256 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



heit's tIiermometer,when examined, 

 about half an hour after the shock, 

 indicated a tempeiature of 15 de- 

 grees below the freezing point of 

 water. The preceding day was 

 calm and cloudy ; thermometer, 

 eight A. M. 14 ; eight P. M. 13. 

 The morning of the iSth was calm 

 and cloudy, but the day broke up 

 to sun-shine; thermometer, eight 

 A. M. 19; eight P. M. 16. This 

 was a greater shock than tliat felt 

 at the same place on the 9th of 

 September, about six A. M. several 

 years ago, and had it been succeed- 

 ed by another equally violent, it 

 must have damaged the houses, 

 but fortunately we have heard of 

 no harm being done. 



22. Fire at St. James's Palace. — 

 About half after two this morning 

 a tire broke out in the apartments 

 of the Duke of Cambridge, at St, 

 James's Palace, which raged with 

 great fury for some time. The 

 centinels immediately gave the 

 alarm, and as soon as possible en- 

 gines arrived from all quarters. 

 At first there was a great difficulty 

 in procuring water, but the pipes 

 were extended to the canal in the 

 Park, and it was then obtained in 

 abundance. It was however im- 

 possible, for some time to check 

 the rage of the devouring element, 

 and the whole interior of the south- 

 east-ang)e, fronting Marlborough- 

 house, and extending to the first 

 southern turret, including the tur- 

 ret, was entirely destroyed. The 

 walls and chimnies are standing, 

 and exhibit a mere shell. The 

 Duke was in bed at tne time when 

 the alarm was given, but happily 

 escaped from all danger. The 

 property consumed belonged to the 

 Duke, and consisted chiefly of cu- 

 rious armour, valuable cabinet pic- 



tures, rarities, &c. of which hardly 

 any thing has been saved. Consi- 

 derable part of the furniture was 

 speedily removed into the Palace 

 Garden. 



The flames were checked whers 

 they reached the southern turret. 



Nothing of the fire can be seen 

 from Pall-mall, or St. James's- 

 street. 



Water was also sufficiently sup- 

 plied from the plugs on the western 

 side of the Palace, but the most 

 convenient resource, on account of 

 the direction which the fire took, 

 was derived from the canal. 



The Horse Guards paraded on 

 both sides of the Palace, in order 

 to keep oft' the crowd, which assem- 

 bled in vast numbers, but no dis- 

 turbance or confusion happened ; 

 and, much ai we regret the event, 

 it is a pleasure for us to say, that 

 the consequences are much better 

 than there was reason to apprehend 

 from the place where the fire broke 

 out, the time at which it happened, 

 and the difficulty of procuring 

 water. 



Part of the royal armoury is de- 

 stroyed ; but the contents were in 

 a great degree removed in duetime. 



It has been reported that one 

 of the Maids of Honour fell a vic- 

 tim to suffocation, and that a female 

 domestic was burnt to death ; but 

 we have reason to believe that this 

 report was without foundation, as 

 the alarm was given by the centinels 

 the moment that the fire made its 

 appearance, andthough its progress 

 was rapid before the engines ar- 

 rived, yet there was full time for 

 the inhabitants of the Palace to save 

 themselves, though not to remove 

 the property. 



23. The reality of the exist- 

 ence of the Great Sea Snake, 



described, 



