The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-11-05 00:00:00

THE TOWER OF LONDON-DESTRUCTIVE

CONFLAGRATION

(ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.),

(From the Times of Tuesday.)

The painful excitement and deep sympathy which this
event, announced in the columns of our journal of yesterday,
had created in the public mind, was throughout the whole of
yesterday on the increase.
From an early hour in the morning, and indeed through-
out the whole of Sunday night, Tower-hill and all the ave-
nues leading thereto presented a most lively appearance. As
night came on and gradually darkened, the outlines of the
shell of that once magnificent building, the Armoury, toge-
ther with the Bowyer-tower, the new store-house, &c., be-
came distinctly visible frona the lurid glare of light playing
upon the ruins, and produced from the immense pile of burn-
ing rubbish still smouldering and at times bursting forth in
violent flames from within.
The interior of the Tower during the night presented a
truly singular and picturesque appearance. Groups of sol-
diery, in their sombre gray coats, exhausted by their almost
superhuman exertions throughout the previous night and
day, were to be seen reclining on blankets on various parts
of the parade fronting the scene of devastation, under tents
composed of the same materials erected on halberds, &c.,
to protect them from the rain. Several engines belonging to
the fire brigade, as also those of the County, West of Eng-
land, the Custom-house, those belonging to the Tower, and
others, were also stationed, together with the firemen, in
such positions as to be ready in case of a fresh outbreak be-
yond the building were the fire was still confined.
As morning approached, the fire in the body of the build-
ing at intervals burst out in large masses of flame, and it
was only by the continual streams of water poured upon
them that they could be at all kept under. At intervals,
also, large masses of the heavy stone coping, with which the
top of the building was ornamented, kept falling from its
tottering walls, and several times it was feared that the
beautiful basso relievo, forming the pediment over the grand
entrance, executed by Gibbons, would also become detached
before measures could be taken to preserve it. The face of
the building is much disfigured by large streams of molten
lead which had run down the walls from the roof during the
fire. The number of windows on this side the building is
48, and through the apertures a very fair view of the whole
interior of the Grand Amoury presents itself.
Looking upward as far as the eye can reach, it meets with
nothing but the tottering remains of the walls on the other
side. Towards the centre, however, a far more interesting
object meets the view. Opposite the grand entrance is to be
distinguished the remains of " the grand staircase," which
was considered one of the most magnificent in Europe. In
order to convey an adequate idea of what this staircase was,
and what, alas! it is, it may be well to give the following de-
scription, furnished to the reporter by one of the principal
warders of the Tower :—The staircase consisted of a splendid
trophy, consisting of arms and weapons, ancient and modern,
comprising nearly 200 varieties, and nearly all differing in
form or pattern. In the centre was a half column, support-
ing a marble bust of his late Majesty King William IV., ex-
' ecuted by Joseph, which was presented by his majesty, and
placed there on the occasion of his majesty's visit to the
Tower with Queen Adelaide, on the sth of August, 1830.
The mass, forming a splendid trophy, was placed within a
recess on the landing, on a platform supported by eight
brass six pounder guns, which served as pillars, and which
were taken at Waterloo. In the centre of the platform was
an inscription announcing the visit of King William and
Queen Adelaide, and upon a tablet placed between two
guns the following :—" The kettle-drums in this trophy
were taken at Blenheim, on the 2d of August, 1704, by
the British troops under the command of John Duke of
Marlborough. The guns were taken at Waterloo, on the
18th of June, 1815, by the British troops underthe command
of Arthur Duke of Wellington." Upon the walls at the
sides were two large stars formed of swords and their brass
scabbards, bayonets, and pistols. The one representing the
star of the order of the Knights of the Garter, and the other
of the Bath. Also two figures in gilt suits of armour lon
ornamented pedestals. The rails of the stairs and the cor-
nice at the ceiling were ornamented with architectural figures,
curiously formed with arms. Below, upon pedestals, existed
two very striking groups ; one representing a knight in gilt
armour preparing for action, attended by his squire, in the
act of buckling on his spurs, and a Pikeman with his 18-feet
pike ; the other group was a knight in a hannsome suit of
bright armour, of the time of Elizabeth, in action, having
seized a banner of the enemy, waving his followers on. On
each side of the entrance-door was a knight in a gilt suit of
armour, and over the door was placed the Ordnance arms in
white marble, and opposite two beautiful brackets, upon
which stood the figures of two other knights in gilt armour.
The whole of this superb staircase is, with the exception of
the eight brass cannon taken at Waterloo, a mass of rubbish;
they, as if in defiance of the devouring element, still raise
their mouths amidst the ruins, and retain their position on
the platform. The only other relics of England's glory to
be seen from the grand entrance, rearing their heads amidst
the ruins, is the large anchor taken at Camperdown, and the
huge mortar employed at the siege of Namur, in 1695, by
William 111., forming part of the naval and military trophies
on either side of the grand entrance.
As we stated in our journal yesterday, his Grace the Duke
of Wellington received intimation of the terrible occurrence
at four o'clock on Sunday morning. His grace at once for-
warded information of the occurrence to her majesty and his
Royal Highness Prince Albert. Her majesty, it is said, ex-
pressed her deep regret at so severe a loss to the nation, and
being anxious to obtain every authentic particular respecting
the calamity, a messenger was despatched to the lord
chamberlain, who, at her majesty's desire, visited the Tower
on Sunday for the purpose of collecting information. After
visiting the ruins, and having an interview with Major El-
rington, the officer in command of the Tower, his lordship
returned to the palace to lay the matter fully before the
Queen.

