The Royal Exchange of London is now a heap of

ruins. A de- structive fire has laid waste this celebrated building. The flames were first discovered on Wednesday night, issuing from that portion of the edifice called Lloyd's Coffeeroom, in the north-east corner opposite the Bank. It was then about half-past ten o'clock ; but the fire, it is supposed, had been burning for nearly two hours. The alarm was given by one of the watchmen of the Bank : fur, strange to say, tbere is no watchman attached to the Exchange. It was some time before an entry was effected into the Court-yard of the Exchange, as the gates were closed, and resisted the attempts of the firemen and police who first reached the spot to force them open. It does not appear Why the keys were not at once procured. After the arrival of the en- gines, a further delay occurred, from the necessity of thawing the hose and works of the engines the night was bitterly cold, and the wind blowing strongly from the northeast. By twelve o'clock, the whole of the long range of offices belonging to the Royal Exchange Insur- ance Company, Lloyd's establishment, including the Captain's room, the Coffeeroom, and the underwriters' offices, were one mass of fire; and the flames rapidly extended to the south-west part of the qua- drangle. The Bank and the neighbouring churches and buildings were brilliantly illuminated ; and the spectacle, though awful, was of unequalled grandeur. At about one o'clock, the fire rapidly approached the new tower erected about twenty years ago; and much alarm was felt lest it should fall over against the buildings on the south side of Cornhill. A strange sensation was produced by the chiming of the bells during the fire the old and favourite tunes of "There's nae luck about the house," " Life let us cherish," and the national anthem of " God save the Queen," et ere heard in their turns amidst the shouts of' the firemen and populace and the crash of falling masses of stone and timber. The bells, eight in number, fell one after another, carrying along with them the roof, stone-work, and the arch over the centre entrance, to the pavement. The north, the west, and great part of the south side of the building, were destroyed by half-past three ; and the fire had reached the east sidin. The inhabitants of Sweeting's Alley were employed in removing the va-

luable property contained in their shops. By great exertion, the east side of Sweeting's Alley was saved, but the west was almost entirely burnt down, thus completing the destruction of the Royal Exchange. The &tattles of the Kings and Queens, placed in niches on the four sides of

the interior of the quadrangle, were all thrown upon the pavement ; but the statue of King Charles the Second, in the centre, sustained little or no injury.

The fire was not completely got under till nearly neon on Thursday ; but the principal ravages had been committed before five.

The Lord Mayor, with several Aldermen and other City authorities, were present during the greater part of the conflagration : and the policemen were assisted by a party of soldiers from the Tower and the guard of the Bank. The crowd generally conducted themselves in an orderly manner, and gave less hindrance than usual to the firemen. The following details of the damage to private property have bees published-

IN THE EXCHANGE BUILDINGS.

The Lord Mayor's Court offices entirely destroyed, with the books and paper., desks, &e. No. 12, the offices of Messrs. Broughton and Grinstead, stock. brokers, partially consumed. No. 11, Mr. Robert Peake, English and Foreign stockbroker, destroyed. No. 10, Messrs. De Hague and Holmes, brokers, gutted by the flames. No. 9, Messrs. Davis and Swift, stockbrokers, destroyed. No. 8, Messrs. John Forster and Sons, brokers, nearly consumed. No. 7, Messrs. Richards, Sutton, and Sons, brokers, nearly consumed. No. 4, Iforea Steam-packet Office, to Dundee and Perth, totally destroyed. No. 3, Messrs. Jarvis, Bethell, and Sons, stationers, greatly damaged. No. 2, Messrs. Withers and Scorer, notaries, destroyed. No. I, Williams and Co. chronometer, watch, and clock makers, destroyed. The office of the London and Croydon Railway is greatly &maga by the water from the engines.

CORNIIILL.

No. 98, Williamson and Co., silversmiths and watchmakers, totally destroyed. We understand that some portion of the valuable stock was removed beim e the fire reached the shop.

No. 97, Messrs. Chappell and Co., news- agents and booksellers. The shop and its contents were consumed ; the stock of papers and books in the shop was partly removed, the remainder fell a prey to the flames. No. 88, the shop of Messrs. Effingham Wilson and Co., is greatly demaged by flue and water. A great portiou of the valuable stock was removed before the flames reached the south-east angle of the Exchange. No. 82, Messrs. Blight and Co., stationers, nearly destroyed. No. 90, Mr. Greavas, tobacconist, considerably damaged. There are several other shops and offices totally consumed, but the ocorapiets are unknown at present.

SWIETING'S Attie.

