fter the alarm had spread
through the town, and that was soon done, for Liverpool was not of the
extent it is now. I believe half the inhabitants turned out into the
streets to witness that awful sight, although it was at five o'clock on a
frosty Sunday morning in January. For my part, I was aroused by the
continuous springing of rattles by the watchmen, and the rushing sounds
of people running along the street. I was soon out of bed and joined the
throng of people who were hurrying to the scene of disaster. When I
arrived there, a crowd had already assembled. Castle-street was then
very narrow. It was quite choked up with people. Dale-street was
beginning to be crowded while High-street and Water-street were quite
impassable. From the windows of all the houses the terrified inmates
were to be observed _en dishabille_, and the large inn in Water-street,
the Talbot, which was nearly opposite the Town Hall, had people looking
out at every window.

The smoke first made its appearance at the lower windows of the Town
Hall. The doors having been forced, a party of men got into the interior
of the building, and brought out for safety the books of the various
departments, and some of the town's officers having arrived, something
like system took the place of the dreadful confusion which prevailed.
The town records, the treasurer's accounts, and the muniments, etc., were
safely removed to a house at the end of High-street. I helped to keep
order. Assisted by many other volunteers for the work we formed a lane
so that there should be no impediment to a quick removal of anything that
was portable. The fire was first discovered about five o'clock in the
morning by the watchman on duty in the street. They were dull old
fellows, those watchmen, and of but little use, for in calling the hour
nine times out of ten they made a mistake. The thieves laughed them to
scorn. When the watchman saw smoke issuing from the windows he gave the
alarm without delay. The fire soon showed itself, when it had once got
ahead. When the new Exchange was erected, after the former one had been
taken down in 1748, somebody persuaded the authorities to have the
woodwork and timber of the new building steeped in a composition of rosin
and turpentine, so as to make the wood more durable. It may therefore be
readily imagined how inflammable such a composition would make the wood,
and how fiercely it burned when once ignited. There had been a