KEPOKT OP THE SECKETAEY. 



combustion directly ioto the chimney, from which it was only separated 

 by the th.ckness of a single hrick. For what reason it h.^ not be n 

 P need .n the m.ddle between the two windows is unknown, Itis 

 .emembered that some ten years previous to the fire this opelJ 

 was dur,„g several weeks, used for the insertion of a stove pipe 



odhad"""r°" ""'''"' =•* '"" *'"^' ""' '" '^^ interval' the 



Constantly impressed with the fact that the interior of the two 

 w.ng.s and the connecting ranges were constructed of combustJ^^^ 

 material, I have always telt great anxiety on account of the liabiUtv 

 . '»;™fl«8-t.on of these parts of the building. The rest of t e e dt 

 fie . w,th the exceptton of the interior of the towers, was supposed 

 t.b secure from .njury of this nature. A night watch was co„ 

 Stan ly kept, barrels and buckets filled with water were placed at 

 su.table points and strict rules were adopted prohibiting the carry- 

 n g of exposed hghts, as well as the practice of smoking in any pirt 



een thefi.e havng been communicated at a point where danger 



vas least suspected, and in a manner which rendered its occurrence 



sooner or later almost inevitable. uiicnce 



The weather at the time was extremely cold, and before the engines 

 could be brought ,nto operation the whole of the roof was in flames 

 Commencng at the west end of the centre building, the flame; 

 were dr.ve, by the wind, which blew from that dir;ction. eZ- 

 "...dly, and fortunately away from the library, in the west wino- 

 The clestructl™ of the roof of the main building involved that of 

 he contents^ of the rooms immediately beneath it, and also those of 

 the three prmcipal towers adjacent. In the former were the Indian 

 portrait gallery, the lecture room, and the apparatus rool ^he firs" ' 



tdZrrlTr "" '"'■^'' '""'"'■"" °f P^'-'^-'S^ ^'y ^^- Stanley 

 and a senes of Indmn portraits belonging to the government. The 



lecture room was constructed on acoustic and optical principles', and 

 not only answei-ed perfectly the ends for which it was immediately 

 mtended but had served also as a model for lecture rooms in various 

 parts of the country. The apparatus room contained the principal 

 part of the articles presented by the late Dr. Robert Hare and a 

 large number of instruments of recent construction, intended both for 

 lilustration and original research. 



The losses in the south tower were, first, the contents of the Re<^ents' 

 room, including the personal effects of Smithson; second, those' of a 



