The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1833-01-22 00:00:00

THE FIRE IN LANCELOT'S HEY, &c.

The immense
.pile of buildings which, on Monday evening,
contained property to the amount of £200,0001 and which was,
on Tuesday morning, a black and smoking ruin, stood between
the New Quay and Lancelot's Hey. The Liverpool reader
need not be told, that the New Quay is a street which runs
parallel with the Prince's Dock, from, which it is divided by a
blank wall only, and that Lancelot's-hey is another street
which runs parallel with the New Quay, the back of the
houses in one touching the back of the houses in the othei.
The space between both streets is, or rather was, tilled by a
vast pile of warehouses without yards.
About nine o'cleck on Monday night, as Burnett, the watch-
man, (No, 108,) was going his rowans, he thought he smelled
fire, and mentioned his apprehensions to Mr. Pritchard, the
baker, in Queen-street. Mr. Pritchard also thought the same,
and both went round to satisfy themselves, but they could see
nothing to justify their suspicions. About five minutes before
the clock struck eleven, William Murray, a
.young man who
lives in Queen-street; discovered that an office in Mr. Wilson's
warehouse was on fire, and he called the watchman. Burnett
sprang his rattle, and Murray ran to ring the bell at the
Parish-office. Before the watchmen could collect, the fire
burst through the windows of Mr. Goudie's* Passengers-
office, and the windows of the warehouse above them, and,
with amazing rapidity, the flames seized the windows of Mr.
Molyneux's warehouses, which overlooked the narrow passage
between Mr. Wilson's of te and Mr. Goudie's office. At the
same time the fire had made its way. from Mr. Goudie's office
into the paint stores of Mr. Thomas Croston, jun., and the in-
flammable materials it found there increased its fury. At first it
was reported, that the fire originated in Mr. Croston'S store;
but such is not the fact. Mr. Crostou was prohibited by Mr.
Wilson from lighting a fire and, for three weeks before he had
never had even a light in his store. But Mr. Goudie's and Mr.
Croston's offices were on the second floor of Mr. Wilson's
warehouse, Mr. Croston's, at the end next the New Quay, anti
Mr. Goudie's, next Mr. olyneux's warehouses, the communi-
cation between them consisted of a slight brick partition, in
the middle of which was a window closed up with boards.
It was a singlar feature of this fire, that it made its way
against the wind, instead of with it. The wind blew pretty
strongly all the time from the south and eastward, and tl o
fire commenced at first, as a sailor would express himself, in
the extreme point of the leeward. The last warehouse which
was burnt was wholly separated from the others about two
feet, and stood southernmost of all the rest. Notwithstand-
ing the state-of the wind, the heat emanating from the mass of
burning premises proved so intense that the warehouse caught
fire, and was also destroyed.
By this destructive fire,—more destructive than any fire its
Liverpool since that in the Goree,—there have been destroyed
14 warehouses,
' 9 dwelling-houses,
and, among other property,
12,000 bales and bags of cotton,
15 rooms of bonded and free grain,
700 hhds. of sugar,
together with large quantities of flour, indigo, palm oil, spirits
wine, ram, ashes, &c.
The amount of property destroyed cannot be less than
£200,000. For instance, the 14 warehouses are estimated at
£2OOO each, 9 dwelling-houses at £2OO each, and merchandise
in each warehouse at the average of £12,000. The account
will then stand thus :

Warehouses £28,000
Dwelling-houses 2,000
Alerchandise

Total £198,000
•
On this property insurance was effected to the amount of
£150,000; and, at a meeting of the agents for the different
offices, it was estimated, that the various offices would have to
make good the sums attached respectively to each in the fol-
lowing list:
Sun • £25,000
Phcenix. 34,000
Imperial
Royal Exchange 5,000
West of England. 15,000
Leeds and Yorkshire 3,000
Atlas 4,000
In addition to this sum, the London "Union is, we understand,
in for a considerable sum, but the amount we have not heard..
The property destroyed is reported to have-belonged princi-
pally to the following houses :—Cropper, Benson, and Co. ;
Rathbone Brothers and Co. ; Ewart, Myers, and Co. ; Moly-
neux, Taylor, and Co. ; T. and H. Littledale and Co. ; George
Green and Co.; C., W. and F. Shand; Beckwith and
Hutchinson ; J. and J. lackson ; Gibbs, Bright, and Co. ;
Collmann, Lambert, and Co. ; Gibbons and Healing; Hollins-
head and Tetley; W. P. Bushby ; W. Nevett; P. Marrow;
W. L. Wolstenholme; Robert Greenham; Webster;
Blease.—Journal.
• Mr. Goudie has addressed a letter to the Editor of the .Albion, in
which he states, that there was nothing in his office of a-nature to
unite, and that " five hours previous to the commencement of
the fire he locked up his office, and can make affidavit, that not
seen the least appearance of fire was in the grate." He adds, " that
he has nothing to do with passengers, either as agent or broker."

