CHRONICLE. 



171 



gle that ensued, an alarm was 

 raised that the gallery was falling. 

 The Earl of Rosslyn and otlier 

 gentlemen exerted themselves to 

 quiet the apprehensions of the 

 people, but in vain. In the con- 

 fusion that was created, some 

 were thrown down and trampled 

 on by the crowd pressing towards 

 the door ; others, impatient to get 

 out, burst open the windows, and 

 threw themselves out. Happily 

 no lives were lost, although se- 

 Acral were conveyed home seri- 

 ously injured, and a number re- 

 ceived bruises and lost part of 

 their clothes in the crowd. 



28. Belvoir- castle, the princely 

 residence of the Duke of RiUland, 

 and on which, for the last seven- 

 teen years, his present Grace has 

 devoted immense revenues, was 

 visited by a most destructive fire 

 on the morning of Saturday, the 

 <26t.h of October, which first broke 

 out about half-past three. The 

 whole of what Mas termed the 

 old building, comjjrising three- 

 fourths of the entire edifice, is 

 completely destroyed ; nothing but 

 the walls are left standing. The 

 new structure, except the grand 

 entrance, staircase, and r.ew pic- 

 ture galleiy, is preserved. This 

 last-named apartment was not 

 completed, and a workshop had 

 been established in an adjoining 

 room, where it is supposed suffi- 

 cient care had not been taken to 

 extinguish the embers in the 

 grate, a spark fronv which com- 

 nmnicating with a barrel of in- 

 flauunable materials, ([uickly en- 

 velo])ed tlie room in flames, which 

 proceeded with frightful ra))idity 

 to the staircase, entiance-hall, and 

 galleiy, which were speedily laid 

 in ruins ; it next extended to the 



part occupied by the domestics, 

 who had the greatest difficulty in 

 escaping from the devouring ele- 

 ment. 



Their Graces of Rutland were 

 at their seat, Cheveley-park ; but 

 the infant Marquis of Gninby, 

 with the four Ladies IManners, 

 were in the castle. These persons 

 were removed to a place of safety 

 immediately on the alarm being 

 given, through the exertions of 

 Sir J. Thoroton. 



Unfortunately no engines were 

 at hand, and it was a very consi- 

 derable time before any .arrived. 

 That from Belton, the seat of 

 Lord Biownlo\\-, who personally 

 attended, and directed its applica- 

 tion ; and the ^Melton Mowbray 

 engine, under the superintendauce 

 of Mr. Bright, the agent for the 

 County Fire-oflice, Avho heard of 

 the fire accidentally ; together with 

 the Grantham engines, were of the 

 most essential service, and, by 

 their unwearied exertions, pre- 

 served the new edifice, which con- 

 tains th-e state apartments, from 

 destruction. So near an approach 

 had the fire once made to this part 

 of the castle, that the flames burst 

 into the Regent's galleiy, which 

 is 170 feet long, and is filled 

 with the choicest productions of 

 art. 



Great was the eagerness of the 

 tenantry to preserve the furniture, 

 and all attention as to its safe re- 

 moval was disiegarded ; pictures, 

 cabinets, statues, velvet hangings, 

 and tapestry, with every descrip ■ 

 tion of costly and magnificent de- 

 corations, were thrown out of the 

 windows, and scattered on the 

 lawn. By eleven o'clock the fire 

 was got under, but the engineers 

 will be l.jng employed in extin- 

 guishing 



