The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-10-09 00:00:00

•

houses and sheds. At one o'clock, all danger of the confla-
gration enlarging the sphere of destruction had ceased. The
cotton in Messrs. Brown's shed still burnt with great vehe-
mence, and the firemen were occupied in playing upon the
opposite shed, to prevent the intense heat of the burning cot-
ton from igniting it also. In this the force happily succeeded.
Considering the circumstances of this extensive fire, it is
wonderful that so few accidents happened. We regret to
state, however, that one individual, a butcher, residing in
Denison-street, lost his life in an endeavour to save two pigs,
his property. These animals were confined in a shed,_ at the
back of souse premises in Denison-street, near to, and over-
looked by. the Nvarehouses. A few minutes before the last ex-
plosion, he was seen to enter the court, for the purpose of
taking away his pigs. Some time afterwards, he was found
suffocated in an adjoining privy, where, it is supposed, he
had gone to escape from the fumes of the saltpetre. Another
man was also unfortunately killed by the second explosion.
He was talon

11Ii.-Ileighton, of the Police; but his body had not been
claimed up to last night. Wilson, a fireman, who was direct-
ing an engine-pipe in the third storey of one of the ware-
houses, was seen to sink, as if exhausted. With some diffi-
culty, one of the men went to his assistance. It was found
that the fumes from the saltpetre and other matters were so
strong that they had well nigh suffocated him. He was car-
ried away for dead, but he ultimately revived. A fireman,
named linkman, was much injured by some bricks which
fell upon him. These are all the accidents which have come
to our knowledge. We may mention that the heat was, on
some occasions, so great that one or two of the engines were
set on fire.
The scene presented by the neighbourhood, during what
may be justly styled the second conflagration, was painful in
the extreme. All the streets, which ran down with water,
•were filled with produce, partially burned, while hundreds of
porters were engaged in conveying merchandise from the
warehouses which were threatened with, or were deemed in
danger of catching, fire. The inhabitants of Hill-street and
the top of Roberts-street, who had not entirely removed their
furniture in the night, no sooner'saw Messrs. Brown's shed
on fire than they removed every article remaining in their
houses. The houses in Great Howard-street, betwixt Ro-
berts-street and Denison-street, had been emptied in the
course of the night; while the poor people in the latter street,
particularly at the upper part, against which the burning ware-
houses abutted, followed the example of their neighbours.
The conseynence was, that crowds of men, women, and
children were compelled to pass the night in the streets.
We heed scarcely say, that the furniture thus removed suf-
fered almost as much injury as if it had been exposed to the
chances of fire. The fresh outbreak of the flames, about
nine o'clock, renewed the apprehensions of the inhabitants
of Denison-street, who, from top to bottom, and on both sides,
were busily employed, during the progress of the fire, in
removing their furniture. Even the dwellers in Gibraltar-
row were not free from apprension, and many of them re-
moved their goods. All the space in the vicinity supposed
to be beyond the reach of the flames was covered with mer-
chandise and furniture.
It is impossible to award too high praise to the firemen, or
to the superintendents, inspectors, and officers of the Police
force who were preset,t. Hewitt was, as usual, particularly
active;_ and it is unnecessary to say, that Mr. Whitty did
all that mental and bodily intrepidity could accomplish. Mr.
Dowling was on the ground, and rendered assistance to Mr.
Whitty by his advice and exertions. The Mayor art ived on
the spot an hour or two after the commencement of the fire,
and remained during the whole night, exerting his authority
fur the preservation of life and property.
It is impossible to form anything like a correct estimate of
the value of the property damaged and destroyed by this
dreadful fire. Probably the loss will reach £IOO,OOO. Se-
veral thousand bales of cotton were more or• less burnt.

We have been favoured by Mr. Whitty with a copy of his
Report of the Fire to the Watch Committee, which we insert.

