The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-24 00:00:00

INUNDATION OF THE RHINE.

Letters and newspapers from Alsace are filled with
accounts of danger and devastation produced by the
overflowing of the Rhine. A telegraphic despatch
dated Strasburg, Sept. 22, says:
The whole plain comprised between the Rhine and the
strategic road is one immense lake. In each village a cer-
tain number of houses have been swept away ; but the
inhabitants have been saved and sheltered. TM most
dangerous point is Rhinan, where the Rhine has formed a
breach of 160 metre', by which a very river precipitates
itself into our plains. We work at the dyke, but the trans-
port of materials is very difficult. I (the prefect) have
organised in each chef lieu els canton a service of distribution
of succour, comprising each a group of submerged villages.
The waters are subsiding everywhere.
Despatches received in Paris on Wednesday state
that no resistance was any longer possible where the
dykes had been broken down. Sixteen villages in
the department of the Bas-Rhin aro inundated, and
all the plain round Strasburg is under water. Every
means of rendering assistance has been organised
under the direction of the engineers, the prefect, and
Den. Andrg, who commands the division. The core-1
mune' on the banks of the Rhino in tho arrondisse-
ment of Wisaembourg, warned by the authorities of
the inundation with which they were threatened,
had time to remove a pert of their crops from the
low grounds. The garrison of Lauterbourg rendered
material assistance not only in the neighbourhood
of that town, but even rt Berg (Havana). 'lle
last accounts from Lauterbourg announce that the
two first dykes were overflowed by tho water, but
that the third had been strengthened, and from its
height appeared likely to be able to protect the parts
of the couo near it. Between Lauterbourg and
Berg the plain formed an immense lake.
As soon as the accounts of the misfortunes caused
by the inundations of the Rhine reached the Minister
of the Interior, he placed at tho disposal of the Pre-'
fects of the Haut et Has Rhin a sum of 18,000 f., to
be divided between the two departments for the re-
lief of the sufferers. 'l'ho Minister has also requested
the Prefects to visit the inundated localities, in order
to advise on tho measures to be adopted for the re-
lief of the inhabitants, and to give them the assur-
ance of the personal sympathy of the Prince Presi-
dent and of his government in their sufferings. The
Minister 9t Public 'Works has also adopted all the

measures revired by circumstances, and has placed
at the disposal of the Prefects the necessary credits
to provide for the rent urgent wants.
a strßsrg paper, of the 21st inst.,
sa 'yle'h:e
spite
A:arieiof all the precautions taken at
R ' hinan and all the effort" made to maintain the
embankment,
hod risen to a prodi-
lisni' ok , the river, which :
gious height, rushed with such I.`nectuosity against
the defensive works that during the night of the
19th it broke them down at three diff....7cut points,
and the waters precipitated themselves witit unheard
of violence upon the plain, submerging and &grey-
ing everything they found in their way. Very soon,
throughout the whole distance from the upper
boundary of the Bas-!thin up towards Stras-
burg, the country between the Rhino and
the canal from the Rhone to that river, Was
nothing but one immense lake, in which only a few
points of land were visible. It was a piteous sight
to eke in the different villages, as, for instance, at
La Krafft, at Gerstheim at Obenheim, and at ft-
zheim, the wretched inhabitants &a
of the lower parts
of those communes seeking refuge for themselves,
their cattle, and their horses upon the high lands,
and bivouacking upon the public reads, with the
fear of luiviug to seek a new refuge further otf.
From Sunday, towards nine o'clock in the evening,
six small houses have been overturned at Gerstheim;
at Obenthcim there have been as many ; and at
Booftlzheint five already. The river continued to
increase with frightful rapidity, and the ravages
will be very considerable. More than half the
houses had become uninhabitable, and everywhere
ruin seemed imminent. But all this is no-
thing, in comparison with the disasters that
have been experieneed by the little com-
mune of Daubensand, all the inhabitants of
which, without exception, have had to flee Mr safety
to the neighbouring communes; it is nothing com-
pared with the ruin of the great commune of libitum
which counts a population of 1,562 Heels, and from
which the communications have been cut elf. This
misfortune has been caused by the breaks of the
embankments which defended the commune. The
breach at Robertsau is of the size of 100 metres ;
but the waters have found a considerable vent by an
old arm el the 111. Workmen are busily employed in
repairing the injured dyke. During the night
of the 20th the embankment of the Kohigiesen
on the heights (,1 Drusenheim was in part sub-
merged, and the waters made their first irruption
upon the country below Strasburg. This accident
was contrary to all anticipations, and in spite of
every precaution taken Mr its prevention. The
whole village of Dalhausen and its env irons nre
under water, and the inhabitants have had to take
refuge at Drusenheim. The lower portions of the
environs of Strasburg arc almost completely sub-
merged. The waters of the 111, which were yesterday
morning near the mills up to 2 metres, have risen
this morning (Tuesday) to 4 metres. The Rhine,
on the contrary, continues to lower sensibly. This
morning it stood at 3 metres 80 centimetres, that is
to say, it has decreased 74 centimetres since yes-
terday.
We have reason to dread that we shall hear of
frightful misfortunes in the Haut-Rhin. Upon
the whole extent of the left bank, from Bile to
Marckolsheim, the floods have overflowed the em-
bankments, and hare inundated the country. More
than twenty communes arc under water, and have
suffered the same disasters as in the Bas-!thin. At
the same time there is no case of a rupture like that
at Rhinau ; the waters having simply overflowed,
and without the damage, which has been caused by
currents like that which has been admitted by the
giving way of the embankments. The meadow
country on both sides the 111, however, has had to
deplore immense losses.