The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-07-26 00:00:00

THUNDERSTORMS.

The superabundant electricity with which the atITIOII-
- has been charged for the past week burst forth on
Wednesday, in a series of thunderstorms. The first
occurred at 5 o'clock a.m., and was remarkable for the
Gashes of lightning, the reiteration of clashing peals of
thunder, and the torrents of rain and hail that fell.
This storm was succeeded by excessive heat, which larded
until 10 o'clock, when the eleinents became again con-
vulsed, and • storm of similar character followed and
lasted for upwards of an hour. The heat for the three
succeeding hours was excessive, but at 3 o'clock • third
tempest broke over the metropolis, but with much less
violence and of shorter duration, and the evening
was beautifully serene. Accounts received by the
South-Western and Great Western railways state that
considerable damage has been done to farm produce.
A very violent hailstorm took place at (Olney Hatch
about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Hailstones fell which
measured nearly three inches in oimumferenoe. A greet
deal of damage was done to property in the neighbour-
hood.

On Wednesday afternoon, at 3 o'clock, Windsor was
visited with • most violent templet, which at first took
an easterly direction, then suddenly changed to north-
west. The lightning and thunder were not no alarming
as the heavy shower of hailstones, most of them measur-
ing from two to upwards of three inches in circum-
ference. Tiles and slates were swept from the roofs of
house, large limbs torn from the trees. and the corn-
fields appeared as if a roller bad passed over them, as all
the crops were beaten flat on the ground. Nearly all the
glass of the houses in • westerly direction has been
smashed, upwards of 1,000 squares have been broken at
the Infantry Barracks, and between 600 and 700 at the
Spite' Cavalry Barracks. The military church of the
Holy Trinity had nearly all the windows broken in one
side of the building, and the windows in Clarence-cres-
cent have suffered in like manner. At Victoria-street
Chapel several hundred squares have been broke';
John's Chun* and the Townhall have not escaped ;
the windows in the west side of the Cloisters are also
considerebly damaged. At the bottom of Castle-bill the
flood forced its way into one of the military knight's
houses, and floated all the furniture belonging to
Captain Douglas. Among the sufferers we learn that
Dr. Tyrrell and Dr. Brown bad each 100 squares broken
in their houses; Mr. Cooper, of High-street, nearly 200;
Mr. Voules, Castle-street; Mr. Roberts, Ifiglestreet ;
Mr. Brown, Castle-street; Mr. Wilhuore, Thames-
street ; Mr. Goodchild, Victoria-street ; Mr. Copeland
and Mr. Merrick, Thames-street, between 100 and 21U0
each. There were also 150 small squares in and about
St. George's Chapel broken, but all the beautiful stained
glass windows are saved, which is attributable to their
being protected by wire-work. The Name may he said
of Eton College Chapel. The windows of Windsor
Castle, being of plate glass, sustained no damage. The
drapers' shop of Bird and Aliens was inundated, the
hail and rain having broken through the skylight.
This, we are sorry to say, is but • short abstract of the
extent of the damage sustained, as linialnnis of smaller
houses have suffered in a proportionate degree.
1 After the storm lied abated the town presented •
singular aspect for this time of year; large piles of ice
were thrown up in various parts of the streets, and many
poor people derived no inconsiderable sums by convey-
ing the ice in carts, barrows, and pails to the different
inns, fishmongers, ice sellers and others.
The damage sustained by this terrific hurricane is of a
most serious eharieter.
TIII HAIL -STORM AT SOUTH° AT —The village of
Southgate was visited on Wednesday afternoon with
the most fearful hail and thunderstorm ever known
In the memory of unot. In the north and north-
west direction all skylights and glass houses of every
description are one oomplete wreck—the corn-fields a
mass of dabble, the corn being either cut entirely off
or beaten down to the ground, so u to be almost use-
less. Fruit and flowers all gone, not • vestige of fruit
remaining on the trees; an& the carriage drives and
roads covered with leaves and branches, altogether pre-
senting a scene of devastation seldom to be witnessed,
and of tibial it would be impouible to convey an ade-
quate idea, unless, indeed, we compare it to some poor
unfortunate village through which • hostile army has
pissed, spreading destruction around, the houses not
having escaped, the windows being completely stut-
tered, and skylights one quarter of an inch in thickness
broken like sheet glass. On the lawn of Mr. 'Jamul Pug-
den, of Oak Villa, Widener' found after the storm
were the she of apples, measuring four inches in cir-
cumference, some of which were brought to town than
morning, and sixteen hours afterwards measured fully
two inches. Such • storm was never before known,
and long may it be before the peaceful village of South-
gate again presents so fearful a spectacle.

Gloms e.m corms( drocr."—llow often. have we to admire
the ingenuity end eldll of a people, who, tho' vastly lassior
oureelves I. most of the grand feattire. of crldlitattori. '
eion to colouring and in the Tina art,---but we are Induced
to hesitate before we rocourage the adaptation of the beatilifi-
Ing proms 11 1* 1f14d4 V diet! That the Chloe. apply
powderwl colour to the great bulk of Tea gout to llogland Is
well known fact, and that the wan object In thbl, halo inerella
their pro* at tAa concinnees =pow, for by making all
growths appear of the mune colour the brava flavored= Wow
are pared of at a full price with the bolt. berme the dhaP-
polnUirent an otter' complained 01 by the cousuruers of the
bleth wiry and the blueish attractive kinds of Tea. whore
"poesfg drier . "—The remedy for this Is 1101114/1601.11 Parr
,Tee without powdered colour on Its surface; Wog the
growth It has so brown Ilavourtese leaves to disguise, atn:
Issteiore"sloops good alike." Agents are enumerated in
our Monthly; columns.