About one o'clock yesterday a fire broke out in North Szechuen Road, imperilling the three shops which stood at the junction of Range Road. The outbreak occurred io the upper room of the middle shop, where medicines, etc., tare sold. The flames spread rapidly and great volumes of smoke completely hid the buildings from view. A nom-ber of Chinese brought a hand pump to bear, bat the force of water was altogether inadequate to subdue the flames, which grew more fierce momentarily.
When the first detachment of the Fire Brigade pot in an appearance, the outlook was very regions, and the flames had spread to the upper storey of the hairdressing establishment on the left,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.