The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-09-20 00:00:00

CURONICLIt.

A gentleman who arrived by the Prince Coboorg, Ha-
vre Packet. this morning, brings intelligence of the al-
most total destrection of Rouen Cathedral, on Sunday
last. It was set on fire by lightning about live o'clock
in the morning, and continued burning till the evening
of the same day, when the fire was apparently extin-
guished, but shortly afterwards broke out again with re-
doubled fury, and was still raging on Monday morning,
when our informant left Rouen. At that time the
dames had extended themselves over the greater part of
this once splendid edifice. and the great dome had fallen
in with a tremendous crash. Several houses in the vici-
nity have also been destroyed. Tho moat strenous ef-
forts of the firemen could effect nothing against such a
mass of fire ; and, indeed, the melted lead, which ran in
torrents from the roof, rendered a near approach to the
building very hazardous. It is said, that several per-
sons lost their lives, though nothing certain has reached
us. The storm of thunder and lightning which was the
cause of this catastrophe was one of the most terrible
ever witnessed. It afterwards visited Deere de•Orace,
where it is said to have done some damage. The
following historical particulars respecting Rouen Ca-
' thedral may not prove unacceptable to our readers:
it was founded, Anno Domini, 990, by Robert,
Archbishop of Rouen, brother of Richard the Second,
Duke of Normandy, but was not finished till the year
1062. It was 410 feet in length, 83 in breadth, the
length of the eross-aisles was 164 feet, and the height of
the spire 395 feet. There were seven entrances to it,
and 130 windows. It was one of the most costly and ;nap
nificent Gothic structure ever seen; it was literally
frosted with ornaments; there was not the smallest
piece of stone, not the back of a niche, nor the base of a
figure, bet was covered with the finest Gothic work. In
it were inserted the bodies of John. Duke of Bedford.
Regent of Prance; Henry. brother of Richard I. and
the heart of Richard Coar•de-Lion, together with many
other illustrious men. _ _

The following account of the disaster appears in an
extract in the Paris papers from a Rouen Journal :
" The 15th of September, 1822, will unfortunately be
too celebrated in the annals of the city of Rouen. This
morning ate quarter put five o'clock, in the midst of a
slight storm which passed over the town, the lightning
fell on the principal tower of the metropolitan church,
which it struck at the bottom of the spire.
" In an instant the wood-work caught fire, and the
flames spread with each rapidity that in a quarter of an
boor they enveloped the whole tower and reached to its
top. The alarm occasioned by such an event brought
together the whole population: but no human aid could
pre►ent the destruction of the part on fire. and a few mi- '
notes before seven the spire fell upon the roof.
" At this moment the fire enclosed in the tower burst
oat with augmented fury; and while we write this short
notice, nothing more remains of this grand pyramid but
its stone base: the upper roofs of the church are broken
through by the fragments fallen upon them; and the
terrified imagination, considering the vut number of
houses adjoining this grand edifice, knows not where the
deplorable disaster will stop.
"The difficulty of collecting facts in the midst of
such a scene of desolation compels us to postpone details
till to-morrow. We content ourselves now with stating.
that the greatest activity prevails among the citisens,
the firemen, and the soldiers of the garrison, to alleviate
as far as possible the terrible consequences of this cala-
mity."

Last week a young couple applied to the different
Clergymen in the district of Whitehaven for a marriage
license, and finding the road to the altar of Hymen so
beset by legal difficulties that it was impossible for them
to obtain the object at that time so ardently wished for,
were therefore determined at once to surmount this dif-
ficulty, and, having ascertained the legality of Scotch
marriages, set off for Annan (where daily numbers go
on the same errand); there the golden chain was duly
riretted, and the happy couple, after defraying their tra-
velling expenses, and payinig the trifling fee to the Ma-
gistrate, found that their ourney had cost them less
than the license alone wend have done, had they ob-
tained it in the first instance.

On Sunday last the banns of marriage were put up be.
tween two couple of votaries to Hymen, in the parish of
St. Mary the Virgin, Dover. This is the only solitary
instance, since the passing' of the delectable Marriage
Act, out of a population of 19,003 souls io this parish,
although before the obnoxious clauses passed, there were
ten or twelve couples every Sunday.
Is the coarse of the last week no less than twenty-
three couple, all of the better classes of society, the
ladies attended by their mothers, brothers, or other
friends in years, have arrived in Dublin. on matrimonial
excursions. One Minister only, received CM Tuesday
last, a present of twenty guineas, and two other presents
of large amount. fur uniting these couples. The ob-
noxious provisions of the Marriage Act not extending
to Ireland. this country may be termed, until its repeal,
" the land of Morriage."—(Dublio paper.)
A young lady, aamed Tb Newlau, was corm
mitted for having taken a hat from the head of Mr.
M'Cormick, and run into Pye.cormer with it. When
takes, elle declared, "on her honour it was only a
Joke."--(Disblia paper.)
Oa Saturday last. Thos. Briefly. whir. with. Thos.
Ellis. sad Sam. Rows, were ecinvicted at the late Ches. '
ter Amine for a most daring highway robbery, soar
Coagletoo, sacred the seaman of the law at Meter.