Quebec has had a second fire, exactly one month after
the other, and destroying an equal portion of the city. With a strong Westerly wind, the fire of the 28th May marched from one side of the lower town to the other, cutting off a great slice on the Northern part, equal to one-third : just at the point where that left off, the fire broke out again on the 28th June, and with a strong Easterly wind, marched back again, in a belt parallel to its previous track, destroying the next slice of the city. What is left standing consists of the greater part of the Upper Town and a fragment of the Lower Town towards the North-western point— scarcely more than one-third of the whole. It is said that a mad- man prophesied this second fire : and the coincidence of dates seems suspicious. But we need not look far for causes, when we find the men employed in the very act of whitewashing a house to prevent its taking fire so readily, actually setting it on fire with a spark from a tobacco-pipe! Another appeal for help is made to this country. The grant of 20,000/. which the House of Com- mons has already made will be welcome as a present help ; but It cannot go far in so sweeping a loss. Lord Metcalfe is under- stood to contemplate an application for a British loan : this points out another way in which our Government may give succour, and of course it will do so cheerfully.
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