they re-
main. It appeared from what transpired amongst some of the
gentlemen connected with the company, that the chest con-
tained deeds and documents to an extensive amount, but whe-
ther they had sustained any damage hunt the fire, as they were
not opened, could not be ascertained. Amongst the valuable
articles is a splendid painting which decorated the Gresham
committee-room, and said to be worth £3,000. An attempt was
made to save it by the city watchmen, before the fire had reached
that part of the building, but the smoke and intense heat com-
pelled them to make a hasty retreat. The fire brigade also at-
tempted to save the painting, but with no better success. Orr
penetrating over the burning embers into the quadrangle, a
melancholy sight presented itself, nothing being observed of the
piazza and the splendid embellishments which adorned the
edifice, but a mass of rubbish. The whole of the colonnade had
been forced down by the falling roofs- and timbers, and the
statues of the various monarchs were lying about, many of them
broken to pieces. The lofty chimneys on each side present a
very alarming appearance, and threaten to fall with every grist
of wind. The statues over the tot i co of the principal entrance,
ica and America, and those of
representing Europe. Asia, Ali.
Kings Charles hand 11., and Sir Thomas Gresham, have not
sustained any matistial injury. We have spoken of the orderly
conduct of the peopfe on Wednesday nigbe when the lire
threatened the destrisoion of the Bank of England, and St.
Bartholomew Church, llhot we cannot say so much of the heha.
v loot. of the people collected vesterday. Such was their violent
and uproarious conduct, th.at the barriers which had been
erected at the top of Bart holoinew• lane, and at the end of Corn-
next Gracechurch-qieet and Threadneedle street, were
found insufficient to resist the pressure of the assembled crowds.
The iron harriers used on vet taio-occasiens at the 01(1 Bailey
were sent for, and immediately fixed, which prevented the mul-
titude reaching Cornhill.

The ainctint of property destroyed in the Royal Exchange is
not yet known, but it must be very great. With regard to the
different persons whu occupy the shop's in the arcades under the