Phenix Gazette

Fire At Constantinople.—Extract of a letter from a British Officer, dated Constantinople, January 25, 1830. On Friday last the Blonde was honored with the company at dinner of Captain Bev, second in command of the Turkish navy, and Reale Bey, a Rear Admiral, and Leman Reis Bey the Navy Commissioner, with Captain Kelly, the Commander of the Steam Navigation, but unfortunately the harmony of the evening was suddenly interrupted by the breaking out of a fire on the Galata side of Constantinople, which soon assumed a most alarming appearance. The flames spread like wildfire, and having taken a direction in the line of the Custom House, it was deemed advisable, as well for the safety of the town as that of the shipping, to send a large force from the Blonde to assist in arresting the progress of that destructive element. Consequently Lieutenant Barrow (son of Mr. Sec. Barrow, of the Admiralty), Mr. Turton, the master, and Lieutenant Haves, of the Marines, and one hundred seamen, with a division of Marines, landed, and their prompt conduct excited great admiration. Finding they could make little progress in arresting the fury of the flames by the engines, they turned to and tore down, by main force, a range of houses which lay between the Custom House and the direction which the fire had taken; and thus, by sacrificing eight or ten houses, they saved the extensive towns of Tophana, Galata, and Pera, perhaps the Turkish navy, and the thousands of merchant ships of all nations that are lying along the Galata and Pera wharfs: for had the fire reached the Custom House, where there are numerous stores of combustible materials, it would be impossible to prevent its communicating to the merchant shipping, and those breaking loose, would soon have drifted amongst the Turkish ships of war, and thus have fired the dock yard, the city of Constantinople, and perhaps the Seraglio; however, to the exertions of our people, the fire was got under by 11 at night. About 40 houses have been consumed.