CHRONICLE. 
speed took fright at something 
lying on the road, and became so 
unmanageable in the hands of the 
coachman, that in their sweep to 
avoid the object of alarm, the 
driver could not recover them so 
as to clear the post of the turn- 
pike-gate at the bottom of the 
hill, and the velocity was so great 
that in an instant the coach was 
split in two, and by the tremend- 
ous shock three persons were 
dashed to pieces and instantly 
expired, and two others survived 
but a few hours afterwards in the 
greatest agony; four were con- 
veyed away in chaises for surgical 
aid with fractured limbs, and two 
that were in the dicky behind 
were thrown with that part of the 
coach to a great distance, and not 
much hurt by falling in the hedge. 
The coachman fell a victim to his 
fury and madness, but society has 
to lament the death of Miss Page, 
an amiable young Quaker lady, 
and her companion, who were re- 
turning from a visit in Warwick- 
shire: the other-two unfortunates 
are an officer’s servant and a per- 
son of Hinckley. 
. Kingston, Jamaica, 
July, 15. 
‘¢ We have this day the melan- 
choly and distressing task of re- 
cording the effects of a fatal and 
destructive fire, which broke out 
in the town of Port Royal about 
half past one o’clock on Thursday 
afternoon. It began in a negro- 
yard in Cannon-street, and was 
occasioned by a negro woman’s 
making a fire in an improper place. 
It quickly communicated to the 
adjoining buildings, and, among 
the first, to Miss Finnan’s fine 
lodging-house ; from thence it 
spread its ravages to. the adjoin- 
45 
ing and opposite houses, and from 
the very strong breeze that pre- 
vailed, burning shingles, &c. 
were soon wafted to others, which, 
being remarkably dry, quickly 
burst out in a blaze, so that by 
two o'clock three or four parts of 
the town were burning in a most 
horrid manner. The consterna- 
tion that now prevailed in the 
town, as we are informed, sur- 
passes description; every minute 
fresh flames were issuing forth ; 
the principal street, in which the 
Court-house, Tarrant’s. tavern, 
Mr. Bassan’s and Mr. Jackson’s 
stores, are situated, became a vo- 
lume of fire and smoke, and from 
thence it spread to the whole of 
the streets and lanes towards the 
harbour, the wharfs, and the Na- 
val Hospital, Mr. R. M‘Kowan’s 
house and wharf, and all adjoin- 
ing, to within a few houses of the 
officers’ quarters on the parade. 
The fire having communicated to 
Mrs. Whitaker’s house towards 
the west corner of the parade, it 
was suggested to pull down the 
houses opposite, so as to open a 
passage between those on fire to 
those which it had not yet reach- 
ed, which, being effected by very 
great exertions was the means of 
preventing the flames from conti- 
nuing their fatal effects along the 
row of houses on.the parade lead- 
ing tothe Artillery Hospital, which 
were thus fortunately preserved 
from the dreadful element. The. 
Dock-yard has been miraculously 
saved; nothing but the extraor- 
dinary exertions and skill , dis- 
played on the unhappy occasion - 
could have secured it: as it is, 
some of the buildings near the 
wall, close to Mr. Jackson’s store, 
have been demolished, partly by 
