1843.] 
THE GARDENERS 
CHRONICLE. 
597 
appeared, and were not alterwards seen, the whole of them 
perishing in the flames. A short time before the engines 
could be got to the spot a large quantity of gunpowder 
exploded, and blew the back part of the premises on the 
houses in Bartlett’s passage, occasioning great destruction 
of property, and throwing the inhabitants into a state of 
the greatest confusion. The house in Fetter-lane was 
speedily consumed and the following persons perished :-— 
Mr. Newberry, Mr. and Mrs. Rose, Miss M’Crindell, and 
Miss Eliza M’Crindell. This party were to have embarked 
for Ramsgate in the morning, and had made preparations 
accordingly. r. Rose was for many years a clerk in the 
Law Institution, Chancery-lane ; he had from a previous 
accident suffered amputation. Miss E. M’Crindell left 
her lodgings in Gough-square, on the previous evenIng, 
and slept in Fetter-lane, in order to be in time to see her 
sister off to Ramsgate, and thus fell a victim to the 
common calamity. An inquest was held in the evening, 
but only two of the bodies could be identified. After a 
long inquiry the jury returned a verdict of ‘ Accidental 
death,” at the same time expressing a hope that the fire 
ladders in future would be placed in such a situation that 
they could be more readily brought into operation, it 
being clearly proved that the fire-escapes could not 
be made available, as the keys were not to be found. 
From the evidence at the inquest, there appears to 
be no doubt that the explosion was caused by the fall 
of some bottles of fulminating mercury, which are 
supposed to have been thrown down by the cats in the 
premises ; and it will be recollected, that a fatal accident 
Occurred a short time since at Apothecaries’ Hall, from an 
explosion of the same material_— Whilst the fire was 
raging in Tooley-street, and the blazing embers were liter- 
ally falling in showers upon the High-street, a consider- 
able piece of ignited timber fell into the chimney of the 
house of Mr. Jones, grocer and tea-dealer, High-street. 
The engines were speedily on the spot, but the flames 
were not extinguished before considerable damage had 
been done.—The first fire on Friday night broke out in 
the rope warehouse of Mr. Seymour, in Pudding-lane, at 
the rear of the Monument. The damage done was Very 
great, but the flames were prevented from extending to 
the adjoining houses.—On Saturday night, while an expe- 
Timent was making with Robinson’s night signals for ship- 
ping, from a skiff on the river off St. Katharine’s-docks, 
some of the combustible materials of which the signal 
lights are made, accidentally ignited, and instantly set the 
skiff in ablaze. The persons in it, to save themselves 
from the flames, leaped overboard into the water, and 
were with great difficulty saved from drowning, with the 
exception of one young lad who was carried away by the 
tide. The skiff was almost wholly destroyed.—On Sun- 
day night a fire broke out at No. 14, Cambridge-square, a 
new and unoccupied house filled with planks and flooring. 
The flames communicated to the adjoining house at the 
corner of Norfolk-crescent, but were ultimately subdued. 
There is some suspicion that this fire was not the result 
of accident, and a reward of 100/. is offered for the appre- 
hension of the incendiary.—On Tuesday morning a de- 
structive fire broke out in the oil and varnish manufac- 
tory belonging to Messrs. Wentworth, floor-cloth manu- 
facturers, at Old Ford West, within a short distance of 
Bow. From the inflammable nature of the stock, the 
flames made rapid progress, and in the space of ten 
minutes after the discovery, every part of the building, 
which was composed principally of wood, and about fifty 
feet long by thirty wide, was one burning mass. The 
whole was, of course, destroyed, but no lives were lost. 
On Thursday morning a destructive fire broke out in the 
extensive I: of Mr, Mandeville, hemp and cane 
merchant, Kent-street, Borough. The warehouses are 
130 yards in length, and from the combustible nature of 
the materials they were almost entirely destroyed. On 
the same morning a fire broke out in the premises of Mr. 
Bourne, a cooper, in the Cornwall-road, Lambeth, It 
spread so rapidly that Mr. Bourne and his wife threw 
themselves out of the window, and were severely injured. 
The premises were consumed. 