No. 20, Mr. Wilson, bookseller, greatly damaged, the stook by removal, and the shop by fire. No. 21, Mr. Joseph, boot-maker, greatly damaged by fire. No 19, Mr. Barber, hatter and military cap-maker, partially destroyed. No. 18, Mr. Button, confectioner, greatly damaged. No. 17, Messrs. Smith and Co., hatters, has sustained great damage. No. 16, greatly damaged. No. 15, Messrs. Venn and Co., notaries, considerably damaged. No. 14, Mr. John M. French, chronometer-maker, damaged. No. 13, Mr. J. Paw- ley, map and print-seller, nearly destroyed. No 12, Mr. Tent, shirt-maker, greatly damaged. All the shops above-named are rendered untenantable. On the east side of Sweetiog's Alley, the houses and shops from Na. 1 to No. 7 inclusive, occupied by 31r. Edith Terry, proprietor of the Turkey and Mediterranean Coffeehouse; Mr. Noxley, silversmith aodler ; Mr. Sa- muel Knight, printseller; Messrs. Joseph Sykes and Co.,C.o tobacconist.; Messrs. Henry and Juhn Baldwin, woollen-drapers and tailors; Mr. Booth, hatmaker ; and Messrs. Simpson and Co., tailors, are all much damaged, in consequence of its having been deemed necessary to carry the hose of the engine+ through the dwellings to prevent them taking fire.

THREADNEEDLE STREET, UNDER LLOYD'S ROOMS.

Carter and Co., printsellere, consumed. No. 2, Mr. Hodges, totally con- sumed. No. 3, Mr. -, auctioneer, entirely consumed. No. 4, a large shop completely burnt down. No. b, Burrup and Blyght, consumed. No. 6, Forrester and Co., notaries, destroyed, with a quantity of valuable docti meats. No. 7, Mr. Witherby, optician, close to the North gate, consumed. The shops Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10, and II, in the occupation of variuus persons are all burned down, with their contents ; and the shop No. 12 is greatly damaged by fire and water.

Mr. Ashley, Mr. Carter, and Mr. Williams, attornies in the Lord Mayor's Court, which was situated in the West gallery of the Royal Exchange, hive suffered dreanfully by the fire. All the securities and deeds in their possession, involving vast property, have been consumed. The loss is enormous.

The extent of the loss occasioned by the destruction of Lloyd's rooms has not been ascertained. It is said that the documents relating to assurances effected during the last year have been saved. Until the immense mass of papers have been arranged and examined, it will be impossible to calculate the extent of the damage here.

Owing to the great body of fire underneath the ruins at the north- east angle of the Exchange, it was impossible for the firemen to ascertain until a late hour yesterday whether any injury had been done to Lloyd c. Secretary's books, which were deposited in a large iron safe inserted in the wall. Two engines bad been playing during the latter portion of the day. In the presence of several of the Committee it was opened ; when it was discovered that the fire had reached the books. and partially consumed them. In the drawers were checks on the Bank of England to an enormous amount, and also Bank of England notes to the amount of, it was said, 2,5001. The notes were reduced to a cinder ; and on the drawers being opened, the air, rushing in upon the tender fragments, blew them over the Exchange. They were, however, very carefully collected ; and the tinder of the notes was with much trouble and caution put into a tin case, which was taken to the Bank, and the words " Hank of England," with the numbers and dates, were distinctly traced. The amount will, in consequence, be paid to the owners. From what information could be obtained from the gentlemen who took possession of the box, and who were understood to be underwriters, it was the usual custom of the Secretary not to leave any money or notes in the safe, but to deposit the money in the Bank ; which was done on the evening the fire took place. The money and notes above mentioned, and which were found in the safe, belonged to a subscriber, who, in the afternoou of Wednesday, asked permission to deposit his money in the safe till next day ; which was acceded to by the Secretary. Some idea may be formed of his state of mind on arriving at the Exchange on the following morning, to see it on tire ; and he was in a state of distraction until the finding of the cinders of the notes, yesterday, in some measure calmed his feelings. The underwriters are severe sufferers ; having left sums of money to a large amount in their desks, which no doubt will never be recovered. During the confusion on the discovery of the fire, in removing some :kilts from a room in the north-east corner, in addition to the 5001.

Bank of England notes which were taken to St. Michael's Church twenty sovereigns in a bag were thrown out of the window : the bag burst, and the sovereigns rolled about the pavement : they were all picked up by the mob, who appropriated them to their own use. It is understood that the Gresham Committee, who are trustees of the Royal Ex( bailee, had insured the building in the sum of 32,0001., and their tenants different parts of it to the amount of 15,0001. more. The Gresham Committee, however, are said to owe the City of London 145,0001. The Lord .Nlayor has offered the Guildhall for the use of the mer- chants, (hut it is said that the South Sea House will be preferred,) as a temporary place of meeting. For the present, " Lloyd's" is re- moved to the London Tavern.

Cornhill and Threadneedle Street are barricadoed. The entrance to the Bank is from Lothbury and Bartholomew Lane ; and the thoroughfare from the Poultry to Leadenhall Street is for the present through Lombard and Gracechurch Streets. Only one serious accident is reported : a man had his legs broken by the falling of a chimney. It is said that the bell-tower most be blown up, and that a corps of Sappers and Miners from Woolwich will be employed on that duty.

The safety-vaults under the Exchange, now covered with ruins, contain account-hooks and valuable documents belonging to most of the London hankers: it is feared that much damage has been done to this property by the water, of which there was yesterday morning four feet in the vaults.

The Royal Exchange Assurance Company have purchased the house lately occupied by Esdaile and Co., where the business of the concern will in future be carried on.