A great fire broke out at seven p.m. on Monday
in the London and St. Katherine's Docks, which raged throughout the night and the following day and the following night, destroying pro- perty, jute, tallow, dyewoods, coir, and other foreign produce, to the value of between 200,000/. and 400,0001. It is stated that the casual labourers who wait at the dock gates openly rejoiced in the fire as promising employment, and suggested that it may not have been accidentaL The entire force of the Fire Brigade was engaged in suppressing the outbreak, and it is officially stated that had another great fire broken out in London at the same time it must have been left to burn itself out, the means at the disposal of Captain Shaw being inadequate to such a contingency. The transfer of the Fire Brigade from the insurance offices to the Metropolitan Board had been effected only the day before.
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