CHRONICLE. 
maker, and burned with irresistible 
fury, for upwards of an hour, be- 
fore any water could be procured, 
and then not in sufficient quantity 
to stop the progress of the flames, 
as the workshops and- back-build- 
ings have been entirely destroyed. 
Providentially, about 6 o’clock, a 
sufficient supply of water was ob- 
tained, and, about 7, the flames were 
entirely got under, without doing far- 
ther damage. Great praise was given 
to the St. James’s volunteers, who 
contributed much to the safety and 
preservation of the property of the 
inhabitants. When the fire broke 
out, Mr. Walker’s family were all 
from home, and the door of the 
house was obliged to be broke 
open. 
25th. The forest of Culross was 
this day accidentally set on fire, by 
which an extensive range of trees 
have been burnt down, and many 
others damaged. ‘The fire com- 
menced about 8 in the morning, 
pretty far west, and was occasioned 
by the burning of some whimns ata 
place called Keir. ‘The wind being 
south-west, it took its direction to 
the north-east, and, at the time, 
burned with such fierceness, as to 
give reason to apprehend the whole 
forest would have been consumed : 
it, however, abated in the afternoon, 
and terminated in the evening. 
26th. Wehave the pleasing task 
of recording a display of British 
feeling and patriotism, which the 
world and posterity must contem- 
plate with admiration. A meeting 
was this day held, upon the Royal 
Exchange, of the merchants, ban- 
kers, ship-owners, traders, and 
other inhabitants of this metropolis, 
for the purpose of expressing their 
sentiments in support of their king 
and constitution, and the honour 
Al} 
and independence of their country. 
At 1 o’clock, between 4 and 5,000 
of the most opulent and respectable 
of the mercantile interest filled. the 
area of the Royal Exchange; while 
those who were more immediately 
instrumental in forwarding the 
meeting, occupied a temporary 
booth, erected within the walk, up- 
on the east side. Among them we 
distinguished those who rank first in 
the city of London for character 
and wealth; men whose breath 
could, in an instant, raise millions 
of money, should the service of their 
country require it. Jacob Bosan- 
quet, esq. was unanimously called to 
the chair, and peals of applause ra- 
tified the choice. Mr. D’ Almeida, 
the secretary of the East-India 
company, read the advertisement 
under which the meeting had been 
convened : when the chairman, in a 
manly and energetic manner, and m 
a speech truly worthy of a Briton, 
entered more at large into the cause 
which had occasioned the assembly 
being called, and proposeed to them 
the following * Declaration.” 
‘¢ We, the merchants, bankers, 
traders, and other inhabitants of 
‘London and its neighbourhood, 
deem it our bounden duty, at the 
present momentous period, to make 
public our unanimous determination 
to stand or fall with our king and 
country. 
‘¢ The independence and exist- 
ence of the British empire —the 
safety, the liberty, the life of every 
man is at stake. ‘The events, per- 
haps, of a few months, certainly of 
a few years, are to determine whe- 
ther we and our children are to 
continue freemen and members of. 
the most flourishing community in 
the world, or whether we are to be 
the slaves of our most implacable 
enemies— 
