The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-05-05 00:00:00

E sTif6itAt4

Docents, MAT I.—On Monday evening, a building on
the south side of the Ward, which wss formerly used
as drying lofts for carriers, but which was lately fitted
up as a flax-spinning mill by Messrs. Sharp and Pres-
ton, was consumed by fire. For some time back. 4
the people in the immediate neighbourhood had lived
in perpetual alarm, this building having been seve-
ral times before in danger, and having, from the
craziness of the wall, last week communicated fire to
a malt-barn attached to it. The fire in the present case
originated in the middle flat,—a spark from a crevice in
the chimney having communicated with the inflammable
materials beside the wall: and in a moment (about
half-past seven o'clock in the evening) the whole flat
was wrapped in a sheet of flame. The work-people escap-
ed in haste, bat in safety,—except one man and a girl.
who were somewhat scorched -The flames soon pene-
trated the upper floor; and in a few minutes destroyed
the roof. The burning beams fell down with a crash ;
and sent up a pillar of dusky fire, which illnmineti the
air, and presented a strong contrast to the sober twilight
around, and the clear blue sky. The effect was also
heightened by the lurid glare, the dense rolling smoke,
and fiery sparks, that fell upon the crowds of people who
filled the rising ground or sat upon the walls and the ,
roofs, rising above each other as if in the seats of an am-
phitheatre. Scarcely Waif an hour bad yet elapsed when
both the upper flats were completely destroyed, and the
destructive element made its way to the ground-floor. A
crowd of idlers hail taken possession of a tree within a few
yards of the building: about this time, the trunk snap-
ped with their weight, and laid them all low. The fire
continued to rage with uncontrollable fur ; though, hap-
pily, from the stillness of the evening and the confined si-
tuation of the premises, there was hardly a breath of air
to fan it. The fire-engines were soon on the spot, but
as the ruin of the mill was certain, all efforts were con-
cen•rated to the saving of Mr. Blyth's property, and a
large house belonging to Mr. Lan son, which was occu-
pied by many poor families. These families, in the justi-
tiabl:t alarm of the moment, threw their little furnitnre to
the street, preparing themselves to follow. Had the
wind blown strong et:ter from the north or the east, in
that dangerous neighbourhood of spinning-mills and in
flammable materials, the desolation must have been lament-
able. As it was, a range of small sheds, belonging to Mr.
Blyth, in which flax was kept, was considerably injured,
and a good deal of nut destroyed. As a man was carrying
out a bundle, the dame from the mill e melt it ; but he saved
himself by throwing it out of his arms. At nine o'clock,
the conflagration had not ceased to have fuel ; but
whatever the adventurous periling of life could do,
was dere and dared. Some of the more valu-
able machinery in the lower fist is but little injured.
The accidents of the night remain to be noticed. A
young man lost four of his four teeth, by the stroke of a
tile from the burning roof; a heckler was bruised by a
fall ;and another person was hurt by falling headlong into
the pond while lifting water. As it was not known that
any lives were lost, no one regretted much the destruction
of the mill. Much sympathy, however, was next day
excited, when the workmen employed among the smok-
ing ruins came unexpectedly upon the mangled
corpse of a weaver named Gilchrist. How he came by
his death, remains unknown; but it is supposed that he
had fallen from the wall, and been half crushed half suf-
focated. His corpse was carried home to his bereaved
family. Some abandoned wretches, who prey upon the
misfortunes of their neighbours, were busy while the fire
was raging. A nuipber of articles of furniture and some
bedclothes were carried away from the close in which
they were placed for safety. A man, while working at
the fire-engine, had his watch picked from his pocket. A
gentleman in the crowd had his pocket-book, containing
four or five pounds, taken from ltim. Two men were
knocked down while returning home.
&LOCKING ACCIDENT.—On Thursday, Sir Wm. Curtis.
having gone to dine at his Son's, in Portland-place, the
carriage, and horses bring as usual, eccammodated with
parts of his Son's stabling, the Coachman in the act of
throwing a horse-cloth over one of the horses, received so
violent a kick from the Animal, as knocked out three teeth,
broke his jaw-bone; and otherwise so lacerated his face,
as to render his recovery doubtful. The poor man was im-
mediately taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and was
this morning lingering in a bad condition.
BniatlTON, Max s.—The Governess of a Brothel here,
after seventeen years practice, is, at length, held in a re-
cognizance, to meet the reward doe to some part of her
behaviour, as it may receive the united sanction of a
Jury of her countrymen. The scenes of immorality
brought to light, which she was the chief instrument
employed in giving existence to, are of a character pecu-
liarly atrocious, inasmuch as extortion and fraud were
but too successfully employed against the deluded ob-
jects whom poverty, more than inclination, perhaps,
compelled to struggle for a precarious existence in the
frightful vortex of dissipation. The leading personages,
however, in this affair, and by whom the unprincipled
Governess of the stew, alluded to, and the poor creatures
within her control, were influenced, has been Mr. Webb,
of indiscriminate, and, we may add, extravagant And ju-
dicious liberality, whose indecent participation therein,
to us, savors much of insanity—it subjected Lim to the
disgrace of being apprehended by a warrant, the result
of which was, that lie is held in a heavy recognizance,
with sureties, to be of good behaviour for the ensuing
space of a year. If good behaviour means moral con-
duct, and the withholding of his property, rather than
distribute it for demoralizing purposes, Mr. Webb, has
reason to be thankful, and the public also, for the re-
straint which has thus been imposed upon his actions.—
(Sussex Advertiser.)
Workmen are employed at present in forming at
Edinburgh the new street, to be called Claremont-
street, which runs in a line from Claremont-crescent to'
the centre of Bellevue-crescent. 11 is street, it is un-
derstood, is to supersede that part of the lionnington-
road, which runs parallel with it, and it will form one
of the most magnificent approaches to the city. It is
only to be regretted, that the effect of it will be touch
impaired by the great number of mean straggling
houses at Broughton, where improvements are so very
backward.

At Arundel Market, on Tuesday, Mutton experienced ra-
ther a brisk sale, at from 4s. 6d. to 41. 10,1.--Beef, 3s. 9d.
to 4s.—Lamb (plentiful) ss. to ss.6d.—Veal, 4s. to 4s. 61.
STel/NING BEAST MARKET, on Monday last, exhibited
a good supply of fat Stock, for which the clitoral was
pretty regular. Beef, :3s. BJ. to 4s.—Mutton, 45. Sd• to
4s. lod.—Lamb, (in large supply) averaged at about ss.
6d.

At the llolsworthy fair, on Tuesday last, cattle sold
heavily, and the late prices were &trained with difficulty.