The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-09-04
Prompt and Efficient Exertion and the
COnilagratiOn Subdued.
Scene In the Aisles After the Disaster
Church Thanksgiving In the Ruins
Carelcssness the Cause Of Dan.
ger-The Insurance.
TELEGRAM TO TIE NEW york HERALD.

bf St. Thomas Beckett, and of the tomps Of the
tonages would be endangered by the flames.
seThe despatch says THE fire was first discovered
over the altar in the eastern end Of the magnificent
cathedral, and the flames are spreading rapidly.
The flremen are on the ground, but no water can
be obtained to throw upon the ming edifce"
e: PROGRESS OF THE CONFEDERATION.
A second despatch from Canterbury, written near
the scene OF the disaster at eleven O'Clock in the
morning, came to hand In London at noon.
q This telegram supplies the following particulars
OF the progress OF the fire in the Cathedral
The names now have g@r!sgl nGla g tAs sast;
altar and shrine Of st. Thomas Beckett
Az =, DIRECTION or TIE WIND. l. -;
the direction Of the wind is favorable to the
spread Of the fire. and 1t Is feared the entire struc.
ture will be destroyed. " 49, --A-!>.e-
FIREMEN AND SOLDIERS AT WORK.
A supply OF water has, fortunately, been oh.
tanned, and the lremen assisted by the entire gar.
Fison Of Canterbury, arg making every effort to
gave the sacred building from total destruction.
I CITIZEN ALARA.
The citizens OF Canterbury are alarmed and
grieved universally, and the utmost excitement
prevails all over the limits Of the corporation.
va THE FLAMES EXTINGUIsHED.
despatch dated In Canterbury at still later
hour than the foregoing was received in the me.
tropos at the hour OF two O'Clock in the afternoon.
II supplies the welcome intelligence that 1.-THE fire
IN the cathedral has been extnguished." The nre.
mon obtained control Of the flames shortly before
noon, and at halipast twelve O'Clock the connagra.
ton was suppressed.
!, The engines, however, were still playing op the
building - IN srr,n,s.., ~ !, -
=. THE HOPEFUL ASSURANCE MADE CERTAIN
At the hour Of three O'Clock In the afternoon came
additional dispatches nom Canterbury stating:-
1.-THE fire In the cathedral has been completely OK.
tinguished and the 1remeA have ceased playing on
the buildingn 49, = r. = z-:,c-------
%Fire companies, which We're summoned from the
heighborhg towns when the total destruction of
the cathedral was imminent are now arriving at
Canterbury, but their services are not required
~ EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.
The roof Of the cathedral, to the extent OF one
hundred and nifty ieet was completely destroyed.
The SHRINE of st. Thomas Beckett has not been In.
lured.
The Mosaic pavement Of the cathedral Is covered
with melted lead. which dropped from the burning
roof
The altar was deluged with water.
The interior Of the edince is filed with smoke.
Everything that could possibly be moved was got
put OF the cathedral before the hremen commenced
to pour water on it.
tits hoped that when q thorough examination is
made 1t will lie found that the damage Is not as
FERROUS as now appears.
THE INSURANCE.
Canterbury Cathedral Is insured in the Sun In
aurancc Company.
ORIGIN OF THE DISASTER.
The fire originated In the accidental upsetting Of
n cha al firm xvh tch woo haiu hv
workmen who were repairing the lead roof Of the
Cathedral.
RELIGIOUS rHANksaIvrNa.
Z IT has been the habit for the past three hundred
years 10 hold religious services In the cathedral
daily. This custom was not broken by the fire, as
services were held after the suppression Of the
flames.
History Of Canterbury Cathedral.
/ The Cathedral OF Canterbury was the first
seat of episcopal authority In Great Britain.
Its site was that Of the first Christian temple
erected In England, the builders OF which are re-
puted to have been Christian soldiers Of the Roman
army. This edince was turned from the uses for
which 1t was built by the SaxOns, who made It o
place for their
IDoLArRors WORSHIP.
Ethelbert the Fifth King OF Kent, became allied
In marriage to Bertha, the daughter Of Chidebert,
King OF France, some time before the year 597, A.
D. Queen Bertha was jealous Christian, and had
stipulated that she should be allowed to con.
tinue to attend the ceremonies OF her faith
In her new home. She therefore brought with
her to England, as her chaplain, hubbard, Bishop
pi Scissors. This preate performed the ceremonies
Of the Catholic Church In the whilom Christian
chapel, and thus 1t was again brought to the pur.
pose for which 1t was devised In the year above
mentioned Augustine, Roman prelate, now known
~ saint and often called the
APOSTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN
was sent by Popc Gregory the Great, with forty
missionaries to cultivate the seed Of faith that had
been planted In England by queen Bertha and her
chaplain. Upon his arrival In England he wOr.
shipped In the church OF Canterbury, and began
MS ministrations to the needs OF the pagan
islanders. There are many opinions prevailing
among those interested in old Church history OF the
efficacy and propriety OF those minstrations. With
those matters, however this article has nothing to
90 The heart Of King Ethelbert had become at.
arrival In the country Augustine
BAPTIZED TuR KING
soon after created ON archbishop, and Ethebert.
OF Canterbury, with ali It's dependencies, as his see
and thus tho church Of Canterbury became the
tScrttes. IN sol. A. D., and to others in eli. A d.
aud his body was Inferred IN the yard OF q monas-
terry he had instituted. IL was aterward trans
ferred to the north porch OF the cathedral, and
finally into its body. This structure Of the
ROMAN CHRISTIANS
with some alterations, Is supposed to have con-
tinued to be used until the eighth century.
Then, 1t Ii asserted by many authorities,
Archbishop Theodore began the erection OF
another building on It's site. This ednce
was finished by Archbishop Bregwlne, In 76o
Other equally good authorities however, from
comparing the figures on the capitals OF the col
umns OF both, conceive the origin OF the undercroft
OF the cathedral to have been coeval with that OF
GRYMBALD's CRYPT
at oxford, which is believed to have been con.
structcd In the ninth century. The primitive form
Qf the cathedral edidce. as described by contempt