All their efforts, however, to save the steeple, proved in vain. In a short time, the whole of the conical super structure of wood was enveloped in flame. The casing of lead melted like wax, and poured down in streamlets -the minute-hand of the' clock, on the south side, suddenly dropped down paralyzed and the paint of the dialplate scalded offin flakes. The strength of the structure long resisted the intensity of the heat, and the weathercock maintained its pre-eminence among the bickering flames. At length the fierce element prevailed the weathercock was prostrated, and the fire rose in a mighty column to the sky. The wooden part of the steeple was totally consumed, but the body of the church, which was partly filled with movables from the High Street, was only partially injured. This was mainly owing to the seasonable arrival of a most powerful engine belonging to the Board of Ordnance, and directed by Deacon Field, slater, ably assisted by three serjeants of dragoons. It is stated that the fine bell of the church has disappeared. The heat was, we should imagine, scarcely sufficient to melt it, yet it has not been found among the ruins. Probably it was broken in falling, and the fragments may have subsequently been carried off by some of the numerous depredators on the outlook for whatever they could lay their hands on. FIRE IN THE PARLIAMENT SQUARE, AND DESTRUCTION OF THE JURY COURT ROOM.

After the fire in the Tron Church had been subdued, it was generally supposed that the conflagration was at an end; but on Tuesday night, about ten o'clock, a new alarm was given of a fire having broken out in the Parliament Square, a place directly to the windward of the former scene of destruction. It originated in

the top story of that lofty pile of building on the south side of the square, which, in rear, was eleven stories in height. The apartment in which it began was occupied by a woman named Macdonald, of indifferent character, but not, as has been stated, the person of the same name who made herself notorious at the trial of the late Mrs Mackinnon. Whether wilful or accidental, has not yet been ascertained, but of course the affair will be most minutely investigated. We refrain, for obvious reasons, from noticing the many reports in circulation. The extraordinary height of the buildings prevented the engines, all of them more or less disabled by former service, bearing with any effect on the flames; and, as the wind blew strong from the west, they spread with amazing rapidity. Floor after floor became ignited, and soon after midnight the whole vast mass of building was enveloped in living fire. The appearance from the Cowgate at four o'clock in the morning was truly awful. Every part of the city was illuminated, and the whole adjacent country must have been alarmed by the portentous glare of the flames. An hour afterwards, the fire reached the last side of the square, and in two hours more, all that escaped the conflagration in the month of June last, were included in the general destruction. Among the premises destroyed, office of the Water Company, that of were the new Jury Court Room, the the auditor of the Court of Session, the shops of Mr Laurie, and Messrs Bell and Bradfute, booksellers, Messrs Jardine and Wilson's chambers, Mr R. Scott, engraver, Mr Williamson, writer, &c. By some judicious precautions, the Exchequer, the ParliamentHouse, the Libraries of the Advo cates and Writers to the Signet, and the Banking-house of Sir William Forbes and Company, were rescued

from the jeopardy in which they for some time remained. At eight o'clock the fury of the flames had abated, and at that period the interior walls of the south-east angle fell upon the front wall, and were precipitated into the square with a terrific crash. Several persons were hurt, and a cloud of dust was thrown up that darkened the firmament. The only parts of the old buildings in the square now remaining, are the houses adjoining the new Exchequer Buildings, in which the office of Messrs Brougham and Anderson, and the house of Mr Allan, the painter, are situated. During the whole night, that part of the Old Town, to the eastward of the scene of conflagration, was exposed to a shower of sparks and flaming brands. These again set fire to the buildings in rear of the High Street, where the flames broke out with such violence, that much anxiety was entertained for the Commercial Bank. Here the most melancholy accidents happened, in one of which Mr Braidwood, director of engines, nearly lost his life; and here we rejoice to be able to add, these calamities terminated. Frequent alarms of fire in other places were given in the course of Wednesday, originating principally in chimneys ignited by burning embers. One broke out in Carrubber's Close, among some chips under the roof, and assumed a threatening appearance, but was eventually got under. About three in the afternoon, a heavy shower of rain helped to extinguish the embers lodged on the tops of the houses; prior to which, a proclamation by the magistrates had recommended a general inspection of the house tops, and the stationing of

watches thereon.

Burning fragments of a large size fell on the Calton Hill, at Norton

VOL. XVII. PART II.

Place, and on the Easter Road to Leith, as far as the toll.