At an early hour yesterday morning, Major Hall and Lieut.
Gould, of the Royal Engineers, arrived at the Tower, under
orders for the purpose of surveying the state of the ruins of
the Grand Armoury, the walls of which, more particularly
that portion near the Jewel Office, and where the unfortu-
nate fireman, Richard Wivel, was killed, they pronounced in
a most dangerous condition. No doubt could exist of this
fact, for it hung frightfully over the Terrace at the east end,
and threatened destruction to the residence of Mr. Forman,
M.P., at the corner. The whole building is pronounced in
danger, and Colonel Eden, the commander of the troops,
has issued orders that no person shall be permitted to go
within fifty yards of any part of it, which order throughout
the day was rigidly enforced by the sentinels and police on
duty. A strong guard was also stationed at each end of the
Sally-port steps, situate on the east side of the Armoury,
and near the Jewel Tower, in order to prevent any one passing.
After Major Hall had had an interview with the governor,
preparations were commenced for shoring the walls, and
large pieces of timber were procured, and by five o'clock last
evening the walls on the west wing were made safe.
Respecting the first discovery of the fire, and the exact
position of the tower in which it originated, many statements
have gone forth ; but, from inquiries instituted yesterday,
they have been found to be erroneous. The following may
be relied upon► as accurate :—At about twenty-five minutes
after ten o'clock on Saturday night, one of the sentinels on
duty at the Royal Mint observed a light in the Round or
Bowyer Tower, of which from that spot a most commanding
view is obtained. Thinking this was not right, he called the
porter of the Royal Mint lodge out to look at it, saying at
the time that a light in that tower was most unusual. The
porter replied that he had often seen it, and again went into
his lodge. A few mnutes after a shout was heard proceeding
from some person on Tower-hill, alarming the sentry on the
batteries racing Postern-row that a portion of the Tower was
on fire, and for him to give the alarm to the guard-house.
This person subsequently proved to be Sergeant Edwards,
of the Ist Battalion of Fusilier Guards, and his statement,
furnished to our reporter by Captain Delme Davis, to whom
he made it, is highly important.