MR. WHITTY'S REPORT OF THE FIRE.
(col, v.)
Monday, Bth October, 1838.
TO THE CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE WATCH
COMMITTEE,—I beg leave, with feelings of deep regret,.to
report, that a most calamitous fire, or rather series of fires,
have occurred in Roberts-street orth, and neighbourhood,
attended with the loss of two lives, and the destruction of
very large quantities of properly.
About nine o'clock on Friday evening, smoke was seen to
issue from the third floor of a bonded warehouse on the south
side of Roberts-street North, it was the first but one from

Great Howard-street, several dwelling-houses, &c. interven-
int, between it and that street; and below it, on the same
side, four double warehouses ; the whole of them running
back close up to the dwelling-houses in Denison-street.
The alarm reached me at nine o'clock at the North Station,

and on my arrival I found two engines on the ground, one
of them in play. The Superintendent of the engines told
me, with confidence, that he had mastered the fire, but at
this time large volumes of thick smoke issued from the win-
dows of the third and fourth stories. Stand cocks were

placed in the fire plugs, but there was no water at the instant
and the water carts had been exhausted. To remedy this de-
fect, I placed, with the assistance of Mr. INl'Fadzen, two
engines at the canal, and soon obtained an abundant supply
for one engine; but it soon struck me, that the fire had mas-
tered Mr. Hewitt; and knowing the scanty supply of water
to be obtained in this neighbourhood, from the mains, I
thought it advisable to abandon the warehouse on fire, and
direct all our care to the preservation of those on each side.
As yet the fire had not reached the roof, and I had good
hopes that we could prevent it from extending any further.
The larger mass of property was to the west of the flames,
and these engines were arranged so as to draw a supply of
water from the docks, and play from the roots of the ware-
houses. To Mr. Hewitt I committed this charge; and he
completely succeeded in preventing the extension of the
flames in that direction. On the Great. Howard-street side,
however, we were less fortunate; three points at once called
for attention: the roof of the warehouse next the fire; the
extensive cotton shed of Messrs. William & James Brown,
opposite • and the dwelling-houses in Dennison-street, abut-
ting on thei burning warehouse. Mr. Dowling took Denni-
son-street into his care; a branch was taken to the roof of
the warehouse ; and Captain George Tyrrell, from whom 1
received the greatest assistance, under took to see it properly
directed. To my astonishment, however, they did not get into
play, and on going up myself, I learned that the nozzle was
stopped. Mr. Tyrrell undid the nozzle, but it was too late, the
branchman, ignorant of the stoppage, had called to the engine
to play up, and in doing so, they necessarily burst the hose,
the water obtaining no other means of escape. This was
righted, however, in a few minutes ; but on descending, I
met Mr. Maxwell, midway on the staircase, who informed
me that the flames bad made their way through the partition
wall on the fourth storey. The firemen and Mr. Tyrrell,
above, in dr.nger of being thus cut off from all means of re-
treat, were called down; and just as the orders were given,
the flames burst upon them, and they had to leap down the
jigger stairs, leaving the branch and two lengths of hose be-
hind them. His worship the Mayor hail arrived at this time,
and humanely inquired if I was not exposing the firemen to
too great danger? and his worship's fears seemed to derive
strength from the failing into the street, with a tremendous
crash, of the front of the warehouse then on fire. But by the
timely arrival of the West of England engine, under Mr.
Whitehouse's direction, we had now twelve powerful engines
in full play ; and though, from the distance which the water
had to be drawn, from the dock and canal, only five branches
could he brought to hear on the fire. 1 flattered myself that
I could stop the descent of the fire in the second warehouse,
the lower floors of which had been emptied by Mr. Maxwell.
Two branches were taken up to the fourth floor, and owing
to the Waring of Firemen Little, Maguire, Roberts, and
Evans. we completely mastered the fire, leaving no doubt on
my mind of successful resistance. A my, however, soon
reached us to descend; that the front was falling; and
though, on reaching the street, I found the alarm groundless,
the opportunity was lost. The fire, left to itself, increased
in fury, and quickly descended to the second storey. The
firemen instantly renewed their exertions, and by seven
o'clock all apprehension of further danger subsided. I con-
sidered the fire extinguished, and Mr. Maxwell took charge
of the engines, for the purpose of cooling the ruins, and sav-
ing the salvage. I had heard, in the early part of the night,
that there were turpentine and saltpetre iu the cellar; but,
on inquiry, found that there was saltpetre only. Never hav-
ing known saltpetre to explode of itself, I did not think that
this would, even should the fire reach it. Believing every
thing safe, I went to bed at eight o'clock on Saturday morn-
ing, and at half past eight I received the alarm of the fire
having broken out afresh; and on hurrying down, I found
an explosion had taken place in the ruins of the warehouse
first on fire, setting fire not only to Messrs. W. and J Brown's
cotton shed,. opposite but to the. adjoining warehouse in
Roberts-street, and all the salvage saved from the second
warehouse on fire. The scene was one of indescribable
alarm and confusion. All the warehouses in Roberts-street,
as well as those fine ones between the cotton shed and Wa-
terloo-road, appeared, at first, to me, doomed to destruc-
tion, the question being, where wouli the fire stop. Mr.
Hewitt, with his usual judgment, was in the act of con-
veying a branch again on the top of the warehouses in
Roberts-street. As every thing depended on its direction,
I sent him to superintend it, and went myself to Great
Howard-street, to arrange the engines placed there. While
in the act a second explosion, from the second ruins,
took place. It was a most awful one. We stood, as it were,
under a dome of fire, flame, stones, cotton bags, and ignited
missives. The doors of the houses in the adjoining streets
were either smashed in or carried away, and all around ap-.
peered in flames. In this terrible emergency, the power at
my command (not more than one-half of which had on any
former occasion been put into requisition) seemed totally
inadequate to the unexpected exigency. Mr. Sutton, of the
Protector Fire-office, came and kindly offered his assistance,
of which I availed myself, as I did of Mr. Anderson, of the
Norwich Union; and Mr. Highton rendered me, at this
moment, and during the day, the most valuable service.
With him and the firemen we extinguished one of the en-
gines, which was in flames, and got all into play just in time
to prevent the further extension of the fire, north, south, and
eastward. Mr. Hewitt was also successful; and after a day.
of the most fearful suspense and anxiety, we rejoiced, at
night, to find that the progress of the fire, in every direction,.
was stopped. At six o'clock on Sunday morning the fire.
was regarded as extinguished, and I again .delivered up the
charge of the engines to Mr. Maxwell, inspector of salvage;
to whose advice and assistance on this occasion I hold myself
greatly indebted. The Committee, I hope, will give me
credit for making the best use I could of the judgment 1 •
possessed; and permit ins, at the same time, to report, that
my intentions were promptly carried info effect by the fire-
men, who never thought of danger when they had orders to
execute. The facts in this report render it unnecessary to
hear further testimony to the judgment and energy of the
superintendent of the engines. The superintendent and all
the other officers did their duty in a most admirable manner,
but I must allude more particularly to the great exertions of
Inspectors Cochrane and Cottam.
Three of the Fire-police, I regret to say, are dangerously
hurt. One of them (Wilson) would have teen suffocated in
the last explosion, were it not for Mr. Hewitt, who alone
entered the ruins, and dragged him out.
The property destroyed is estimated at £120,000, and is,
I believe, nearly covered by insurance.
I am, Gentlemen, your obedient servant,
Ted (Signed) M. J. WH ITT Y.

