The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-27 00:00:00

TREMENDOUS GALE AT BRISTOL.

BlitsTOL, FKIDAT, Atrover 26.

This city and the surrounding villages were visited
during last night by one of the most terrific gales, accom-
panied by heavy rains, that we have experienced for very
many years. It commenced blowing heavily from the
SAW. at between 3 and i o'clock, and very soon increased
to the fury of a hurricane, tearing up prodigious trees by
the roots or snapping them off, awl doing immense damage.
It is as yet too soon to have received anything like detai.ed
accounts of the mischief which the storm has wrought in
the adjacent country, but judging from the particulars
which have already reached us, it must have been very ex.
remise. At llenbu y, about five miles from this, so many
trees have been torn up and thrown across the highway
that the road has been rendered impassable, and the coaches
and omnibuues have been compelled to vary their route t,
and from Shirchampton I of the fine trees which
used to adorn the entrance way to Blaine Castle
the seat of I. S. Barked, Bvq., have been destroyed ; and
at Wistbury and Ilallen others have been torn up or die
mantled. Upon the estate of Mr. Alderman Daniel, at
Ileaburphill, a colossal limb was thrown down from an
oak tree, and killed a valuable ox, which had sought
shelter beneath its branches. At Abbot's Leigh and its
neighbourhood similar damage has occurred. The famous
" Beggar's bush," or " half- way tree," on Leigh Down,
has been destroyed ; trees have been broken dowa at
Moorfields, and I hear that a cottage was swept away near
Mangotsfiad. Of the shipping we have yet no accounts ;
but should the gale have passed over the Channel, it is o
be feared that we shall yet hear of much damage having
been done in that direction. The weather throughout to-
day has been rough, with frequent very heavy storms ; and
should we not have a speedy change much injury to farm-
ing crops will, it is to be feared, follow.

THE NEW LAW ON nix SMOKE NUISANCE
IN Tile Meraorocts.—Yesterday the new act to abate the
smoke nuisance in the metropolis was issued. There are
eight sections in the new law, and it enacts that from and
after the let of August next furnaces in the metropolis shall
consume their own smoke, under penalties described. The
act extends to any mill, factory, printing-house, dye-
house, iron foundry, glasshouse, distillery, brewhouse, sugar
refinery, bakehouse, gasworks, waterworks, or other build-
ings used for the purpose of trade or manufactures, within
the metropolis. From the same day steam-vessels on the
Thames above London bridge are to consume their own
smoke, under penalties to be recovered in a summary man-
ner before a magistrate. The words, " consume or burn
the smoke," are not to be held in all cases to mean, " to
consume or barn all the smoke ;" and the justices before
whom any persons shall be summoned may remit the pen-
alties if they are of opinion that such person has so con-
structed or altered his furnace as to consume or barn, as
far as possible all the emok3 arising from it, and has care-
fully attended to the same, and consumed or burned the
smoke arising from the furnace. Constables may be
empowered to enter and inspect furnaces and steam
engines. No information is to be laid under this act to
receive any penalty, except by the authority of the
Secretary of State, or the Commissioners of the Metropo-
litan or City of London police.
THE NEW LAW ON BETTING HOUSES.—Yester-
day the new act was printed to shut up betting houses. It
will take effect on the Ist December, and before that day
all betting offices must be closed. The penalties are large,
and the imprisonment long. The public are already ac-
quainted with the new law.
SUDDEN DEATH ON BOARD A STEAMER.—
An awful instance of sudden chath has just occurred on
board the steamer Anglia, plying between Kingstown and
Holyhead. The vessel had left the former port about ten
minutes, when a young man, about 27 years of age, sup-
posed to he the son of the coroner for the city of Dublin,
Mr. Davis, was seen walking the deck smoking a cigar. In
the course ol a conversation with another passenger, he
complained of having felt inoisp.aod the night previous, but
remarked that he never felt better in his life than at that
moment. Having asked the address of a house in London,
he commenced writing it d ,wn, but had only finished the
first figure of the No. given, when the pen C.ll trona his
hand, ho dropped down on the deck, and instantly expired.
Death took place without a struggle, the cause, it is sup-
posed, being disease of the heart. The unfortunate young
man was on his way to Paris. The 1)34 was wrapped up
in a flag until the arrival of the vessel in Holyhead, when
lit awaits the coroner's inquest. The dreadful event created
much excitement among the passengers.

ACCIDENT ON TILE BRISTOL AND EXETER LINE.—
An accident occurred on the Tiverton Branch of the Bristol
and Exeter Railway on Sunday, which wu well nigh at-
tended with fatal consequences. The engine-driver is
usually in the habit, on approaching the station, of detach-
ing the engine from the carriage, the former being shunted
off into a siding, and the latter, under the charge of the
guard, proceeding on to the station. On Sunday afternoon
the guard, it is understood, instead of doing his duty in the
usual way, entrusted the break to a policeman, who actually
turned the handle the wrong way, thereby causing the car-
riage, which contained a number of passengers, to dash
with great force against • block of wood at the terminus.
Nearly all the passengers receivd injuries more or less ;
some h..d their teeth knocked out, and others were much
bruised. The platform was injured by the eoncusiion, and
it was fortunate that the results were not more serious.
The men were immediately suspended, and some inquiry,
it is understood, will be immediately instituted by the
directors.

