The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-04-03 00:00:00

CONFLAGRATION AT BUTE HOUSE.

We lament to have the painful task of stating that all the
magnificent productions of the pencil of Cipriani and 'tither
Italian artists, who flourished seventy years since in this coun-
try are destroyed by the accidental fire which we announced in
our paper of yesterday to have taken place at this spacious
mansion, built by the great Earl of Bute during the period of
Rockingham administration. These gems of art decorated
five spacious saloons—we mean the walls and architraves of the
doorways—the style wholly Etruscan. In addition to the loss of
most valuable furniture may be mentioned the massive ruirrers
from the ceilings to the floor, occupying every vacant place.
The fire was first discovered at nine o'clock on Saturday even-
ing, when smoke issued from the staircase and entered the great
hall. The porter ascended, and on opening the drawing-room
the flames burst out, when, with great presence of mind, he
closed the door and ran out for assistance. Fourteen engines
speedilyarrived and were brought into play without opening a
single window, and by this precaution the mansion was saved,
but the entire destruction of the invaluable hangings, has been
the consequence. We have seen the interior; the great com-
municating beams of oak which supported the brick walls are
reduced to charcoal. The flooring and joists on the north side
are in the same state, and the ceiling having fallen in, the joists
there are also burnt to a cinder. The pipes were introduced up
the staircase into the grand saloon, for therein what we have
above described took place. The cause of the fire was as follows:
—During the autumn of the last year workpeople were em-
ployed to erect a flue in the nursery of the Earl of Cawdor's
house, and they, cutting into the wall, brought the flue directly
under a large horizontal beam in Bute house, which evidently
had been in a smouldering state for ,plany days. An express
was sent down to Kinnoul Park, St. Asaph, on Sunday morn-
ing. Bute House. in South Audley street, forms a promident
feature when viewed from Hyde Park, with its four bow-fronts
of a beautiful red brick and inimitable workmanship.—Morning
Post.

MEETIEG OF HOUSE-OWNERS ON THE EFFECT
OF THE POOR LAW BILL.

On Monday evening a meeting of owners of houses in the
'rower Hamlets was held at the Earl Grey tavern, Mile-end-
road, for the purpose of petitioning parliament to amend the
laws relating to landlords and tenants.
Thomas Single, Esq., having been called to the chair, stated
the objects for which the meeting had been called, to petition
the legislature for a less expensive and more summary mode of
ejecting bad tenants, who would not or could not pay rent for
the premises they oceupied. He cited many instances which
had come to his knowledge, and in some of which be himself
had experienced Much loss and vexation, of tenants keeping
possession of premises for a long term, until the landlord was
compelled, to avoid the more expensive process of law, to com-
pound with the person who had defrauded him of his rent, and
pay a considerable sum to regain possession of his premises.
(Hear.) He then went largely. into the. general grievances of
which landlords have so much to complain, and re/narked that
the new poor law bill would add to the burdens under which
they already suffered. Ile stated that at Duriinow twenty-
seven parishes had already been united, and much extra ex-
pense incurred, and although a public meeting of the inhabi-
tants had remonstrated with the poor law commissioners, it was
found toavail nothing, for they were told them they had nothing
whatever to do with the matter, the whole power resting with
the Commissioners and the Board of Guardians, who would
make all contracts, appoint four relieving officers at a salary of
£BO each, a clerk at £lO, and auditors with a salary also.
(Cries of "Shame, shame.") He mentioned this fact, because
the same scene was soon to be enacted in the 'rower Hamlets,
and he was sure that it would be found to act most injuriously
to honse-owners. He knew it had been stated that the poor-
rate would be reduced, but this was a mere cheat; for much
of this increased expenditure would be defrhyed from the
county-rate, Which would be most enormously increased.
(Hear. hear.) He thought it was therefore necessary that
landlords should exert themselves at the present crisis to keep
up the value of house property, and to this end they could
not do better than procure amore summary mode of ejecting
bad tenants. (Cheers.)
A petition to the House of Commons, setting forth the losses
and injuries sustained by landlords in consequence of fraudu-
lent tenants being enabled to keep possession of houses, and
praying fur a summary mode of ejectment, was read and agreed
' to.
Several gentlemen addressed the meeting in favour of the pe-
tition, and, a deputation having been appointed to wait on Dr.
Lushington to request him to present it, and on the other me-
tropolitan members to support it, the meeting adjourned.
Several meetings in various parts of the metropolis were an-
nounced to take placeshortly on the same subject, and an asso-
ciation of landlords to protect their mutual interests was entered
into.