Conflagration at Lisbon.

Auckland Chronicle and New Zealand Colonist, Volume 2, Issue 16, 22 November 1843, Page 4

Conflagration at Lisbon.

The College of Nobles, founded nearly two centuries ago by the Brethren of the Societies of Jesus, and partly rebuilt by the Marquis of Pombal, was destroyed by, fire. It stood on the northern outskirts of the city, was of great extent, and presented towards Lisbon a facade of considerable beauty ; when, therefore, the vast pile, including its large church, was one mass of flame, it cast an awful glare 0 f angry light op the whole metropolis, and the lurid aspect of the sky was reflected on the Tagus as far as Trefaria and Val de Tebra. It was nine o’clock at night when the fire was at its height, and it bad then burned four hours; the- • pectacle was terifie, for the wind blew from the north with great violenoe, and the flames,spread as if threatening the existenoeof a thousand d wellings. Within twenty feet stood many boases, whose fronts were blackened, and..their glasses shivered; but thongh the fire raged till midnight and continued even thirty hours after its first outbreak to give signs of struggling for a renewed efiFdft, yet no bouse took fire. Tim lost, as it is, exceeds £20,000, although some of the valuable scientific instruments and ntuch.of the furniture were savedTbe King and the minister* were early on the spot and aotive, and ,the crews of the'British and French ships of war io theriver, tbe students of the college, and numbers of the people risked their lives in labouring to suppress the flames. Three of these generous adventurers (French sailors of the Sujfreien) perished in the mint, Tbe King wee burnt in the hands, so eager was be personally to assist, and the Professors of the College bro jght off* the most valuable books, and the better parta of tbe collcctioi • in chemistry nod minmlog*.