RAILWAYS.
---
SOUTH STAFFORDsIIIRE RAILWAY.

Ye,terday the half-y early meeting of this company
wss h.-Id at the *tit tun at Lichfield, Mr. It. C.
CIIALSEIL in the chair.

'fhe following is the report of the directors:—
`• The annexed account shows an expenditure during the
past half-year of 23,0741. or. capital account, of which the
following are the principal items: law expense. which being
incurred for Opyoitions in parliament, are to be reimbursed
by the Great Ss eiletn and North. West, rn It itlway Com-
panies ; rail*, chairs, turutablei: sleepers, and contract
works for making the line, comprise
expenditure Mr the
Stour Valley Junction, which line awaits tin:
arrangements
now making for its immediate opening; stati sns, an,:2u<le the
cost of the ehctric telegraph and works done chiefly act
Dudley and Dudley Port—accessary at the former place,
to elf. c• a communisation wi:h the Oxford, Worcester, and
Wolverhampton Railway ; and at both places, fur accom-
modation to the rapidly developing traffic in minerals and
other goods. The fat-mentioned cause accounts for the
expenditure also in locomotive stock and good.' waggons.
In addition to the sum of 14,4001. stated in the account,
further louse on mortgage bonds have In en effected during
the last fortnight, all at the tate of 4 per cent. The bill
which was pressed for during the last session, to extend the
time as-igned by the company's act of 1547 far making the
Cannock branch, although it passed the Douse of Common.,
I was rejected in the Lords, for non-compliance with an
order of their lordships' house, which had not been pre-
viously enforced since the year 1836. The directors re-
commend a renewal .if this application to parliament in the
ensuing session ; and also, that any exercise of powers
ex-
nttng under that art should be loft to the discretion of the
directors. I'ursuant to the terms of the lease, Mr. Wm.
litkdr, eucces.or to Mr. Dockray, has been appoiutcd arbi-
teat tr between the company and the lessee, for the
iiispcetion of the line to ascertain and report whe-
titer the lessee has fulfilled all the covenants of
the lease to :Ile end of June last; as aTo to examine
at <1 report upon the expenditure fur the same period on
capital account, for the purpose of settling accounts between
the company and the I- gee to that date. Any expendittue
needed on the part of the company and not by the lessee,
will, it so decided by Mr. Baker, become chargealde on the
funds provided by the lessee for such purpose. The fund.
provided by the lessee, in addition to the 10,0001. guarantee
are for renewals of rally, chairs, and sleepers, including
interest at four per cent., 3,2011. ; locomotive stock,
ditto 2,118/. ; carriages and waggons (balance), 3,281 ; after
providing 3.3waggoua, two first class and six eecond class
cartiages, at a cost of 4,351 ; the toted funds so provided
since Ist August, 184, being 13,0511. The hall-yearly
dividend will he payable on the Ist pruzimo, at the rite of
3s. Sd. per chafe, or 181. 184. Ild. per 100 shares, after de-
ducting income tax." . . . .

'flee CHAIRMAN moved the adoption of the report.
Mr. C. FOSTER, M.P., aecoaded the motion.

Mr. JOHN Vittlimes:the trunmaster, made various in-
quince uu the suliject ut the accounts and expenditure,
which having been answered by the Chairman, Mr. Wil-
li.us went nu to voids:too !strongly the making of the Can-
nock Branch without the sanction of the shareholden
having been obtained at a spicial meeting convened for the
purpose ; he cared not (he said) whether there wan a rail-
way or a canal into the disttict, though he was quite certain
that in many respects no railway would afford the same
am mitt of accommodation as a canal. And as for the

guarantee of the lesstes, why the estimation in which it was
h hi by the public was hated by this fact—that the 4 per
cent. shares of the canal were a lliag at 106, or 61. premium
in the market, whilst the same per c nt. to this lino was at
39, or a discount of a punt(' to tiveitod-twenty shillings
the 21. 10s. share.

Mr. 13HoutieN said that as one who was rot only a large
eharehulder, but who had a large interest with the lessee,
he was convinced it was as much to the interest of the
shareholders to make this line, as it was that
ut the lessees, and even more to the interest of the former;
for the Cennock coal fisld was in un infantile state, and was
likely to be se for gems, and the interest of the lessees
weld be expired before its advantages could be fully de-
veloped. Ile was strongly convinced of the neceseity there
was for making the line, though ho should regret very
much if it threw them into antes/Adam with the Canal
Company.
After a few words from Mr. Dvott, Mr. Jcsson, Mr.
Bradford of Manchester, and other gentlemen,
The CIIAIANAN replied, awl, in doing so, noticed the
rim that the Marquis of Anglesey was already unking a
line across from his colleries to their line, and had given
them notice to construct sidings, though his lordship already
had a canal. This showed that a railway was preferred for
the coal traffic.

The motion for the Rdupt inn of the report was then put
and carried, and a resolution web passed for the payment of
the 4 per mat. dividend.
A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the meeting,