A disastrous fire broke out in Portsmouth Dockyard last Saturday
night, resulting in the destruotion of buildings and stores estimated at some £200,000 and the loss of two lives. The origin of the fire is at present unknown, but it appears to have started in the sail loft, part of a building near the South Railway Jetty, spreading to the rigging house, and thence to the Semaphore Tower, the chief signalling station of the port, an old wooden building dating back to the latter half of the eighteenth century. Three men were on duty in the tower, and there seems little doubt that two of them lost their lives through their conscientious efforts in telephoning to the authorities. The fire spread with great rapidity owing to the inflammable nature of the stores, and was not brought under control till '2 a.m. on Sunday morning.
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