The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-12 00:00:00

Standard ()Ike, Three o' Clock

BURNING OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE

(From the -Morning Herald ,f Yesterday.)

An event which may be regarded as a national calamity oc-
curred last night. The Royal Exchange is a heap of tnins; a
destructive fire has laid waste this extensive commercial build-
fog, one of the most magoificent in Europe. Soon after ten
o'clock last night the fire broke out in Llo,ld's Coffee-room, at
the notth-east corner of the edifice, opposite the Bank of Eng-
land. It was first discovered by one of the bank watchmen,
who gave the alarm at the gates, and the bank engines Were
immediately brought. A strong body of the city police and
night watchmen, and the soldiers on duty in the bank, imme-
diately repaired to the spot, and expresses were sent off in all
directions to the fire-engine stations, at which period no signs
of allY fire could be ;wet, front the street. Considerable diffi-
culty was experienced in obtaining any entrance to the build•
ing, and when this was accomplished the flames broke through
the windows with great fuiy, and drove the people back. The
scene which ensued was a most eXtraorlinary one—the whole
neighbourhood was alarmed, and the tradesmen who held the
shops around the exterior of the building instantly com-
menced the removal of their goods. It was at once predicted
that the whole building would be destroyed, and this foreboding
was realised too correctly. The Jeffhries-square, Whitecross-
street, Farringdon-street, Southwark-bridge-road, Holborn,
Chandos-street, School House-lane, and Wellelose•square en-
gines, with those belonging to the West of England, the County
office, and several others, were all on the spot, with 63 of the
fire brigade men, within -an hour atter the file was discovered.
Before any water could be thrown on the building, it was neces-
sary to thaw the hose and works of the engines. by pouring
hot water upon them, and this caused some delay. For some
time afterwards, owing to the intense Bost, there was great dif-
ficulty in working the engines, and-the tire continued exterlin,
in a south-west direction, consuming the whole of the long
range,of offices belonging to the Royal Exchange As-
surance Company. At twelve o'clock these and Lloyd's
establishment, the eoffoe-room, the captains'-room, and the
offices of the Utokrwriters, , presented one body of flame,
which shot up to a tearful lieight, illuminating the Bank, St.
Bartholomew's, St. Michael's and St. Mary's churches.—
Every object was as visible as at noon-day, and the people had
assembled in such large numbers, that the police and a.ilitary
were engaged in keeping them beyond the reach of danger,
which'was very great, owing to the large quantities of limiting
timber falling every minute into the street. At this period it
was found -necessary hi clear the interior .of the area of the
Exchange, where fur centuries our merchants have daily toot,
of the people collected there ; but many could not be induced
to leave the covered walk until they were half suffocated, and
not a few were expelled by force for their cwn safety. The
gates had been forced open with crow-bars at the commencement
of the fire.

