THE GREAT FIRE AT HONG KONG.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1550, 6 February 1879, Page 3

THE GREAT FIRE AT HONG KONG.

[FROM THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE PRESS AGENCY.]

Hono Kong, December 2fl,

When the great fire on Christmas Day broke out, no one supposed it would be very serious or get beyond control, but, owing to the quantity of inflammable material met with, and the high wind, the fire made such rapid progress, that it was soon seen that, unless strenuous exertions were at once made, a large portion of the city would be in flames. The efforts of the brigades and the supply of water being perfectly futile to cheek the flames, the use of gunpowder was resorted to and the work of blowing up houses commenced in earnest, pulling down, which was previously tried, having proved altogether too slow. Hail the plan of bljwiu/ up teen tried sooner the destruction m ght probably have been confined to comparatively few houses. Immense throngs of Chinese of all rizos, driven out by the fire, had to camp that night on the prairie, rolled in rugs, and surrounded by what things they saved. The Governor, Commodore, and naval and military offic.rs wore on the scene, with detachments • of men to preserve order. It was only by most strenuous and prolonged exertions that the city hospital was saved, though portions of it had been blown down, and it was on fire several times. While the conflagration lasted the scene altogether was of so grand and exciting a character as to baffle description. The whole city seemed to be on lire, so great was the brilliancy of the flames. The main thoroughfares were blocked with the fright-

ened and excited crowds of Chines') laden with household goods, while numbers of others wen actively engaged looting, a good number of whom were afterwards arrested _ and sen teaccd to from six days to six months in gaol. The loss is roughly estimated at 900,000d015., 140,000 of which fills npon the Wong Kong, and 70,000 upon tin China lire insurance companies. The Gerraai Insurance Company lose heavily, and some British offices lose, though to a much less extent The Scottish, however loses nothing. The Reman Catholic Church had a very narrow escape, the lire having got hold of it, but not firmly. On the second day the volunteers had been called out to relieve the military and polio". A striking feature of the fire was tha‘ nothing seemed to be left unconsumed, but the party walls which divide the houses. Except in very rare cases not a vestige of the contents of the horses was to be seen. So great was the danger from falling walls that iu many places ropes had been stretched across and the traffic diverted or stopped altogether by guards place ' for that purpose. There is no positive knowledge of any fatalities during the lire, though it is reported that a soldier with his rifle and ten rounds of ammunition is missing. It is believed, and with some show of reason, 'hat the fire was assisted by incendiarism. One Chinaman is said to have been seen firing a house, hut managed to escape. It is also said that the floor of one of the houses was found covered with kerosene to feed the fire. A good deal of bullion and other property locked np in safes was subsequently dug out of the ruins,