Year: 1861

through, till they became red hot masses.
Mr.. Braidwood, the chief of the brigade,
at once discerned the true state of the case,
and predicted from his survey the magni-
tude Of the conAagration. 1t was the last
opinion he was fated to utter. A few
minutes later, as he was placing his men
at their posts and encouraging them by
his directions and example, he met his
death. A tremendous explosion of salt
peter in vault shook down the entire
frontage of warehouse, and he was
burned under the ruins. His fall. dis
mayed his men, already distressed by the
severity of their duties, and yet they
rushed like brave followers to his rescue
but in vain. A second explosion drove
them from the spot, and the ascendancy
Of the fire was now complete. 1t does not
seem, indeed, that there was ever much
chance of subduing the flames even from
the first, but from this moment the con-
test was decided. The brigade was pow
erless. All our great engines and all our
trained firemen were Of no avail Our
tireproof buildings failed to keep out the
fire. and it depended simply on the force
and direction of the wind how much of
Southwark might be left standing on
Monday morning.


Providcntially, the night was calm; yet
every now and then, when little gust
came up the river the redoubled roar Of
the flames and fakes of fire launched into
the atmosphere showed the magnitude Of
the peril. Even as it was, the spectacle
and the ruin are alike without parallel in
our time. Three acres of ground were.
gradually covered with a mass of fire
glowing and cracking at white heat like
lake Of molten iron. The saltpeter, the
tallow, the tar, and the other combusti-
bles stored in the warehouses ran blazing
into the river, until the very stream ap-
peared to be covered with flames. Ships
were burned as we'll as houses, and the
danger to life was almost as great on the
Thames as in the street. The glare Of
the confagration was. not only visible,
but strikingly conspicuous, thirty miles
off, The multitude of spectators was
enormous, and the excitement incredible,
we may truly say, indeed, that never,
for two centuries, has the metropolis seen
such catastrophe. rg


The original account seems to indicate,
pretty clearly the probable origin of the.
fire. 1t is not the first time that hemp
and jute have been found in spontaneous
combustion; but two circumstances are.
reported which may have conduced to the,
spread of the conhagration, apd the help
lessness of those who attempt to subdue it,
The workmen employed in the warehouse
had omitted, it is said, to close the iron
doors by which communication was MAIN
tained between the several divisions of the
building, and for the first hour or So
that is to say, at the very time when the
play of the engines would have been most
cfective-there was little water to be OBJ
tained. Whether the flames could have
been got under at this particular conjunc-
ture must now remain matter of specula-
tion only; but it seems plain that by 6 o.
clock the fire had established it's mastery,
and that mans effort were vain. From
that time was seen how limited are the.
powers of modern science. The new bull
dings would have resisted an ordinary fire.
but not fire like this. The most pro-
digious jets of water went for nothing
against acres of fame. A steady breeze
from the river, and half Southwark might
have been in ruins. Happily the air was
still; but SO terrible has been the danger
that we may look even upon this calamity
in the light of an escape


i GIVE THE PRINTERS FAIR PLAY.--We