Globe. . ' X 2,500
Alliance 9,000
Norwich Union l,OOl
Protector B,OOO
Manchester
Guardian . 1,500

ANOTHER ALARMING FIRE.—On Friday evening, about
eight o'clock, another fire, which at one time presented an
alarming appearance, and threatened the most destructive
consequences to the valuable property in the neighbourhood,
broke out in Cable-street. The premises in which the fire ap-
peared were those of- Mr. Benjamin, a dealer in marine stores,
on the right hand side of Cable-street, a little below South
John-street. Mr. Benjamin and his wife had, gone, it appears,
to the Liver Theatre, to witness the performances for the bene-
fit of Mademoiselle Celeste ; leaving their pwn premises shut
up. About eight o'clock the neighbours perceived smoke issu-
ing from the third or upper story of the building, which was
principally filled with bales of rags, and other combustible
materials. As soon as it was discovered that the premises were
on fire, an alarm was given, and a messenger was sent for Mr.
Benjamin. In the mean time the neighbours broke open the
door, and proceeded to the upper room, where they found
several bales of rags in a blaze. They exerted themselves by
throwing out whatever goods they could lay their hands on, but
owing to the rapidity with which the flames increased, very
little was saved. The West of England and Norwich engines
were speedily on the spot, and took their stations in front of the
premises, while that of the "Royal Exchange proceeded to the
rear. As usual, however, there was no water to be had, and
the engines were consequently unable to proceed. At length
the water-cart from Vauxhall-road arrived with a butt of water,
but as the fire, by this time, had acquired an alarming ascen-
dancy, this scanty supply afforded a mere sprinkling. The
rapidity with which the building and its contents were con-
sumed, was truly extraordinary. The flames burst from every
window almost across the street, and threatened the houses
opposite with immediate destruction. The sky was brilliantly
illuminated ; and as the sparks ascended over the brush manu-
factory of Mr. Marsden, the greatest-fears were entertained for
the safety of those extensive premises, as well as for the other
splendid buildings in South. John-street. After the lapse of
half an hour or three quarters, a full supply of water was
obtained from the mains, and the engines,. which were ad-
mirably played, speedily succeeded in extinguishing the fi.ames.
The whole of the premises of Mr. Benjamin, however, with
their contents, were, by this time, destroyed, and the flames
had begun to extend to the dwelling-houses on either side, when
they were happily arrested. The poor people, however, resid-
ing in these houses, have sustained a considerable loss by the
hasty removal of their goods and furniture, and by the deluge
of water poured upon them by the engines. Mr. Benjamin's
loss is estimated at from £3OO to £4OO, and we regret to say
that no part of his property was insured. The building be-
longed to Mr. Beckett, of the American Passengers' Office, and
neither, we understand, was it protected,
byinsurance. The
greatest praise is due to Mr. Parlour and Lieut. Shipp', who
were immediately on the spot., as well as to the firemen and all
the parties engaged in subduing the fire. Mr. Dawson, of the.
Manchester office, was also present, and by his judicious direc-
tions proved of essential service. This is the fourth serious fire
which has occurred in the town within the last eight days.. We
do hope that the attention of the municipal authorities will, at
last, be turned to the subject of an efficient joint fire and police
establishment.

The celebrated Careme' has died just at the moment that he
was about to publish . a news work upon the culinary art. ' Our
gastronomists consider it remarkable tha M. Careme has
died during carnival.—French Figaro.

" OUT OF PLACE."—The situation of the Whigs, at the
present moment, is crtAinly somewhat paradoxical. They are
all, it is true, snugly stowed away in the -conifortable bertha
of government; and 'it is universally admitted, teat they are
out of place.—Whig Dresser,. Ni. 3.

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