DESTRUCTION OF THE INTERIOR OF YORK MINSTER. — On Monday morning between
six and seven o'clock, the interior of this antique and splendid edifice was found to be in flames; and very unhappily, before the fire was discovered, it had obtained considerable ascendency. It was raging on the south side of the choir, had communicated to the organ-loft, and from thence was making its way to the roof. An engine was hnmediately got into the interior ; but such was the fierce fury of the flames, that it had soon to be withdrawn, to save the lives of the men. In the mean time, the records in the vestry, the horn of Llphus, the coronation-chair, and the brass eagle from which the lessons were read, were saved ; and time wills in the Prerogative-office were also ,safely lodged in Belfrey's Church. The alarm having spread ever time city, all the engines were brought to play upon the burning pile, both inside and outside. Some of them were stationed in the great west aisle, where the musical festival was held, to play upon the screen and the organ. About half-past seven the organ was completely in flames. The roof, composed of old wood, hadi also caught fire: its immense height rendered it impossible to bring the engines to bear upon it, and a little after eight the flames burst through. The organ had been entirely consumed before eight o'clock ; and time flames rapidly spread along each side of the choir to the altar, consuming the stalls, galleries, Sm. which were formed of oak, the carving of which, the workmanship of ages long gone by, had been universally admired. It was now found, that all attempts to save the interior of this portion of the edifice would be vain; and all that could be done was to station the engines in such a way that they might play upon the walls, and preserve, if possible, the windows, particularly the noble one at the east end. About nine o'clock a portion of the roof fell in : for a moment the whole space was brilliantly illuminated ; the next, a mass of smoke and ashes rose from the ruins, and enveloped them in darkness. About this time, the spectacle, to one who stood in the west aisle, and looked towards the altar, was at once grand and terrible. The whole space was a mass of fire, glowing with time most intense heat, while its coruscations were reflected in the painted windows, and illuminated the surrounding walls with a thousand fantastic hues. About ten o'clock another portion of the roof fell in. At this time great fears were entertained for the east window, as the fire was rapidly making its way towards it. Workmen were stationed on the roof, who sawed asunder the beams, and pitched the burning rafters into the abyss below. Some squares were broken from the heat at the tipper part, and a few were dashed out at the lower to admit the pipe of an engine. Before twelve o'clock, the whole of the roof of the choir and the chancel had fallen in ; and this portion of that far-famed edifice, where for ages men of all ranks and degrees had assembled to pray and praise, is now in ruins. The monuments, many of them most elegant ones, have sustained more injury than was inflicted upon them even by the fanatics of the Cromwellian :era. About two o'clock, additional engines arrived from Leeds and Tadcaster ; but bv this time the fire had done its worst,—having consumed the interior and time roof from the tower to the east window. The damage is thus summed up, by a person who v. ituessed the conflagration. " The roof of time choir quite gone, the wood o ork on each side consumed, the matchless organ entirely destroyed, many menuments broken, and the communion-plate melted." To this may be added, that two men who were engaged at the fire, met with serious accidents. The Leeds intelligetwer states a variety of circumstances whidi lead to a belief that the destruction of this magnificent edifice has been the work of au incendiary. A bunch of matches, burnt at both ends, had been found under the ashes of the organ ; and a pair of shoemaker's pincers, and an iron instrument, which could be used to strike a light, have been found, and the pincers claimed, by a shoemaker at York. A fanatical printer who lodged with the shoemaker, and who has just disappeared, is the person suspected. He has been heard to foretel that York Minster would be destroyed by fire ; and he is supposed to have fulfilled his own predictions. This man has been oftener than once confined in a lunatic asylum, and is now believed to be insane. The police are in quest of hhn. He is described as having the appearance of a preacher among the Ranters. A knotted rope was found hanging from one of the windows near the Chapter-house; and as it appears that a considerable portion of the bell-rope had been cut away, it is supposed that the incendiary had used it for the purpose of making his escape. The fire was discovered in a manner somewhat singular. A matt passing through the Minster-yard about four o'clock on Monday morning saw a light in the building ; but supposing that it might be workmen preparing a vault, he passed on. Between six and seven, a young boy, who is one of the choristers, was passing through the master's yard, and accidentally stepping upon a piece of a ice, was thrown on his back. Thus placed, and before he could recover himself, he saw a quantity of smoke issuing front several parts of the roof. He lost no time in going for the man who keeps the keys : they returned together, and when they entered a dense mass of smoke pervaded the whole building, and the beautiful work of the choir was extensively on fire.
It is supposed that 150,000/. will hardly repair the damage : the organ alone was worth nearly 10,000/.
In last night's Gazette a reward of 200/. is offered for time apprehension of Jonathan Martin, the supposed incendiary. Public rumour had begun to ascribe the conflagration to time hereditary and natural patrons of burnings, the Roman Catholics.
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