264 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



sion of danger to their lambs in the 

 spring if they should remain there; 

 but hitherto without success. They 

 have already made destruction 

 among the rabbits on the warren, 

 near the signal station. 



In digging for peat, near New- 

 bury, great numbers of trees are 

 frequently found at various depths. 

 The nearer they lie to the surface, 

 the less sound is the wood. These 

 trees are generally oaks, alders, 

 willows, and firs, besides some 

 others not easily ascertained. No 

 acorns are found in the peat, but 

 many cones of the fir-tree and nut- 

 shells are dug out. A great num- 

 ber of horns, heads, and bones, 

 of several kinds of deer, the horns 

 of the antelope, the heads and the 

 tusks of boars, the heads of bea- 

 vers, and other animals, are also 

 occasionally discovered. An urn 

 of a light-brown colour, and large 

 enough to contain above a gallon, 

 was found at four feet from the 

 surface. It was unfortunately in- 

 jured by the spade, and was brought 

 up in small pieces. No coins have 

 been discovered. The ground in 

 which the peat is found is meadow 

 land, and consists chiefly of a 

 %vhitish kind of earth. The top of 

 the true peat is met with at various 

 depths, from one foot to eight feet 

 below the surfaces; and the depth 

 of the peat also various, from one 

 foot to eight or nine feet. The 

 ground below it is very uneven, and 

 generally gravel. 



3. Fire at Christ Church Ox- 

 Jbrd. — A fire was discovered, about 

 a quarter before 12 this night, in 

 the apartments of Mr. Brown (a 

 student of Christ Church, son of 

 Edward Brown, esq. of Stamford), 

 supposed to have been occasioned 

 by some sparks communicating to a 

 beam which ran across the chimney. 



The conflagration was most alarm- 

 ing; and the rapidity with which 

 it spread may be easily conceived, 

 when the amazingquantity of wood- 

 work which this immense pile con- 

 tains is remembered. Although the 

 alarm was immediately given, the 

 flames for a long time resisted the 

 united efforts of the engines of 

 Christ Church, of the different 

 colleges, and of the city ; consum- 

 ing the greater part of the south- 

 west angle, and threatening with 

 destruction that magnificent struc- 

 ture the Hall. Fortunately, how- 

 ever, the night was calm, and there 

 was a plentiful supply of water, or 

 this splendid room must inevitably 

 have fallen. The apartments de- 

 stroyed are those of Dr. White, 

 regius professor of Hebrew, of 

 Messrs. Brown, James, senior 

 Kiough, and Meyler. Those of 

 Lord Apsley, Messrs. Cleaver, 

 Smelt, James, junior, Glasse, Roe, 

 Buxton, and Finch, are partially 

 injured. The loss is estimated at 

 12,000/. The exertions of the 

 gentlemen of the University, as 

 well as the inhabitants, were very 

 great; owing to which the fire was 

 got under before seven o'clock in 

 the morning. Only one accident 

 occurred; which was to Mr. Smyth, 

 of Oriel, who dislocated his knee 

 in an attempt to force open a door, 

 and whose activity and exertions, 

 previous to this circumstance, were 

 conspicuous in the highest degree. 

 Part only of Dr. White's very va- 

 luable books and MSS. have been 

 saved. 



1 1 . Wonderful Production of 

 Nature, nmv exhibiting at the 

 house lyf Mr. Polley, No. 17, Neio 

 Bond-street. — Miss Beffin, a young 

 lady who was born deficient of arms 

 and legs — she is of a comely ap- 

 pearance, 24' years of age, and 



only 