.
Edwards states that while he was in the Nag's Head pub-
lic house, in Postern-row, he perceived, to his great surprise,
a light through one of the windows, just above the bomb-
proof part of the Bowyer Tower. He went out and crossed
to the railings at the top of the moat by which the Tower is
surrounded, and watched the light for a minute or two. At
first it appeared but little larger than the glimmer of a candle,
but it suddenly increased to such an extent that no doubt was
left upon his mind that the place was on fire. He at once
hailed the sentry stationed on the Curtain Battery, situate
immediately under the Bower Tower. The sentry recog-
nised the sergeant's voice, and having answered, he was
desired to alarm the garrison, for the place was on
fire, which he did by instantly firing his musket. Ed-
wards himself immediately made the best of his way to the
western portion of the fortress, and, on gaining an entrance,
found the troops turning out, and the garrison alarmed by
the rolling of drums and sounding of bugles in every quarter.
When he reached the guard-house, under the White Tower,
facing the green, he informed the captain, and called upon
Nash, the sergeant of the night guard, to follow him. The
only approaches to the Bowyer Tower were through the
basement of Armoury, one to a private staircase, eastward
of the Grand Stairs, which not only led to the Tower, but
also to the roof of the Armoury. They made their way to
this entrance, but unfortunately the keys were not immedi-
ately procurable. Finding this was the case, they proceeded
to the western extremity of the building, and through a nar•
row passage, only sufficiently wide to admit one person at a
time; admission being gained to it near the north-eastern
angle of St. Peter's Church. On getting to the end of the
passage, they ascended a flight of steps, which led to a kind
of terrace or wall beyond the north side of the Armoury,
and twenty feet above the roof of the Old Mill Barracks,
which it overlooked. This terrace led to that part of the
Bowyer Tower called the Round Table, to which there were
two entrances. On reaching it he informed Nash that it was
in that building he bad seen the fire ; but they could then
see nothing of it, although it smelt strong. Having broken
open the entrance, the place was discovered in perfect dark-
ness, but full of smoke. They descended to the door
beneath, and on bursting that open also, a mass of flame
rushed out upon them. They at once effected their escape,
and before they had retraced their steps into the centre of
the Tower, the Bowyer Tower was blazing to the very roof.
He believes at the time he first burst open the door that, had
there been an engine and plenty of water on the spot, the
calamity might have been prevented.

[The London papers of yesterday add nothing of impor-
tance to the intelligence given above. The investigation
into all the circumstances connected with the calamity is
going on, and will not be completed for several days. It is
strictly private. On Wednesday the Duke of Wellington
visited the ruins, and was much struck with the stupendous
scene of desolation, and the awful havoc which the confla-
gration had occasioned. His grace was tremendously cheered
on leaving the Tower. The Brick Tower which is wholly
destroyed, was the next turret on the east of the Bowyer
Tower, and derived its name from the upper story, which
was of brick. This upper story was erected either in the
reign of Edward IV. or Richard the basement story,
however, is of far greater antiquity, and is said to have
been the prison of the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey, as was
the Bowyer Tower, the place of confinement of her hus-
band, Lord Dudley, prior to his execution.]

A FORTUNATE REPORTER.—A Yankee editor, giving a
descripion of the bursting of a cannon by which several per-
sons were badly wounded, says— Our reporter, who had
his hand blown off, was fortunately on the spot, and has nar-
rated to us the full particulars of the catastrophe."—Evening
paper.
-

- -
NATURE OF SODA.—An intelligent correspondent, who
very appropriately subscribes himself " A Friend to Improve-
ments," has sent us the following interesting communication,
which we beg to recommend to the attention of our agricul-
tural readers :—" in these times, when nitrate of soda has
become a fashionable article for manure (there may be
fashions in manure as well as any other article, particularly
when newly introduced), it may be of some use to the farmer
to know what is good and pyre from what is adulterated or
g ro originally
d di r
tiymspaulrt impure(.
commonT e nitratesaltto
ro
chloride
hsloodr
d,
nis so like coarse
of soda), that it
may be and is often mixed with it. The price of the common
salt at present is not above one-tenth of the price of the
nitrate of soda; and if it answers for manure, the farmer
need not throw away his money upon a mixture containing,
perhaps, 'one-fourth of common salt, or more. Fortunately
there is a very simple mode of testing the nitrate—not a
regular analyzation requiring some chemical knowledge, but
one that must prove the presence of common salt at once ;
and that is, to throw a small quantity of the nitre into the
fire, and if it contains salt it will produce a crackling noise ;
if it is pure it will burn very rapidly with a sort of hissing
noise, and no crackling at all. Every one knows the noise
produced by throwing common salt on a fire, and if the nitre
be pure no such noise should be heard; and in proportion to
the quantity of common salt so will the noise be greater or
leas.—Aberdeen Herald.