CHRONICLE. 



195 



seem to have done least to im- 

 prove their own condition, or to 

 render their farms productive in 

 any degree equal to what might 

 be reasonably expected. 



16. A fire broke out near Wrap- 

 ping Docks, which was not cn-r 

 tirely subdued at a late hour last 

 night. The fire commenced in 

 the warehouses of Messis. Viner 

 and Co., and was occasioned by 

 the drying of grain in tlie kiln. 

 These premises were consumed 

 in a very short time after the fire 

 was discovered, as were those of 

 Mr. Waldie, a vintner. The ex- 

 tensive workshops and premises 

 of Messrs. Oliver, which were 

 situated on the other side, soon 

 caught fire, and burnt with groat 

 fury, when the utmost apprehen- 

 sion was entertained for tiic ad- 

 joining houses, and some ship- 

 ping on the stocks. Fortunately, 

 however, the flames did not ex- 

 tend beyond tlie^c building.?, 

 .which were amrpletely destroyed ; 

 but piuch alarm pre \ ailed on ac- 

 count of Mesbrs. Oliver having 

 about 60 chaldrons of coals in their 

 cellars, to which it was feared the 

 fire would communicate. These 

 gentlemen were insured to a large 

 amount, tliough not equal to the 

 loss they must sustain. The 

 powerful body of water from tlie 

 engine of the Dock Company was 

 exceedingly instrumental in pre- 

 ventingthe Hames from spreading. 

 18. J'ieniKi. — .Marming ac- 

 couuts are received from various 

 parts of the Austrian Monarchy 

 respecting the daily increasing 

 dearne.sb of provision*, lu .some 

 parts of the Tyrol, the Salzburg 

 mountains. Upper Carinthia,' and 

 the greatest part of Illyria, there 

 te such a scarcity, that tlie people 



liave recoiuse to bread made of 

 bran and powdered bark of trees. 

 In the environs of Agrain the 

 country people farm the woods, 

 in Older that they may catch the 

 rats in them, which are smoked, 

 and considered as a delicacy. The 

 accounts from Bohemia are also 

 far from consolatory, and it is 

 feared that the mountainous parts 

 may be distresseil by famine in 

 spring, which will have the most 

 fatal consequences for the nu- 

 merous manufactories in those 

 parts. The c ipital itself, as the 

 tables of importation show, must 

 be better provided than last year. 



20. College of Edinburgh. — The 

 Parliamentary Commissioners, ap- 

 j)uinted to manage the yeai'ly 

 grant of 10,0001. voted by Par- 

 liament to be laid out in finishing 

 the College of Edinburgh, met oil 

 the 7th inst. in order to receive 

 plans and specifications for the 

 completion of the building. The 

 plan of Mr. \Vm. Playfair being 

 adopted, the prize of 100 guineas 

 was adjudged to that gentleman. 

 The second prize of 80 guineas 

 was awarded to Mr. Burn. Ac- 

 cording to Mr. Piayfair"s plan we 

 imderstand tliat the exterior of 

 the building, as oiiginally plan- 

 ned by Adams, is to be retained 

 with very little alteration ; but 

 Iheie will be a total departure 

 from the internal arrangements. 

 The ^duthcrn side of tiie quad- 

 rangle is to be occupied almost 

 entirely by the library, which will 

 be 190 feet long, and one of the 

 most elegant rooms in the king- 

 dom. The western side is to l)e 

 appropriated to the Museum j and 

 tiic other two sides are to be oc- 

 cupie<l chiefly as class-rooms. The 

 original proposal of accommodat- 



0% ing 



