We are indebted to Mr. G. J, Holland, Agent of the Great Northern Telegraph Company, for the following particulars of a great fire that broke out at Hongkong on Christmas night, and raged throughout Thursday. Mr, Holland writes:—~A destructive fire broke out at Hongkong, in Queen's Road, about 11 o'clock on Wednesday night, and was still burning when the latest news was despatched. Thursday moming the flames were advancing ina south-easterly direction towards Wellir ton Street, and several trials were made to stay their progress by blowing up houses, At 8.30 a.m, the fire approached the Roman Catholic Cathedral, and notwithstanding repeated attempts it was found impossible to arrest the flames. It was also feared the fire would extend over a great portion of the business quarter of the city. At ten minutes to one o'clock, the Gaol was threatened. The General Hospital is burnt, the telegraph poles have succumbed to the flames and consequently no fuller particulars can be obtained at present, as communication can only be carried on vid Deep Water Bay, a distance of about 6 miles from Hongkong.
Since the above was written, Mr, Holland has favoured us with thefollowingadditional news from Hongkong despatched at 4.45 p.m. Thursday, and received at Shanghai at 8.7 p.m.:—The advance of the fire was then nearly checked, The districts burnt were:—Quoen's Road, from the Stag Hotel to opposite Oriental Bank; Gage Street, Wellington Street, Pottinger Street and others (sic.) Hundreds of houses destroyed and thousands of people without house or home. The Soldiers and the Volunteers are ordered to bivouac in the streets for the night,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.