to
wear an air of melancholy, and no fire has occurred, for centuries,
which has caused more universal regret.

"On searching the ruins under the Lord Mayor's Court Office, the
great City seal was picked up, with two bags, containing 200 pounds
in gold, uninjured. On this discovery being communicated to the Lord
Mayor and Aldermen, it caused much gratification, it having been
rumoured that the Corporation would lose their Charter by the loss of
the seal, but we did not hear it explained how this could be.

"Owing to the great body of fire underneath the ruins at the
north-east angle of the Exchange, it was impossible for the firemen
to ascertain, until a late hour, whether any injury had been done to
Lloyd's books, which were deposited in a large iron safe inserted in
the wall. Two engines had been playing on it during the latter
portion of the day. In the presence of several of the Committee it
was opened, when it was discovered that the fire had reached the
books, and partially consumed them. In the drawers were cheques on
the Bank of England to a large amount, and also Bank of England notes
to the amount of, it is said, 2,560 pounds. The notes were reduced
to a cinder, and, on the drawers being opened, the air rushing in on
the tender fragments blew them over the Exchange. They were,
however, very carefully collected, and the cinders of the notes were,
with much trouble and caution, put into a tin case, which was taken
to the Bank, and the words 'Bank of England,' with the numbers and
dates, were distinctly traced. The amount will, in consequence, be
paid to the owners. From what information could be obtained from the
gentlemen who took possession of the box, and who were understood to
be underwriters, it was the usual custom of the secretary not to
leave any money or notes in the safe, but to deposit the money in the
Bank, which was done on the evening the fire took place. The money
and notes above mentioned, and which were found in the safe, belonged
to a subscriber who, on the afternoon of Wednesday, asked permission
to deposit his money in the safe until the next day, which was
acceded to by the secretary. Some idea may be formed of his state of
mind on arriving at the Exchange on the following morning, to see it
on fire, and he was in a state of distraction until