At one o'clock the north and west sides of the Exchange were
consumed, and the fire was rapidly approaching the new tower,
which was erected about 20 years ago. The efforts of the fire-
men appeared not to have the least effect—the flunes ran over
the building, mocking their exertions, althouell not less than
20 engines were at work ; indeed fir what good they seemed to
-do, they might as weil have been unemployed. The lord mayor
sod a great number of cuiontereial gentlemen urged Mr. Braid-
wood to cut off the cemmonication. and save the remaining por-
tion of the edifice. Ile ,explained that it was impossible; the
building was SO connected together with one continuous roof,
and there was such an immense volume of fl tine, that it would
be fatal to any man who ascended the building. No one could
doubt the accuracy of -Mr. Blaidwood's opinion, and the fire
continued to work its destruction, proceetling front floor to floor,
and rennin, along the corridors with the greatest rapidity.. At
two o'clock the flaMes reached the tower, and the terror and
excitement of the assembled multitudes in Cornhill, Mansion
Ilouse-street, and the Poultry, was extreme., A hundred thou-
sand voices murmured, " It has leached the tower, it's all over."
The appearance of the frightful conflagration at this period was
awful it) the extreme ;•the whole of the Exchange lay complete-
ly in one mass of flames, and the heat was so great that the
firemen and auxiliaries could scarcely pursue their labours near
the berning mass. The splendid tower, nearly 150 feet high,
was reducer? lo ashes; the musical peal of eight bells, with a
tenor, about 18 cwt., and weighing about three tons, fell one-
after the other, carrying away everything in their progress to-
wards the pavement, including the roof and stone work, and the
arch over the central entrance. The clock had a very singular
effect-while the tower was burning, which was, no doubt, visible
at some consideralde distance. The plates of the dials became
red-hot, and the hands pointed to the hour, 25 minutes past
one, when the works took fire, melting the chime barrels and
the machinery in a few minutes. It is utterly impossible to de-
scribe the sceneovhich presented itself to the eyes of the- spec-
tators, for although the sky was unclouded, and the moon shone
bright with, all its splendour, yet its celestial brightness was to-
tally obsctired by the dense volumes of smoke and flames which
issued•from the ruins. A,shower of fire was seen towering over
the houses to the south of the Exchange. On the tower being
diseovered to take tire, the lord mayor sent a messenger to the
Tower for more troops to assist the civil poiver, and ie a very
short time a-large body of soldiers arrived, some of whom
took up a position on the south side of Cornhill, while collets
were ordered to assist the inhabitants in removing their pro- •
per yto places of safety. Cornhill was Immediately cleared
, of the people, who, it is but justice to state, behaved in a
very decorous and becoming manner, and but one feeling, that
of regret, seemed to prevail. Every body viewed the fire with
astonishment and dismay, and the greatest fears were enter-
tained fur the safety of the bank and the adjoining church of
St. Bartholomew's, abutting on the north east-corner of the
Exchange. The multitude frequently gave vent to their feel-
ings by exelamations of " I hope the batik will he saved ; they
must reser re the old church!" Fortunately the wind blew
from the north, and both edifices remained untouched, and
were made the repositories of large quantities of goods, which
were carried there. At half past two o'clock a general opinion
seemed to prevail that the offices of the Revel Naval Hospital
at the side of the exchange would not be reached. Under a
suggestion by some gentleman present, several engines were
ordered to be- drawn np opposite tveeting's alley. On this
being done, the hose were conveyed on to the roofs of the
houses on the east side of the alley, which is a very narrow
one, by which means the firemen had a perfect command over
that portion of the Exchange, and torrents of water were dis-
charged into the interior of the building; but not withstandme•
all those efforts, the flames rapidly extended, and the firemen
were obliged to retreat in conseqeence of the great heat. The
persons employed at the engines worked to their utmost, many
of them up to their knees in water and ice, and they were en-
couraged in their efforts by the lord mayor and aldermen pie-
sent, but unfortunately, no one thought of obtaining any re-
freshment for the poor fellows. The firemen's coats were
covered with ice, - and the whole of Mansion House-street,
Walbrook, Bucklersbury, and every thoroughfare in the vici-
nity of the Exchange, was covered, with water, whica soon
became frozen. The Gresham lecture-romit Witr totally con-
sumed. At half-past three, the north, west, and south sides of
of the immense building were burned down, and the flames had
reached the east sole, threatening the entire destruction of the
range of shops and dwelling houses connected with the Ex-
change, and forming the west side of Sweeting's-alley. The
inhabitants on both sides of this narrow court succeeded in
removing the greatest portion of their furniture and stocks in
trade before t 4 flames reached the alley, and goods to the
amonnt of at least £50,000 were deposited in places of safety
but a good deal of heavy furniture could not be got out. of the
houses, and was sacrificed.
At four o'clock the fire was still raging with unabated fury:
The wind, which was blowing fresh all the night, had increased
almost to a,tempest, and the immense area was one
.body of
flame. The remaining wing, the east, shared the fate of the
otherW, aud with it the houses in Sweeti:tig's-alley, forming part
of the buittliog. The Ii temen again get on the roofs of the
houses on the opposite side of Sweeting's-alley with their hose
and branch pipes connected with eight powerful engines, and
directed a pleotifal supply of water over the shops and houses
below them, by which they were kept cool, and prevented from
igniting. The esstern wing of the Exchange, like the other,

was soon reduced to a heal) of ruins; the I 1 ones spreading from
floor to.fl,or, and.r. 001 one story to the other. The roaring of
the elements. the faliing of large timbers, and the noise of the

engines, uccasiuuafl intermingled with the shouts or the firemen
and assistants, has alums' deafening. the firemen never flagged
ill their efforts from the commencement of the fire, but iu vain;
the Exchange no longer exists; it is entirely destro3 ed.

The walls in the interior of the Exchange fell with a tremen-
dous crash, carrying away with them the numerous statues Of
the Kings and Queens who have reigned in England from the
time of Witham the Conqueror. The shell of the lofty tower
still remains, but it is feared that it will fall; and should it come
do-An in the direction of the houses opposite in Cortibill, the de-
struction of property will be fearful. It is but right to state
that every precaution has already been taken by the city au-
thorities, and no one is allowed to pass along Cornhill. At
five o'clock the fire was still raging, but all apprehensiOu of
danger to the su6.ottorling buildings was at an end. The works
of several engines at this hour were so contracted by the frost
that it, was impossible to work them. Crowd,: of persons ate
assembled in all parts of the city, and nothing else is talked of
but the dt•siiiiiion,fthe Royal Exchange. The shops of the
news.agews and booksellers, and the racers of the stock-hrok-

ers are instireii

Several accidents occurred during the fire, and one man, who
received very severe injuries by the fathit, of a chimney at the
south-west .angle of t!te LoiOling, was conveyed to the hospital.

Scrinni as file loss of tills noble l;nilding triu,debe to our mer-
chants and citi-z..!ng, att.; ow nation at large, the s,riotis inter-
riiption the d.eadful calamity twist occasion to Iniliresi t, ill he
ten times more so. All the books and papers connected with