DISASTROUS FIRE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2317, 11 February 1892, Page 4

DISASTROUS FIRE.

New York, Feb. 8. The Royal Hotel has been destroyed by fire. Two hundred of the guests and employes lost their lives, and a number of others who attempted to escape by jumping from the windows were killed. The Royal Hotel was a six-storey building. The fire began in the cellar. The latest reports reduce the number estimated to have perished to 100. Shocking scenes occurred during the progress of the fire. The driver on the elevated railway detected the fire iff the Royal Hotel at 2 o'clock in the morning. He stopped the train, whistled loudly, and woke up the inmates of the building. The life-saving corps worked splendidly. Five bodies have been recovered from Royal Hotel debris and 69 are missing. Twenty-four of the inmates were injured in attempting to escape, while 81 managed to get out of the burning building without being hurt. The night watchman at the hotel was under the influence of drink. One of the most appalling features in the fire yesterday was the collapse of the interior of the hotel just as the occupants were aroused. It is feared that most of those missing fell into the flames. THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. London, Feb. 8. The following is a forecast of the Queen's Speech at the opening of Parliament to»morrow. It will be unusually brief. There will be a touching reference to the death of the Duke of Clarence and Avondale, and the universal and spontaneous character of the sympathy expressed at the sad event will be acknowledged. Foreign relations will be described as excellent, and there will be regretful reference to the death of the Khedive, and every confidence will be expressed in the capacity and friendliness of his successor. No indication will be given as to the future of British policy in Egypt. Satisfaction will be expressed at the declaration of Zanzibar a free port, and at the arrangement to submit the Behring Sea dispute to arbitration. The Local Government for Ireland Bill will be the principal measure brought forward during the session. Other Bills promised are Assisted Education Bill for Ireland, Small Holdings Bill, District Councils in England Bill, Scotland Discipline Bill, Employers' Liability Amendment Bill, Relief from Local Rates of Public Elementary Schools of England Bill, Amendment of the Law of Evidence Bill, and a Bill for the revision of the agreement between the Bank of England and the Government.