During the whole of this eventful night, the Old Town resembled a city besieged and exposed to a severe bombardment. The general panic had spread far beyond the probable boundaries of the flames, and the destruction of the greater part of the city was tremblingly predicted. Rumours that incendiaries were abroad, were prevalent, and generally credited. Military were seen in all directions-the streets were deluged with water, and many a wretched female and child, rendered houseless, passed that tempestuous night among the piles of furniture heaped up in every corner. On no similar occasion have so many wretched families suffered. From three to four hundred are burned out, a great proportion of whom are left destitute. There is not a close nor a lane near the scene of misfortune, but is crowded with the wreck of furniture. The Lord Provost, with that humanity which has always characterized him, made an immediate application to the officers of government for the use of Queensberry House, as a temporary shelter for the desolate groups crowding the streets, which was instantly granted. The managers of the Infirmary also showed the greatest liberality and anxiety to alleviate the general distress, not only to bodily sufferers, but by ordering food to be given to their relations in attendance. The Commissioners of Police notified that persons in a state of destitution would be provided with money for present exigencies, by applying at their office.

Many accidents, of course, occurred; but, amid conflicting reports, it is not easy to particularize all with certainty. Several persons have been killed, chiefly by the falling of the

ruins, and many severely injured. On the afternoon of Wednesday, two men were killed by the falling of a high stack of chimneys in Conn's Close, one of whom was a fireman belonging to the Naval Yard, Leith, the other not claimed. A sweep, dangerously burned and bruised, has since died in the Infirmary; an artilleryman, hurt by the falling of a wall in the Parliament Square, is not expected to recover. A tailor is in a similar condition, and two boys and a woman, much bruised, are in the Royal Infirmary. The body of a boy, without the head and arms, was yesterday dug out of a cellar. It has been ascertained that this unfortunate youth was employed on Tuesday morning in removing the goods in the cellar to a place of safety, when the wall fell in and killed him. subjoin a list of the patients at present in the Royal Infirmary :

We

David Robertson, aged 17, severely burnt.

John Riddell, aged 23, severe contusions and fractures.

John Crawford, severely burnt, since dead.

James Forest, 27, severe contusions.

Alexander M'Gill, 9, injury of the

head.

the latter from Leith, were occupied during Wednesday in throwing down the chimney-tops, and such parts of the ruins as were most threatening. An attempt was made with ropes to pull down the lofty gables in the High Street, but afterwards relinquished. Colonel Thackery, of the Royal Engineers, was particularly ac tive on this occasion, as was Captain Boswell, R.N. and the officers of Sir T. Bradford's staff.

The greatest zeal and intrepidity was displayed by high and low on this awful occasion. The Lord Provost and Magistrates, the High Constables, the Superintendant, Lieutenants, Surgeon, and other officers of police, made the most energetic exertions to alleviate the general distress. The Lord Justice Clerk was in the Parliament Square at an early hour on Wednesday morning, animating and setting an example to all around him, at a time when extraordinary exertion was particularly necessary: We also noticed the Lord President, the Lord Advocate, the Solicitor-General, the Dean of Faculty, Sir John Hay, Sir William Forbes, Sir John Hope, Sir Thomas Bradford, Lord Robert Ker, Sir Patrick Walker, &c. particularly active, and manifesting the utmost anxiety to render assist

ance.

Many of these cases are extremely dangerous, though, so far as we can learn, none of them are considered altogether hopeless.

In order to obviate, as far as possible, danger from the falling walls to the houses near them, strong bodies of masons, slaters, and carpenters,

A great part of the 72d regiment from the Castle, were, as was former

ly mentioned, on the spot where the first fire broke out, almost as soon as the engines, and during the whole period, the men were conspicuously active in keeping order in the streets, working the engines, and removing property. On Tuesday, a detachment of the 1st dragoons from Piershill barracks, and a party of artillerymen from Leith Fort, arrived to relieve the infantry; and on Wednesday, a troop of the Mid-Lothian yeomanry, commanded by Sir J. Hope, Captain Cockburn, and Quarter-Master Aitchison, were called out, and shared in the fatiguing duty of maintaining order, and preventing curious persons from foolishly endangering their lives, by going too near the tottering ruins. In several instances, persons in high authority were interrupted by the military, but this was the inevitable consequence of a strict adherence to orders, without which'all regularity would have been at an end. Upwards of twenty engines were in attendance. The Duke of Buccleuch's was dispatched from Dalkeith, and several, also, arrived from the Naval Yard and Leith. The most powerful belonged to the Board of Ordnance from Leith Fort, made by Mark, Noble, and Co., and throws 1 tons per minute. It is said to have driven down the front of the houses in Parliament Square. Canals were cut across the street to lead the water into the square and closes.

