As if the War were not enough to keep Shanghai ina ferment, Fuh Lee must needs be burnt out again, and take with it the Russian Consulate and' Hung Chang's, the Nanking Road jeweller's, to say nothing of the damage inflicted on other property in the vicinity. The destruction was swift and complete. A few minutes after five o'clock yesterday afternoon the alarm rang out two bells. Almost before it had ceased the preliminary warning peal the sky over the heart of the Settlement was lighted up with a great {lee building was soon to be flaming like Jare. The entire top story of the Fuh
tone gigantic. torch and already stray tongues were'shooting out from the upper windows all round. So sudden was the outbreak that it appeared to be but a fow seconds from the discovery till the top floor was burnt out. The rapidity with which the conflagration spread lent colour toa report that incendiaries had been at work. It was known that there had been some dispute with the Chinese staff but ti: is was the only other foundation for the rsinvw. Last night the police had notiia; to offer as to how the fire originated. It began in the millinery @epartment where there was plenty of inflammable material to help it on its way of destruction.
The firemen were on the spot with customary alacrity but their task was hopeless, as far as the saving of the main block was concerned, from the beginning. At first a brave attempt was made by the Deluge and Mih-ho-loong Companies to play on the flames from the inside but the lift shaft acted asa flue and it was soon found impossible to remain in the building. The lift weights came down with a ron after a few moments and then cartridges began to fall down the shuff, exploding as they reached the burning Aébris below, and scattering sparks and stars of fire as they fell. Employés were rushing about the ground floor trying to save what books they could, but soon the falling plaster drove everyone outside. 'The flames burnt with a fierce crackling sound, and over and anon a loud report would' be heard as some more cartridges took fire. The lift shaft looked like a veritable inferno. The flames caught the staircases and spread rouad the whole building.
One great difficulty at the outset was the getting of a sufficient pressure of water. The Fuh Lee lift was worked by draulie power and one of the first things that happened was the bursting of the ram. The whole pressure of a six-inch pipe was thus wasted while it flooded the lower centre of the building. The hose reels attached to the street hydrants would play no higher than the first floor windows and the fire was raging furious; and unchecked high above. "Ina of an hour or so the engines began to arrive and at last it was possible to play actually on things persing. The Torrent engine was stati Szechuen Road just at the entrance from Kiul Road; the Hongkew was in Nanking Rowi; the Deluge also in Nanking Road but on Watson's side of the cross road; the Victoria engine in Szechuer Road beyond the Toilet Club. The fire float was also brought along to the bottom of Nanking and pumped from the river. The Deluge engine fortunately broke down after a time and the Mihholoong escape was also damaged through the unskilful handling of civilian whose zeal te help outrun their knowledge of fire matters.
Detachments of sailors were landed from the British and French ships and later from the Italian man-of-war, and rendered welcome assistance with buckets.
The strong wind blowing first took the flames eastward towards the Bund, dooming Hung Chang & Co's jewellery stores, threatening Lane Crawford's, and even causing some anxiety for Kelly Walsh's godown on the other side of Nanking Road. Then changing somewhat, as darkness fell, the wind shifted the danger to Messrs. Watson & Co's comer. Szechuen Road having.become too hot to be occupied the Mib-ho-loong and Deluge companies turned their attention to drenching the chemist's premises and so keeping the walls' as cool as possible, The water did a good deal of damage but it saved the building.
So intense was the heat that the electric light standards in the opposite corners of Nanking Road caught fire and the live wires from which the insulating material was quickly burnt off, hung within twelve feet of the road, just' above the heads of those who were working to extinguish [the flames. The current was cut off as soon as notice could be sent to the power sta n, and for a short time there was no electric light in the central district. But until the current had been cut the proximity of the deadly wires had a most demoralising effect on everyone.
The streets it need not be siid were thronged with crowds, who were drawn off from reading news of Japanese victor ries, and were to be observed alo dotted all about the roofs and parapets of adjoining buildings. In some of those latter every preparation had been made by the inmates to fight the fire should it advance to meet them. When the falling cartridges began to ox. plode, the throngs in Nanking Road dear a hasty retreat tothe Bund. There was said to be a lot of gunpowder stored on the Russian Consulate buildings and Ithough unfounded the statement caused al
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.