The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-03-22 00:00:00

engines

Meanwhile the flames extended from the ground-floor
up the stair-case, and having entered numerous apart-
ments in the Prince of Wales' Tower. the whole became
ignited. The parties in command of the engines did all
they could to confine the fire within that part of the
structure, but without the least success ; and in a space
of time comparatively brief the destructive element
forced its way into the centre of the Brunswick Tower,
when the sight that presented itself was such as to ter-
rify all who beheld the spectacle—for the flames, in huge
bodies, were rushing out of the various windows in each
tower, threatening to take a complete circuit round the
Castle. The military and others laboured in a most
praiseworthy manner, hoping to subdue the conflagration.
The water, which fell in tons weight per minute, ran down
the front of the towers, and in spite of the heat became
frozen, and immense icicles could be seen hanging from
the window-sille, and as the flames continued to shoot
through the casements, the sight presented was one of
fearful grandeur, and the reflection of the fire could be
seen for miles distant. At Reading, nineteen miles away,
it was stated that the inhabitants could see the fire issuing
from the battlements of the tower, and many looked upon
the work of destruction in the distance with fear and
astonishment.

During this trying scene her Majesty and his Royal
Highness Prince Albert betrayed not the least signs of
fear, but appeared rejoiced at the willingness displayed by
her loyal subjects in mounting the ladders, scattering the
water over the fire, and doing all that was possible to
subdue the conflagration.
At about eleven o'clock the fire was at its height, when
several engines were playing on the tower from various
directions. An express was also dispatched from the castle
to the London fire-brigade, which arrived with two power-
ful engines, under the superintendence of Mr. Braidwood,
at two o'clock in the morning. Ahout this time the fire
was partially got under, but it was not totally extinguished
before six o'clock.

It appears that the fire must have originated from a
furnace flue, situated at the basement of the Prince of
Wales's Tower, for the purpose of heating the air which
warms the Gothicdining-room, and manyother apartments
in this tower. The fire was chiefly confined to the tower,
and the rooms destroyed are the Gothic dining-room and
upwards of a dozen bed-rooms, with nearly all the splendid
furniture. The Prince of Wales's Tower may be said to
be completely gutted, and even a great portion of the roof
is destroyed.
The whole of the valuable furniture of the Red draw.
ing-room, which adjoins the Gothic dining-rooin, was
carefully removed by the soldiers and the Lord Chamber-
lain's men, and little damage is done to it, with the ex-
ception of the breaking of some of the glass of the mag-
nificent chandeliers.

The plate-rooms, which contain gold plate valued at
between two and three millions of money, are situated
immediately under the Gothic dining-room, where the
fire was raging ; but it was not considered necessary to
remove any portion of it, as the rooms were made fire-
proof, although it did not appear that they were water-
proof, from the streams of water which poured into those
rooms from the ceilings.
Fortunately, there was a plentiful supply of water from
the Cranbourne tank, which had only been laid on to this
part of the castle in the autumn of last year, or in all
probability the whole of the castle would have been a heap
of ruins. As no portion of the property is insured, the
loss will fall chiefly on the Lord Chamberlain's depart-
ment.. Prince Albert was present until the fire was got
under, as were also the Hon. Colonel Grey, the Hon.
Colonel Bidduiph, and the Hon. Colonel Phipps. The
Queen and the Royal family, who had retired to their
private apartments at the southeast part of the castle,
remained there the whole of the night, and intelli-
gence respecting the progress of the fire was continually
conveyed to her by the Prince.

THE BLACKBURN ELECTION takes place to-morrow
(Wednesday).
CONTROVERSIAL LECTURE.—The sixth lecture of the
anti-Papal series will be delivered this evening, in,
St.. John's Church, by the Rev. W. F. Taylor, M.A.
Subject, " Satanic Influence."
Ma. JOHN PARRY'S " Portfolio for Children of All.
Ages," given at the Assembly-rooms, Great George-
street, on the evenings of Monday and Tuesday, was
attended by large and fashionable audiences.

MR. GEORGE BARKER, the London composer, delivered
the third and concluding lecture on ballad music at the
Collegiate Institution, on. Friday evening. He took
as the subject of the first portion of his enter-
tainment the history of Mary, Queen of Scots ;
the second part consisting of a selection of the
songs of modern English composers, including Bishop,
Barnett, Balfe. Lee, Horn, and Lover. Owing to this
being Passion Week, there will be no lecture on Friday ;
but an important course will follow. on " The Philosophy
of Sensation," by our townsman, Dr. Inman.