Yesterday, inquests were held on the two unfortunate men
who were killed, one by the explosion, and the other by the
falling of a mass of bricks, and verdicts of "Accidental
Death" returned.

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF BORGHS.—Mr. Dempster of
Skibo, county of Sutherland, has at length announced his in-
tention of contesting the representation of the Northern
Burgh, on, conservative principles, at the next election,
with the present member, James Loch, Esq.—lnverness Cou-
rier.

OFFICIAL PARSIMONY.—The barracks at Canada were sold
not long since by government for £l5O. This year the pur-
chaser, having pulled down and sold the materials of one half
of them. has resold to government the remaining buildings,
which the officers of the 43:d now occupy, for more than,
double that sum.

BEES.—Many have been the remarkable accounts we have
from time to time related respecting the industrious crea-
ture, the bee, but none more singular than the following :
Mr. John Dodd, of Break-Neck-Hall, Castlegate, Penrith,
saddler, had a hive of bees which cast on the 15th day of
June last, and the same hive had two other casts on the 23d
and 26th of the same month, and, most strange to say, the
last of the three swarms, swarmed on the 30th of the same
month.—Carlisle Patriot.

ANOTHER CAPTURE OF WHALES.— KIEKWALL, SEPT.
25.—Sixty of these monsters were captured near Stromness
last week, supposed to be a part of the same drove that were
attacked in Scapa Bay a few days before. The Earl of Ork-
ney has been with us for the last eight days or so, and pro-
ceeds south to-morrow. He happened to be out the way of
Stromness the day of the whale chase, and joined heart and
hand in the pursuit. The scene was certainly novel in the
extreme.