The Sun. — 1851-03-27 (London, England)

LATEST PARTICULARS.  A most painful sensation prevailed the whole of yesterday throughout the extensive parish of Newington in reference to the melancholy loss of life which occurred at 31, John-street, noticed above. The house consisted of only three rooms, and from the ground floor to the roof was, probably, not more than 12 or 14 feet high. Mr. Richardson, who with his wife lived in the parlour, on being awoke by the smell of smoke, and on finding that the house was on fire, made his escape as quickly as possible. The policeman, while waiting at the corner of the street for his sergeant, was suddenly alarmed by loud cries of " Police," and "Murder," proceeding from the premises. As soon as he reached the door Mr. Richardson and his wife emerged from the house, and, not knowing that any one else was within, he closed the street door to prevent the draught from forcing the flames through the building until the arrival of his sergeant, who then dispatched him to call the engines. It was not till after the officer had departed that the fearful fact of the poor man and his wife being in the upper room ,!became known. The flames then bad enveloped the ;room in question, rendering it impossible for any one to enter. The Brigade were on the spot in iefisantdhaNnVetsetn of m iEnnugelasndatteernici Zs alarm was given, and by another quarter of an hOur the fire was safely extinguished. Shells having been procured during the morning the mangle d remains were remelted to the dead-house, to await a coroner's inquest. eiP The Brigade authorities durkg the day instituted a very searching inquiry for thejpurpose of ascertaining how the melancholy event b P"ed' the result of which leave 3 no doubt that Witt Mr. and Mrs. Potts, when they arrived home, wow, intoxicated, and it is suspected that in retiring to beg they dropped a spark on to the bedding', which be unperceived must have smouldered until. it broke oin a flame. The poor creatures we're by that time:..po overcome with the liquor thek drank ,that 047 were unable to assist themsOis,, In the Lord Mayor's Court,iesterday, was heard a case of great interest to parties having claims upon Foreign Governments. As far bif64 as the year 1834, the Baron de Haber had, at his private bankers, in London, a considerable sum. The Government being pressed for money, compelled the banker to surrender it for their use, and the Baron received assurances that the amount would be returned. From that day until the present not a sixpence has been refunded, and accordingly to Obtain some settlement of the claim, amounting, with arrears of interest, to about 12,000/., the moneys lodged by the Portuguese Financial agency here with the London Joint Stock Bank, have been attached. The merits of the case as regards the seizure were not before the court., but simply the rights of attachment, and this was held not to exist, because the amount does not belong to the Queen of Portugal, who, it is alleged, has no control whatever over it when once remitted to England. The difficulty, of course, in these cases is to determine the party to whom the money really does;belong. No doubt the case will, in a new shape, be followed up, and if Baron de Haber is unable to recover of the Government, wofethperesseuimzuerehiissbtoaxbkeemr awdie, we shall then probably have it. 11 be liable. If any justification The public debt of Prussia which bears interest amounts to 155 i millions of thalers, to which must be added 8,333,000 thalers of provincial debt. The debt of the State has increased 26,599,006 thalers since 1850.