, 1866-04-03
5 e. O TX A $,

dent Cnen IMAM the WuOl0 range VI ~
warehouses extending to the eastward,
was doomed. The brigade men strug-
gled manfully against the immense body
Of flames, but it was clear that the efforts
of the whole force of the brigade was OF
no avail in checking the force Of the
destructive element. There were about
o dozen steam and land engines at full
work in upper East Smithfield, and the
floating engines in active work IN the
basin of the dock, but still the fire ex-
tended, and at length reached the ex-
IRENE eastern end of the d warehouse
opposite the entrance Of the London
Dock. It is long since the London fire
men have had to encounter such an
overwhelming body of fire and they
never met with a more treacherOus con-
fagration, for the fire seemed 10 defy
every movement to check its progress.
The flames gradually penetrated into
the warehouses at the extreme end OF
the buildings, wherein was slowed evil
IDENTIFY o large amount Of inf1ammable
material, as an immense body Of fire shot
up from the roof, lighting up the whole
district.
During the night and the whole of
Tuesday the entire available force OF
the brigade in men and engines was
engaged in an incessant struggle to eX-
tinguish the fire. Thirteen powerful
steam fire engines and one floating en-
CINE kept throwing immense volumns Of
water over the building, but it was not
until Tuesday evening that the brigade
could be said TO have obtained the mas
tery over the fire. The contents in four
of the top stories had then been cOnsum-
ed, as had also the roof and floors. The
walls only remaining. The materials
destroyed by the second outbreak con-
sisting as they chiefly did of tallow, oil,
and dyewood, were in the aggregate of
i~ncomparably greater value than those
consumed by the first days fire.
About daybreak on Wednesday the
Fire Brigade, after nearly fifty hours
incessant and laborious eXertions-with
the aid of the largest force of steam en-
gines and water power ever brought into
operation in London-succeeded in QuelI-
ing the ravages of this very destructive
con1agration. There certainly remained
o considerable body of fire among the
ruins, but not sufficient to excite appre-
hension that further mischief would arise
therefrom. The only fear entertained by
the brigade was, that some other portion
of the docks might be fred by design,
as they consider the two warehouses
were, that were burned down on Mon
day night. The dock officers, under the
direction of Mr.. Graves, were fully alive
10 the importance of their responsibility,
and a strict watch was kept day and
night throughout every department of
the docks. Some Of the land steam en-
gines were withdrawn on Monday even
ing from the fire three or four, hOwev-
er, still remained, and the river steam
floating engine continued in the Import
Basin, playing on the ruins. The Com
pany's hydrants were also throwing up
tons upon tons of water. A large mum
Der of brigademen were told off by Cap
tain Shaw TO be on guard in the docks
for the night, and everything was in read
mess in case of an emergency. The
water of the Import Basin was covered
with tallow and oil to a considerable
thickness. The grease had flowed from
the warehouse while on fire, and had
ran down the quay into the dock,