6 
ture was detected lately at the post- 
office in Exeter. A gentleman drop- 
ping a letter into the letter-hole, 
was struck at not hearing it drop 
to the bottom, and on examination 
a case was discovered to have been 
let down the hole by a string, and 
fastened on the outside by a piece 
of watch-spring. It was, when de- 
tected, full of letters, and no doubt 
contained bills to a very consider- 
able amount. ' 
27th. Dublin. About half past 
four o’clock, the sheet-iron funnel 
from one of the stoves, either that 
in the corridore, or that in the hall 
forming the western wing of the 
Court of Requests, which passed 
through the roof close by the base 
of the great dome of the Senate- 
house, was observed from the street 
to be on fire ; but no further notice 
was taken until a few minutes past 
five, when the Members in the 
House of Commons were alarmed 
by the tumultuous bustle of a num- 
ber of people passing and repassing 
in seeming confusion before the 
windows, which, from the base of 
the dome, threw light into the 
House. Immediately an alarm of 
fire was given, and the House filling 
with smoke, corroborated the alarm. 
It was thought, however, too trifling 
to interrupt the business of the 
House, when one of the Members 
who had discerned the fire from the 
street, and had made his way to the 
roof, looking down into the house 
from one of the ventilators, con- 
firmed the apprehensions of those 
within, by saying the dome was 
surrounded by fire, and would tum- 
ble into the House in five minutes. 
The speaker instantly put the ques- 
tion af adjournment; and all the 
members ran into the street, where 
they had the mortification to ob- 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1702. 
serve the flames bursting forth on 
all sides from the base of the dome. 
In less than three quarters of an 
hour the whole dome was surround- 
ed by a volume of fire, which soon 
made apertures on all sides, by 
melting the copper from the wood- 
work, and thus exhibiting the cavi- 
ty of the dome filled with flames like 
a huge furnace. About half past 
six thedome, burnt on all sides from 
its supporting principles, tumbled 
into the house with one great crash. 
The House of Lords, as well as the 
Commons, was sitting and in de- 
bate when the flames first broke out. 
Engines were brought fromall sides; 
but their approach was so tardy, and 
when they did come, the supply of 
water so very scanty, that the rapi- 
dity of the flames baffled all their 
efforts to prevent the total ruin of 
the place. Parties of horse and 
foot from the garrison were imme-. 
diately brought to keep off the po- 
pulace, and prevent as well plunder 
to the chambers as interruption to 
the firemen. The flames, having 
spent their fury on the House of 
Commons, spread their ravages to 
the rest of the building, and blend- 
ed every thing susceptible of com- 
bustion in the commen ruin. Hap- 
pily and providentially the calmness 
of the evening prevented the exe 
tensive mischief that would other- 
wise have been inevitable. The 
valuable library, and all the papers 
of importance, were saved. For 
the remainder of the session the 
House of Commons are to do busi- 
ness in the great room at the west 
front of the building, which was in- 
tended to be appropriated for the 
parliamentary records. 
23. Diep, Sir Joshua Reynolds, 
aged 68. The following character of 
him is the production of Mr. mt 
is 