Visit of the French Princes.—On Monday morning 
the Pluton French war-steamer arrived at Woolwich with 
the Prince de Joinville, and his brother, the Duc d’Aumale, 
attended by the Archimede and Napoleon war-steamers 
in the French service. Their Royal Highnesses, on 
leaving the Chateau d’Eu, near Dieppe, proceeded in the 
luton to Boulogne on Friday, and the next day sailed 
for Calais, to review the troops and National Guard. On 
leaving Calais, they sailed for Dunkirk, and arrived there 
on Sunday, making but a brief visit. On the departure 
of their Royal Highnesses from that port, they sailed 
direct for this country. The Pluton was detained nearly 
two hours in the Downs before a pilot came on board, and 
it was determined that the steamers should anchor for the 
night off Chatham. Their Royal Highnesses consequently 
Temained on board at Chatham until Monday morning, 
and arrived at Woolwich about 9 o’clock, under a royal 
Salute from the Artillery. The Princes landed shortly 
afterwards, and were received with the usual honours by 
the Dock-yard authorities and the officers of the garrison. 
They left Woolwich immediately for Windsor Castle on a 
Visit to her Majesty, escorted by Lord Hawarden and Capt. 
Seymour. On Wednesday morning their Royal High- 
Nesses left Windsor Castle and arrived at the terminus of 
the Great Western Railway, at Paddington, at ten 
minutes before eight, with their suite. They entered two 
Of the Queen’s carriages, which were in readiness at the 
Station, and proceeded to the French Embassy, in Man- 
chester-square. Their Royal Highnesses then visited St. 
Paul’s Cathedral, and afterwards paid a visit to the 
Duchess of Gloucester, and Prince George of Cambridge. 
‘he Princes then proceeded to Buckingham Palace, 
where they took leave of Her Majesty and Prince Albert, 
returning to the residence of the French Embassy, 
attended by their suite. In the evening their Royal 
Highnesses dined with the French Chargé d’Affuires. 
On Thursday at an early hour they left town in one of 
the Watermen Company’s steamers for Woolwich, and 
breakfasted on board the Pluton. They then landed 
under a royal salute, and minutely inspected the dock- 
yard and arsenal. They partook of a luncheon at the 
house of Sir F. Collier, and embarked about 3 o’clock 5 
soon after which the steamers took their departure for 
Havre under the customary salutes. 
Arrival of the Regent of Spain.—On Wednesday, 
H.M.’s stéamer Prometheus arrived at Woolwich, having 
on board Gen. Espartero and his suite. Sir F. Collier, 
Superintendent of the Dock-yard, immediately went on 
board, and on the part of the Government assured the 
Regent that every accommodation, both to himself and 
his suite, would be most gladly rendered. Sir F. Collier 
also informed his Excellency that carriages for the con- 
veyance of himself and suite to town were in readiness. 
His Excellency, however, declined the offer, having pre- 
viously arranged to embark in a small steamer for Hunger- 
ford Wharf, where the carriages of the Embassy would be 
in attendance to receive him. He added, that he wished 
his visit to be as private as possible. His Excellency 
conversed in the French language for some time with Sir 
F. Collier, and took occasion to express in the most un- 
measured terms his gratitude for the extreme kindness he 
had experienced from the British authorities from the 
moment he placed his foot on board the Malabar ship-of-war. 
