The Express.
London, England, 1862-05-14 00:00:00

THE DISTRESS IN LANCASHIRE.

Mr. Cotton waited upon the Lord Mayor yester-
day at the Mansion-house to request him to appoint a day
for the meeting of the gentlemen who had connected them-
selves with the committee of the Lancashire Relief Fund.
The Lord Mayor said it was very desirable that a meeting
should take place, and appointed Friday next, when the
meeting will be held at the Mansion-house. The following
are the additional contributions received by the Lord
Mayor yeettorda...n?,in aid of the above fund :-Mears. Tru-
man, k and Co., 211. ; Wean's, Eaq.,
101. 10a ; Lord Mornington, 51. se. ; B. F., 51. ; Wm.
Cathrow, Req., 51. ; C. P. Wiltshire, Eq., 51. ; Lady Mor-
rison, 51. ; Mrs. and Miss Haste, Hunstanton. Norfia, 31. ;
M. B. S., 11. ; Dr. John Watson, 1L ; Charles Barmiest,
Eq., 11. 10s. ; J. 8.,101. ; W. H. and J. H., 21. ; L A.
Gaitskill. Fag., 31. 3s. ; George Waterworth, Eq. ;
R., ss. ; W. H. W., 101. ; E. 8., 10s. ; a few working
tailors at Radpath and Manning's, 11. ;F. R. Marais,
Esq., 101. ; Captain M. C. Lawson, camith, Elder, and
Co., 5/. ; Alexander James Doyle, ~ 10/. 10s. ; Open
Air Teetotal Meeting Short-street, ew-cut, 14s. 2d. ;
Robert Porrett, Fag., if. la. ; Win. Webster, Esq., 21. 2s. ;
Mews. Hobos and Hunter, 21. ; H. A. V. 11. ; A Friead,
11. ; Miss L.,101. 6d. ; Miss E. V. L., 10a. 6d. ; M. H.,
10e. 6d. ;T. IL, 10s. 6d. ; Griffith Parry, BK., 11. ; the
Hon. lira. Cochrane, per Messrs. Barclay, Bevels, and
Co., 51.

THE MIDDLE LEVEL CATASTROPHE.

OF 1,000 ACRES OF LAND AND AWFUL

DEOFILUCIION OF PEOPISTY.

LYNN, TUESDAY MORNING.

The destruction of the sluice and bridge con-
nected with the Middle Level outfall (which cost 30,0001,
for construction about 16 yews ago), which we detailed lest
week as having occurred on Sunday, the 4th instant, has
been attended with the most serious result.. The entire
drainage of a vast portion of the fens between Lynn and
Peterborough depends upon this cut, which has been re-
garded as quite a feat in dr.iinage, and it empties itself into
the Ouze about three miles above Lynn. On the 4th inst.
the bridge and sluice were entirely destroyed (it is supposed
through being made on a sandy foundation) and a house or
two eugulpbed. Since that time the most strenuous emir.
tions have been put forth to construct • dam for the pur-
pose of keeping out the tidal waters, bat all has failed,
though between 20 and 30 barges filled with sand have been
sunk (only to be washed away as if they were toys),
and about 20,000 sand bap have been throws into
the river. The spring tides have, thereto., rushed
up the cut with unbounded velocity and power,
throwing down bridge', forcing huge breaches in the banks,
and inundating vast tract of land. On Monday afternoon
the tide washed a barge from her mooring, capsized her.
drove her against St.. Peter's-bridge, and dashed it toshivers.
During the lint tide on Monday two breaches were made in
the bank on thenorth.west side of the cut, about a mile apart-
One of these was successfully stopped, but the other spread,
and when we were there it was not lass than 50 yards wide,
and the water was rushing through with • sound like "the
shout of • mighty cataract." The sight here is awfully
grand ; as far as the eye an reach is one vast body of
water. Houses ware submerged eight or ten feet, and a
number of .tacks were seen Beating about. The line to
Wisbeach from Lynn was beneath water for nearly a mile,
and the keine were unable to run ; the telegraph pats were
washed away, and a stack of straw Boated on to the railway
lines and there rested. It was computed that there was, or
would be, in a few hours, not less than 7,000 acne of some
of the most productive land in England beneath the water,
and it is feared that by Friday (which will be the highest tide),
not leas than 150,000 acres of land will be inundated. The
destruction of all this property is frightful to contemplate,
and ruin is staring in the fen • great many of the tenant
fanners, as their countenances testify. We believe there
is no expectation of being able to construct the dam till the
neap tides. The cast of repairs which are rendered neces-
sary, apart from the lose of property by the flood, it is sup-
posed will not be much less than 100,000 i. The works are
being vigorously prosecuted by about 500 men under Mr.
Leather, contractor. The following e • have inspected
the damage : Sir John Bennie, ; Mr. Ilawkshaw,
C.E. ; Mr. Fowler, C.E. ; and Mr. Smith, C.E. Magdalee
. Fen, and • portion of Broad Fen and Marshland Fen, are
, ander water now.