ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 362, 20 January 1849, Page 4

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The most important news from the United States is that of a most destructive fire which occurred in the city of Albany, the capital of the State of New York, on the 17th of August. Most of the commercial portion of the city, with fifteen or twenty densely populated streets and squares, were in five hours reduced to ruins. From herkimer-street, where the fire broke out, to Columbia-street, Where it was arrested, the distance was more than half a mile. The ruins covered an area of 200 acres, every foot of "which was densely covered with buildings; there weie more houses upon it than any equal space in the city. Four-fifths of the buildings burnt Were brick, most of them large and substantial structures ; many of them three and four stories high. The latest accounts from the scene of the calamity represent that 439 valuable houses were destroyed; besides which eleven tow boats, between fifty and sixty canal boats, one schooner, and two floats, were burnt on the water, and the burning wrecks of these vessels floating against the Columbia-street bridge, set it on fire, whence the conflagration was communicated to the Columbia-street market. A large quantity of produce, floar, &c, in warehouse, was likewise consumeJ. It was estimated that upwards of twenty lives were lost, but it was impossible to ascertain the number with any degree of certainty. The destrucof property amounted in the aggregate to more than 3,000,000 dollars, say £600,000 sterling.

Dreadful Fire at Constantinople. — On August 16, towards seven in the evening, a most lamentable fire broke out in Yemish Iskelessi (dried fruit bazaar), situated between the two bridges. The intensity of the conflagration acquired such force, on account of the surrounding inflammable matter, that in a short quarter of an hour it had extended itself in a feafful manner. In the immediate neighbourhood of the fruit bazaar was the Yagh Kapan, or oil depot, the magazines and warehouses being well stocked with this inflammable matter ; on the other side, towards the arsenal, was an immense timber-yard, the greatest in the city, a quarter of a mile in length, I'do feet in height, r and 500 feet in breadth. By eight o'clock both these places were invaded by, the flames. " When the whole line of sphere on which "the timber was piled was one blazing sheet of flame, the appearance was that of one burning mass of liquified gold. What was still more grievous was that a compact mass of shipping was" moored opposite to this spot, and the masting of seVeral Turkish vessels, laden with oil, wheat, and'timber, soon took 'fire, and rendered the scene on the placid and 'tranquil water still more sublime than 1 on land. The srnrilhcries of the respective'commanders of the menaced,vessels, the long, continuous, and savage howls of the mariners and sailors, in their endeavours to draw their crafts from^he theatre of the" conflagration, all tended £8° impress ' tßd 'spectator with the grandeur of the dreadful calamity "that had befallen the city-of Constantinople. Towards nine o'clock the -fire- .had spread out in an awful manners In t&e direction ifWs gravelling at a rapid rate'tbwa'ra's Cal-moumjila'r,

in another towards the Uzan Chataki, whilst on the other it was raging^at the Odun Kapbussi. Notwithstanding great efforts Were, made to prevent its spreading, towards, the hill, which gradually rises until it reaches the crest, on which stands' the mosque Sulymtnieh, and close to that the palaces of the several vizirs, the Sheik-ul-Islam, KapouSse (Port of the Uleraas), and other extensive public and private buildings, with their hanging gardens and kiosks, it was all of no avail. The houses were destroyed one after the other. The flames rushed up the walls, and stood like pyramids of fire in the air. At length at about eleven o'clock, the pinnacle of one of the minarets of Suleymanieh, on the extreme height, and fully one mile from the srene of destruction, caught fire. A singular spectacle indeed it was, to see this airy meteor burning and blazing away, while the flames in a vast body kept beating like wavesagainst the angle of the Sheikul-Islam's palace, after having destroyed, in rapid succession, all the intervening buildings. At about midnight it had reached Baluk Bazaar, in the immediate neighbourhood of the new bridge,' and' great anxiety was entertained respecting the Drug Bazaar, which is a splendid building, well known to tourists who visit the city. In the opposite direction it had reached the Skemnegelar, .and was proceeding at a rapid rate towards the Oun Kapan. The efforts made by the Turks to extinguish the fire? Were useless ; they everywhere ceased, and were mostly employed in pulling down buildings. With the poor inhabitants it was a general sauve gui pent / indeed, many were so surrounded by the flames as to be unable to escape, and were burned to death. Near Oun Kapaa a dreadful destruction of life occurred, and it is said that upwards of twenty persons have perished. At two o'clock in the morning the fire had abated in its violence for want of'fuel to aliment it, and at about half-past' three no more danger was anticipated. TKe fire has consumed, according to a detailed estimate, about 2500 shops and 500 houses ; about forty of the latter were splendid palaces belonging to Sheik-ul-Islam, Moustapha Pacha, Said Pacha^ Irret Pacha, Hassan Pacha, and others. The general loss is calculated at averaging from £2,000,000 to £4,000,000 sterling, but some have carried it to £5,000,000. We would state it at,r approximatively, about £2,500,000. {Toaccount for this great loss, it must be carefully understood that vast depo'sitbries of ' merfchandise were kept there, besides whole bazaars of- oil, fruit, wax, rice, spices, tallow, coffee, sponges, &c, as well as the establishments of the knifegrinders, wholesale grocers, nutsellers, &c. In addition to these must be noted nineteen khans, seven mosques, four baths, two public granaries, 15,000 barrels of rice belonging to the Pacha of Egypt, a government and 17 vessels, and among the rest an Austrian and Russian vessel, &c. This fire exceeds that of Pera two months back, not only in the extent, but in the b'bjects destroyed. Here people are positively ruined, as their all was there. A fearful night of havock indeed it was. The Sultan weHt incognito to the scene of destruction, and subsequently took up his position in a steamer in the arsenal. The alarm guns have just been fired, and it is said that a serious conflagration has broken out at Caragumruk, towards the Seven Towers. The Hon. G. Elliott, mate, R.N., a son of the Earl of Minto, and a brotber-in-law of Lord John Russell, has been dismissed her Majesty's service forunofficerlike'conduct in deserting his watch, and afterwards breaking the arrest in which he had been placed. The printing and stationery for the houses of Parliament cost in the last year ffo less than two hundred and ninety-five thousand five hundred and eighteen pounds sterling ! The Corporation of London, are about to remodel Billingsgate Market^ and erect""* structure the architectural proportions of .which 'shall harmonize with the. new Exchange. The chain of houses- •kn.ownV as ■ Barkhouse-lane is to be removed; tb.es aid dock, from the, fish now being chiefly : brought' to market by Railway, is to be filled Up?; I 'and a commodious market-place formed on the eh tire site, being _ an area of about 15,000 square feel. -' ■ In " the, Petty Bag" Office of Chancery it came "out' on a parliamentary inquiry. 'tnat the deputy clerk confessed to have made a charge of £-IS2 for" simply altering' the tense in a petition of right. A New Orleans paper advertises the sale of one "undivided half~of a- negro."