As far as we can ascertain, the following houses have been destroyed: -Four double lands in Parliament Square; four lands, Old Fishmarket Close; four lands, Old Assembly Close; two wooden lands, Conn's Close; six small tenements in Borthwick's Close; four lands of six stories fronting the High Street; besides many houses in different quarters partially injured, chiefly by the fall of ruins. Covenant Close did not

suffer. It is impossible to estimate at present the value of property destroyed.

We understand that the charter, sederunt book, and the other valuable documents and records belonging to the incorporated Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts, have been preserved. Their Hall, Library, &c. were insured in the Phoenix Fire Office.

There is no calculating the amount of the property destroyed, or even the number of the houses, as all approach to them has been prohibited. By the fire of Monday night, the Old Assembly Close, which contained many valuable houses, and was so thickly peopled, that some flats contained no fewer than eight families, has been almost entirely consumed. The west side of the Covenant Close, including the house in which the celebrated League and Covenant was subscribed, has been destroyed, and the opposite side has suffered severe damage. Borthwick's Close is one mass of ruins. Conn's Close, which was inhabited chiefly by poor people, no longer exists; and the east side of the Old Fishmarket Close, down to the house occupied by Messrs Thomson and Co., bookbinders, has also been destroyed. In addition to all this, is the total destruction of four stately tenements in the High Street.

During the whole of Thursday, the attention of the authorities was directed to the state of the walls in the Parliament Square, which being of an immense height, threatened to destroy the property behind them. At one time it had been resolved to batter down these walls with artillery; but the scheme having been pronounced dangerous, was abandoned. On Friday morning, the ruins were inspected by Admiral Sir David Milne, Captain Head of the Royal Engineers, and several other scienti

fic gentlemen. A meeting was afterwards held by the magistrates, and others interested, at which it was resolved, after hearing Captain Head's report, to intrust the entire management of the work of demolition to that gentleman. Captain Hope of his Majesty's sloop Brisk, which arrived in Leith Roads on Tuesday, handsomely offered his own services and those of forty of his men, whom, with their officers, he had brought along with him. The offer was gratefully accepted; and a warrant by the Dean of Guild, authorizing them to proceed, having been issued, operations immediately commenced. A line was thrown over the high southern gable above Heron's Court, by which a stronger rope and an iron cable were successively carried up. These being secured, the men commenced pulling, but only a small part of the west side came down. The labour was abandoned for the day, and the tars were accommodated for the night in the Castle barracks. We observed two young naval officers particularly active and daring. They stood perched on the top of the wall of the house which stood in the south-east angle of the Square; and from that precarious height, issued their orders with the most astonishing coolness.

On Saturday morning, at seven o'clock, Captain Hope and his party returned to the attack. A ladder was projected from a chimney-top on the south side of the Square, to the top of the wall above-mentioned, (a height of twelve stories,) and along this ladder, which moved like a springboard, two sailors walked, and returned in safety. Seamen were employed in securing and bracing their iron cables, chains, and ropes, and sappers in mining the east wall, which hung over the Police Office, and threatened destruction to it. These operations having been completed,

the mines were sprung, when the immense fabric fell perpendicularly to the ground, as had been foreseen by Captain Head. The spectacle was grand and astonishing. An immense part of the wall sunk down immediately after the explosion, and the remainder in two successive fragments, by which the interest of the spectators was heightened and prolonged. All at once the Square was enveloped in a dark cloud of dust; and shouts of triumphant joy arose from the multitude. The seamen, in the meantime, proceeded with their operations. About mid-day the greater part of the south gable was pulled down piece-meal; but a detached corner remained, and presented the singular appearance of a pyramid eight or nine feet in width, by three in thickness, and of the vast height of about 130 feet. It inclined considerably towards the Cowgate, and to clear it away expeditiously was instantly resolved upon. The chain cable was again thrown round it near the centre, and so scientific were the whole arrangements, that the upper part fell directly to the ground. Lord Robert Ker and Major Lindsay attended the whole operations; and after the Courts rose, the Lords President and Justice Clerk, and a number of other distinguished public characters, swelled the crowd of anxious spectators.

After the last fall of these stupendous ruins, the smouldering flames were again awakened into life by the tremendous collision, and a great deal of smoke issued from the rubbish. An engine was procured, which put an end to all farther danger.

It seems that the bell of the Tron Church melted away in small fragments. It was of the enormous weight of about two tons, and was hung in the year 1673; its cost, in Scots money, being equal to L.82.