The Duchess of Victory and Donna Eledia Espartero, 
the Regent’s niece, also expressed their acknowledg- 
ments. Despatches were immediately forwarded to town, 
announcing the Regent’s arrival at Woolwich. Lord 
Bloomfield, Commandant of the Royal Arsenal, arrived at 
the dockyard shortly after twelve o’clock, and went off to 
pay his respects to his Excellency. Shortly before two, 
a steamer belonging to the Watermen’s Company went 
alongside the Prometheus, for the purpose of receiving his 
Excellency and suite, and having taken the whole of them 
on board, proceeded to Hungerford Wharf, where car- 
riages were in waiting to convey the noble exiles to 
Mivart’s hotel. ‘The Prometheus left Lisbon on the 12th 
for Bayonne, and finding on arrival there that the 
Duchess had previously left for Havre, the Regent pro- 
ceeded direct to Falmouth, where he arrived on Saturday, 
under a royal salute from the Astrea guard-ship in that 
port. He merely landed for a short time near the Qua- 
rantine station at the East-end of the harbour, and ex- 
pressed his desire of proceeding at once to Havre for the 
Duchess. Captain Ellice, however, could not grant per- 
mission for the Prometheus to go to a port in France, but 
ordered the Commander to sail for Portsmouth to confer 
with the Admiral, who at once acceded to the Regent’s 
request. The steamer accordingly embarked the Duchess 
at Havre, and returned direct to Woolwich. Among the 
Regent’s suite are General Van Halen; General Augustin 
Nogueras, Minister of War ; Seftor Gomez de la 
Serra, Minister of the Interior; Brigadier-General 
Lacarte ; several Aides-de-Camps, and Secretaries. Im- 
mediately after the arrival of the Regent at Mivart’s, on 
Wednesday, Colonel Wylde, equerry to Prince Albert, 
had a long interview with his Excellency, and subsequently 
with the members of the staff who accompanied the Regent 
to this country. Throughout Thursday the hotel was 
literally besieged with visitors of all ranks. The Duke of 
Wellington was among the early calls, and subscribed his 
name as follows in the visitors’ book :—‘‘ Field Marshal 
the Duke of Wellington et Capitan-General Duque de 
Ciudad Roderigo.’”” The Earl of Aberdeen and Sir ae 
Peel also visited the Regent. In the course of the day a 
deputation of the Common Council presented a requisition 
to the Lord Mayor requesting him to ‘‘ convene an early 
court, to welcome the arrival of General Espartero in this 
country, on his being driven into exile by the nation to 
whose services he has devoted his great talents and best 
energies, and to assure his Excellency (in the words of 
the Prime Minister of England) ‘that he will be received 
by all classes in this country with that respect which is 
due to his character, and with the sympathy for his mis- 
fortunes which his merits deserve.’’” The Lord Mayor 
appointed Friday next for entertaining the subject. 
Temperance Meetings.—On Monday Father Mathew 
administered the pledge to the inhabitants of Greenwich, 
at Whitfield’s Mount, Blackheath. Some delay in the 
the p di took place in conse- 
quence of his having attended a breakfast given by Colo- 
nel Dawson Damer, at which he was to have met the 
Duke of Wellington, Sir R. Peel, and a large number of 
nobility and gentry. Neither His Grace nor Sir Robert 
was present, but the latter sent a letter of apology, 
expressing regret that the commands of her Majesty 
detained him at Windsor. There were, however, upwards 
of seventy of the nobility present to meet Father Mathew, 
and among them Lord and Lady Palmerston, the Mar- 
guess and Marchioness of Clanricarde, Lords Camoys, 
Clifford, Lovat, &c. Father Mathew, on reaching the 
Broadway at Deptford, was met by a teetotal procession, 
headed by horsemen, and panied by a p 
band. Father Mathew rode ina carriage and four, and 
was followed by twelve other carriages, each crowded 
with temperance advocates. His carriage was preceded 
by about a hundred and fifty young women and children, 
carrying & banner, on which was inscribed, «Welcome, 
Father Mathew, to Greenwich.’’? On_his arrival within 
the barrier, the scene which ensued almost exceeds 
description. There were at this moment at least from 
twenty to twenty-five thousand peovle assembled, and 
immediately opposite the hustings a publican had erected 
acapacious booth, and provided himself with an entire 
dray, containing not less than ten barrels of ale and 
porter. Soon after Father Mathew commenced speaking, 
a large body of persons, who had evidently got intoxi- 
cated at the beer booth opposite, aided by a number of 
Marines, made a desperate rush in the direction of the 
hustings, knocking down the barrier, and sweeping the 
people before them with such violence that even the 
hustings were in danger. The police appeared paralyzed, 
but subsequently some of the ringleaders were taken into 
custody. Many of them wore papers in their hats, on 
which was written, ‘‘ Member of the Malt and Hops 
Society,” and had pint pots suspended round their 
necks as a badge of distinction. Father Mathew said 
it was impossible for him to proceed, and therefore 
he would at once relinquish the task, and proceed 
with administering the pledge to all who liked to 
take it. The Hon. Capt. Jerningham was the first who 
took the pledge on the platform, and was followed by small 
batches, including several Greenwich pensioners. As 
far as the administration of the pledge went the affair was 
a failure; not more than 500 having received it during 
the day, but the number who visited the spot is believed 
to be not less than from 50,000 to 60,000 persons. On 
Monday Father Mathew breakfasted at the Hon. Mrs. 
