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CHRONICLE. 



JANUARY. 



let A ^^UT eleven o'clock, 

 /m on Monday night, a tre- 

 raendousfire happened at the wharf 

 of Messrs. Pocock and Buckley, 

 Whitefriars Dock. It commenced 

 at the dwelling house of Mr. Po- 

 cock, coal-merchant, at the bottom 

 of the wharf, and about twelve 

 o'clock the flames illuminated the 

 horizon manymiles round London. 

 Several piles of deals which stood 

 near the house caught the flames 

 with astonishing rapidity; and the 

 spectacle was awful, grand, and 

 terrific. In Fleet-street and the 

 Strand the light was almost as vivid 

 as in the day-time. The timber- 

 yard being close to the Thames, 

 the light was thrown along the 

 river, and presented a full view of 

 thehouses alongtheoppositebank. 

 The drums beat, and the bugle 

 sounded to summon the volunteers, 

 who attended with alacrity to ren- 

 der assistance. The streets were 

 crowded with people; the bridges 

 were covered with spectators, and 

 the coal-craft on the river also dis- 

 played a multitude. The wind be- 

 ingsouth, it was generally expected 

 that the houses at the entrance of 

 the yard would have been consura- 

 VoL. LIl. 



ed, and the efforts of the firemen 

 were chiefly directed to prevent the 

 fronts of the buildings exposed to 

 the heat from taking fire. Provi- 

 dentially thewindshifted, and blew 

 the flames another way, and all the 

 housesescaped, with the exception 

 of Mr, Pocock's houseand a stable. 

 During the confusion it was dif- 

 ficult to remove many valuable 

 horses. There were nineteen in the 

 stable,and nine of them wereburnt. 

 The carcases of these animals re- 

 mained half-burnt on the ruins. 

 About six o'clock the fire was 

 greatly reduced ; and hours after 

 the deals, coals and timber, which 

 had produced the blaze of light, 

 were burnt level with the ground, 

 someapprehensionswereentertain- 

 ed for the Grand Junction Canal 

 store-house ; and even in the In- 

 ner Temple several engines were 

 brought down to the bottom of 

 King's Bench Walk, under an idea 

 that the fire might possibly extend 

 to that quarter. Since the burning 

 of Drury-lane theatre (see Annual 

 Reg. for 1809, p. 317) no fire in 

 the metropolis has assumed such a 

 terrific appearance. NearlySO.OOO/. 

 of timber, 7,000/. of which hadonly 

 been landed a few days before, and 

 was not insured, was burnt. Two 

 R 



