Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

FIRE AT PARIS.

Paris, July 2.

The fete, given by the prince Schwarzenberg, (Austrian ambassador) took place yesterday, at which the emperor and empress were present. Twelve hundred people were invited. In order to receive a large party, the prince, according to the usual custom adopted at Paris, had caused to be erected, with planks of timber, a ball room, ornamented with pictures of gauze, muslin and other light stuffs. After the cotillions, a Scotch reel was danced, during which their majesties arose to make a tour of the circle and speak to the ladies. The empress had returned to her armed chair, and the emperor was at the other extremity of the saloon, near the princess Pauline of Schwarzenberg who had presented her daughter to him, when the flame of a wax candle caught the drapery of a window curtain. Count Dumanour, chamberlain of the emperor, and many other officers who were near him, endeavored to tear off the curtains, but the flames got higher. They immediately informed the emperor, who had but time to go to the arm chair of the empress, when he was instantly surrounded by the ambassador and officers of the Austrian legation who persuaded him to quit the place. The fire extended itself with the rapidity of lightning; and his majesty slowly retired with the empress, recommending calmness, in order to prevent all disorder. The openings from the ball room fortunately being very capacious, the crowd could easily get into the garden; but many mothers lost much time in searching for their daughters, from whom they had been separated by the Scotch reel, and many young persons in endeavoring to find their mothers. The rapidity of the fire was so great, that the queen of Naples, who followed in the suit of the emperor, having fallen, was only saved through the presence of mind of the grand duke of Wurtzburg. The queen of Westphalia was conducted from the saloon by the king of Westphalia and count Metternich. The viceroy, who remained at the bottom of the ball room, and who feared to mix in the crowd with the vice-queen, perceived that the fall of the lustres and ceiling interrupted the passage. He had, fortunately, remarked a small door, which led to the apartments of the hotel, by which he got out. Happily nobody has perished; some 20 ladies have been more or less wounded. The princess Laycus, wife of the Russian consul, as well as the ladies of general baron Tousand and the prefect of Istria, have either in consequence of being seized with terror, or stopped in their getting out by some obstacle, been grievously hurt. Prince Kurakin, the Russian ambassador, had the misfortune to fall upon the steps which lead from the ball room to the garden; they were then on fire; he was for a moment insensible.

Princess Pauline Schwarzenburg was among the last who remained in the ball room. She held one of her daughters by the hand. A piece of burning wood fell upon this young person, which a man who was near her took up and carried out of the saloon. She was herself hurried into the garden. No longer seeing her daughter, she ran every where, calling her with great lamentations. She met the king of Westphalia, who endeavored to calm her. She addressed herself to prince Borghese and count Regnaud. After searching a quarter of an hour, impelled by the heat of maternal love, she returned not knowing what has become of her. The fire was then got under, and the ambassador preserved, and tranquility re-established. He engaged all night in search of his wife. Prince Joseph Schwarzenburg was anxious; of his wife was no the ambassador Metternich. He was doubtful of his misfortune day broke, when a disfigured corps found near the saloon, which Dr. Gall to be that of the princess Schwarzenburg. It remained no longer doubtful when her diamonds and the medallion of the order which she wore suspended from her neck were examined. Princess Pauline Schwarzenburg was daughter of the senator of Aremberg. She was mother of 8 children, and four months advanced in pregnancy.

Banks of the Elbe, July 13

Private letters from Paris represent the conflagration at the prince of Schwarzenberg's as much more terrible than represented in the Moniteur and other French journals. "Prince Schwarzenberg was several times in the most imminent danger of losing his life, as he would not leave the house til all had retired; his hands were much burned and many parts of his body bear marks of severe contusion: It was supposed that when the ceiling of the room came down, with 12 superb chandeliers, some persons were buried in the flames. Some letters also, from the same place, assure us, that since the 1st July, all public and private coaches, as well as all persons who leave Paris, are most scrupulously searched and examined at the first station from Paris, where their passes are asked for."