SUDDEN DEATHS.—On Saturday last, a man named
John Dignum, who had been three weeks a prisoner in
the borough gaol, charged with an assault, died very sud-
denly, under the following circumstance :—The deceased
was liberated from the gaol on Saturday afternoon, and
went direct to his home in Stewart-street. On arriving
there, lie was taken suddenly ill, and died the same night.
An inquest on the body has been deemed necessary, which
will b 9 held to-day.—Yesterday morning, a girl named
Anne Mosely, aged fourteen years, residing with her
parents in Salisbury-street, was found dead in bed.
AUSTRALIAN STEAMERS.—The Royal Mail screw-
steamer Sydney, which arrived at Plymouth on the 16th
instant, occupied in her homeward voyage 102 days 34
hours, of which 77 days 224 hours only were steaming
time, and .24 days 5 hours stoppages. Under these cir-
cumstances, it is hardly fair to compare the steamer's
passages with those of sailing vessels, which go right on
without any stoppages. When the coaling arrangements
are complete, these monstrous stoppages will be obviated.
The Sydney's steaming time to Adelaide, the first port in
Australia, was only 58 days.

COUNTY COURT, YESTERDAY.—Among other cases
which came before the presiding judge, was the subjoined
Selling a " Illeasled" Pig.—The plaintiff in this case,
which first came before the court last week, was Edward
Bingham, butcher, of Park-road, Toxteth-park, and the
defendant was William Madden, butcher of Oldhall-street.
The action was brought to recover the sum of £l. 15s.
paid by the plaintiff for the carcase of a pig which was
hanging in the defendant's shop, and which was ultimately
found to be measled. Mr. Hime, for the defendant,
contended that it was the plaintiff's business to examine
the pig before he bought it, and if he did not do so, he
must take the consequences. After looking over the
authorities as to the points of law raised, his Honour,
yesterday, gave judgment for the plaintiff.
TIE EL DORADO.—This fine vessel, 841 tons register,
the property of Messrs. James Baines and Co., from
Liverpool, under the command of Capt. William Gilbert
Jackson, arrived in Hobson's Bay on the 9th January,
after a fine voyage of only 88 days, from land to land, with
a clean bill of health, and 362 passengers, the same
number that embarked at Liverpool. The only casualties
during the voyage were one seaman actually drowned,
one passenger died, and one birth. It reflects the greatest
credit on the officers, seamen, and passengers per the
El Dorado, that the latter have, without exception, sub-
scribed for and purchased a handsome silver cup, to be
presented to Captain Jackson, as a testimonial of their
gratitude to him for his kindness during the voyage.
They have also signed an address to him, expressive of
the high sense they entertain of his merits as a seaman
and able commander, who, without giving his officers or
crew a single opportunity of grumbling, had all his orders
carried into effect. It may also be stated that an address
to Mr. Thomas Talbot, the surgeon in charge during the
voyage, has also been signed by the passengers of the
El Dorado, expressive of their sense of his merits as one
every way qualified to have the superintendence of the
sanitary condition of the passengers and crew of such a
vessel as the El Dorado, from any European port to the
colony of Victoria,—Australian Paper.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 21.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

PARIS, SUNDAY.-At the Casino the panic had not
diminished. Funds and other Securities had declined.
Threes were as low as 76. The greatest consternation
prevailed at the Turkish Embassy. The Times corre-
spondent says, "If any opinion prevails, it is that
matters will yet be arranged without hostilities." The
Patrie says the English fleet had not left Malta, and
that the Russian fleet had not quitted Sebastopol. The
journal Du Pays, of Sunday, has an article, evidently
with the concurrence of government, on the Eastern
question. It expresses decided approbation of the con•
duct of England ; her intervention on behalf of Turkey*
is in the interest of the peace of Europe. The Du POs
leaves it to be inferred that the French government will
support the policy of England, but does not say it in
positive way.

AUSTRIA.—A telegraphic despatch from Italy states
that all prosecutions for high treason, connected with the
late insurrection at Milan, have been abandoned.
HAMBURGH, March 18.—The navigation of the Elbe
has again been interrupted by ice.