Howard’s, where upwards of 50 persons of distinction 
were assembled to meet him, among wnom were.Lords 
Dinorben, Effingham, and Monteagle, the Earl of Arundel 
and Surrey, Lord and Lady Manners, Lady Stepney, 
Lady Murray, &c. He then proceeded to administer the 
pledge at Deptford, but in consequence of the interrup- 
tions at Blackheath on the previous day, the meeting took 
place on a piece of ground which was private property, in 
order to keep in check not only the members of the “ Malt 
and Hops Society,’’ but any others who might venture to 
interruptthem. "The proceedings were continued through- 
out the day, and about 200 men belonging to the Dept- 
ford deckyard took the pledge. There were several small 
batches in addition, and all passed off quietly, with the 
exception of a brief contest between the opposing parties 
during a heavy shower which had compelled them both to 
take shelter under the arches of the railway. On Wed- 
nesday Father Mathew administered the pledge at West- 
minster, in the neighbourhood of the Penitentiary, to 
about 1200 persons. On Thursday he attended at the 
same place, and soon after his arrival considerable sensa- 
tion was created amongst the teatotallers by the appearance 
of the Duke of Wellington, on horseback, in the road 
facing the hustings, leading to Vauxhall-bridge. The 
Duke, who was attended by his groom, pulled up for a 
moment, evidently for the purpose of witnessing the pro- 
ceedings. He was at once recognised by those on the 
platform. Father Mathew came forward, and took off his 
hat to him, and some one having proposed three cheers 
for his Grace, the call was responded to in a most enthu- 
sigstic manner, which the duke acknowledged by taking 
off his hat and bowing several times. He then proceeded 
down the road towards the House of Lords, amidst the 
renewed cheers of the people. 
Messrs. Hammersley’s Bankrupicy—tt appears that 
a dividend of 2s. 11d. on the estate of Messrs. Hammersley 
is now in course of payment at the office of the Account- 
ant-General in Chancery. The announcement is said to 
be a relief to the creditors after the long suspense under 
which they have Jaboured, but’ the amount is to most of 
them a source of disappointment. Nothing is known as 
to any further dividend to be looked for under the estate. 
Balloon Ascent.—In our account of Mr. Gveen’s 
attempt to cross the Channel last week, it was mentioned 
that, finding no chance of their being able to reach the 
Continent, Mr. Green and his companion, Mr. Bradley, 
determined on taking an excursion inland, and started 
from Brighton for that purpose on Thursday morning. It 
appears that they effected their descent in a field at 
Patcham, a village a short distance from Brighton, on the 
line of the railway. A number of men, busily employed 
in reaping, immediately ran to their assistance, and at the 
same moment the train from London, which reaches 
Brighton at half-past 12, passed the balloon. The guard, 
on his arrival at Brighton, reported the circumstance to 
the superintendent of the line, who despatched an express 
engine to the assistance of the aeronauts. The gas being 
emptied from the balloon, it was packed with the apparatus 
in the car, and with Mr. Green and his companion con~ 
veyed to Brighton, where they intend awaiting a change of 
wind, in the hope of being able to cross the Channel. 
From an account since published by Mr. Bradley, it 
appears that in all long voyages hitherto, the greatest 
difficulty has been occasioned by the loss of gas when 
the balloon has risen to a considerable altitude. Owin 
to the atmosphere being there much less dense than at the 
surface of the earth, the gas expands and rushes from 
the neck of the balloon, thereby occasioning not only a 
loss of the sustaining power, but in some cases personal 
danger to the aeronauts, instances being known where 
suffocation has nearly resulted in this manner. Mr. Green 
now uses a line, called a guide-line, of the length of 2,000 
feet, which he shortens to any requisite degree, and the 
end, trailing on the ground, creates a friction, which the 
levity of the balloon cannot entirely overcome. The 
balloon is thus kept in the air at a height (within the 
length of the guide-line), at the pleasure of the voyager, 
who, when there are currents of air varying poth in direc- 
tion and strength at varying heights, as isgenerally the 
case, is enabled to select that current which best suits his 
object. For effecting the same end when over the sea, 
about a dozen bladders, partly filled with water, and then 
inflated with hydrogen gas, are attached to the end of the 
guide-line; and the ascent at Brighton was for the pur- 
pose of trying whether the plan would succeed on the 
