The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1823-03-19
LFom the Boston Evening Gazette. I
GREAT FIRE IN CANTON.

by the ship Caledonia, which has ar
rived il Philadelphia from Canton,
whence she sailed on the 10th of No
vembeI last, numerous accounts have
been received of very extensive and
destructive fire, that commenced in the
suburb of that city on the evening of
the frs of the same month. The con-
fiagratpn began in little dyeing estab-
lishmeit, directly North of the Facto-
ries, at the distance of nearly one mile
and by mitAight bad gained so great
height, and iproached the factories with
such incredible rapidity, with strong
wind blowing lirectly towards them, as
to excite the most alarming apprehen.
sions.
Orders were 10 consequence sent to
Whampoa for eNery man that could be
spared from the shipping, with the in
tention of leVellins the Chinese build
ings, Immediately Connected with the
factories, as the onl means of saving
them; as it was ascertained that the
Chinese were making 40 efforts what
ever to extinguish the fire. Having
but little water, and most wretched
means of applying it, an their attempts
proved unavailing; and a scene of I'M
equalled confusion and distress prevail
ed, in endeavouring 10 slve their prop
erty from the flames, which the con-
fined streets aud immense throng rem
dered impossible.
The fire rapidly approached the val
liable European and American factories
at about midnight, and measures were
Immediately taken 10 remove the prop
erty contained in them; at about A
O'Clock, the wind blowing fresh, the fire
had spread over large space, and most
of the factories were soon after in
blaze. The crews of the vessels, though
they,arriVed too late, were of great as
sistance in removing the goods and specie
to the boats which covered the river,
and we're promiscuously loaded with ar
ticles ofeVery description, belonging to
Chinese, European and Americans. The
wind Increasing to a strong gale blew a
continual stream of fire directly in front,
and reldered fruitless all attempts to ar
! rest thu progress of the flames. The
fire lased about SO hours, and prostrat-
| ed at the lowest estimation, 1000 houses,
and 1900 buildings at the largest, de-
| priying from "a to $4,000 inhabitants of
their homes
II wasimpossible to ascertain with any
! degree If accuracy the amount Of prop
erly destroyed The loss to the Chi
nese was incalculable. The greater
| proportion of buildings, however, con-
sisted Of small Shops, and dwellings Of
| the lower orders. The amount of prop
erty destroyed mast have been i'm.
mense, from the total impossbility OF
| removing the bulky articles, of which il
principally consisted !. upwards of 10000
chests OF black, and 10000 chests o.
| green teas, were destroyed. The secu-
rity merchants, Mauqua, Ponkequa
| Chunq5a, and Futguas' Hongs, were en-
tirely Consumed Mauqua sustained
heavy oss, principally in teas, having
| 1000 chests in his Hong at the time. A
very Considerable amount in manufac-
| tured silks, and other articles of sinai
| bulk, il the hands of the merchants.
were saved; but large quantity OF
| silks in an unfinished state in the hands
of the manufacturers, was lost, as tie
fire originated with them, and destroyed
great number of their establishments
The English East India Company, in
dependentIy Of the total destruction of
their SPLENDID buildings, experienced a
loss in voolIen and other goods estsmated
| at one million and ha,f of dollars
| The whole Of their loss is stated at
| from two to three millions of dollars.
The loss sustained by the Americans,
| compared to The immense amount Ill
danger, was very tritilng, not exceeding
in MERCHANDISE S 100000. The specie
| which remained IN several OF the facto-
ries during the fire, was fortunately all
recovered, except from one vault which
had been entered by the Chinese, and
robbed Of few thousand dollars before
they were detected.
We have seen letter, which states,
"that the foreigners with their proper
ty, were obliged to retreat into boats in
the river, where they remained two or
three DAYS. The scene is represented as
the most dreadful spectacle they ever
saw some boats with families some dis
lance from them caught fire and were
blown from the shore, by the violence
ofthe wind, in flames, where they were
all consumed without the possibility of
aid. The foreigners are now living on
board their ships at Wampoa, about 9
q