The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-18 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

A cold, biting, northerly wind prevailed all day
yesterday, with a fall of snow threatening. The thenno-
looter at the Receiving-house in Hyde-park at midnight
on Wednesday, and up to 9 o'clock yesterday morning, re-
gistered2s deg., or 7 leg. below freezing point ;at noon
it had risen to 32 ibut at 9 o'clock last night it was again
down to 26, with indication of falling still lower.
_ _

In the Regent's-park all persons were kept from going
on the ice, even where it appeared sound. by the police,
large body of whom were placed on duty for that special
purpose•

- On the Round Pond, Kensington, according to the
official report, there were during the day upwards of 5.000
penons ; the ice firm, and no accident of any description.

On the Long Water, Kensington-gardens, about 6,000
persons were present, the ice here also being very good,
and no casualties.
On the Serpentine there were about 7,000 persons.
Two immersions took place of a serious nature, and several
minor ones, but all were successfully attended to at the
Receiving-house. During the afternoon an accident
happened to • gentleman while skating. His skates
twisted, and he fell heavily on his face, breaking the
bridge of his nose, betides receiving other injuries. He
was taken up and carried into the Receiving-house,where
his wounds were at once attended to by Mr. Williains,the
superintendent, and be was enabled to proceed to his home.
Several persons experienced injuries from falls, but with
the above exceptions, none of a merlons character. At 9
o'clock last night, it being moonlight, several hundred
persons were skating, and the banks of the water were
crowded with spectators. During the whole day, the
promenade and carriage drive had been largely and
fashionably attended.

About 15,000 persons were on the ice in St. James's-
park during the day, but no casualty of any consequence
was reported.

No accident was reported from any of the suburban
parks or waters, or from the Crystal Palace. loemen are
now on duty at the latter place, by request of the
company.

The river navigation is still totally suspended, and will
remain so until the frost breaks up, the river being full
of ice.

Mr. L Young, the secretary of the Humane Society,
yesterday had an interview with Lord John Manners, the
Commissioner of Works, and Sir Richard Mayne, the
Police Commissioner, for the purpose of obtaining the
assistance of the police to aid the officers of the society in
preventing night skating on the Serpentine. He was pro-
mised that his request should be complied with. A depu-
tation is also to wait upon the Home Secretary, by
appointment, with the object of obtaining the aid of the
police generally for the purposes of the society.

THE SNOWSTORM IN SCOTLAND.

(From she Scotsman.)

On Wednesday morning there was again a heavy
fall of snow, accompanied with some drifting. The depth
of the snow, apart from the drifting, varies considerably
in different districts. In this district the avenge depth is
from three to four inches. The drifting has not been such
as to interfere very materially with the traffic, as regards
either the thoroughfare' in town or the public road, in the
neighbourhood. Of the snow the city has certainly had
its fair share, and both walking and driving have become
heavy enough work ; but as yet there has been no serious
drawback in either case. The cabs and other vehicles have
been able to get along with tolerable safety, if not with
much ease ; and even Mr. Croall's coaches, plying to and
from the neighbouring towns and villages have been
able to make their wonted runs, although of course
the roads are very heavy. To this general role
there is only one exception—that of the Itlack-
shiels coach, which was prevented from running by the
heavy snow between Blackshiels and Dalkeith. As regards
the railways in this quarter, various trains have met with
detentions more or leas aggravating, but there has
been no absolute block.up, excepting perhaps in the
ease of the first train from Musselburgh to Edinburgh
yesterday. This train, which started at its usual hour,
8.5 a.m., had not proceeded far when it was brought to a
stand on account of the depth of the snow at a point where
there had been considerable drifting, and it did not
arrive in Edinburgh till 9.20, being • detention of
about an hour. The Peebles train, due at Edinburgh
at t 4.12 p.m., was about half an hour late, the depth
of the snow in some places on that route being
seven to eight inches, without much drifting.
The through trains from the south have been
running pretty regularly, though arriving generally a
little late, owing to the heaviness of the roads.
The express from London by the East Coast line,
due at Edinburgh at 8.30 p.m., was late about forty
minutes. It had been snowing pretty heavily along the
route, but there bud been no blowing to speak of. The last
train on the Waverley route from the south, due at Wa-
verity Station at '.1.25 p.m., was likewise forty minutes
late. The south trains on the Caledonian line have also
been running pretty regular, nice of them being more
than an hour behind time. As regards the north trains,
they have so far been running satisfactorily. Between
Edinburgh and Perth there has been little detention, al-
though the snow is a good deal heavier in that direction
than to the south, and still more so than to the west of
this lea about Glasgow). The Scottish Central train, due
here from Perth last night at a quarter to ten o'clock,
was exactly up to time. Even the Highland Railway, be-
tween Perth and Inverness, was reported last night by te-
legraph from Perth to be still clear, and to
have been so all day. Yesterday, also, there was
through traffic to this from Aberdeen, the first since Mon-
day, or, indeed, since Saturday. A train left Aberdeen is
the morning, and got through safely to Perth. Another
train left about noon, and, though the snow was drifting a
good deal about Laurencekirk, where the principal stop-
page had been, the train got safely through. It was, how-
ever, a long time on the way. It did not reach Perth till
about 5 p.m. The through passengers had to wait
there till half-past 7 o'clock, and they arrived at Edin-
burgh by the Perth train, already referred to, at a quarter
to 10 li.:n. We have received the following reports from
our country correspondents :
Since Saturday the weather at Dunbar has been of a
more stormy nature than has been experienced for several
years. A heavy snowfall, which lasted for four hours on
Saturday evening, blocked up the roads to a depth in many
places of between three and four feet, and rendered the
usual means of locomotion both difficult and dangerous.
Since that time there have been falls of snow every day,
Yesterday,tbe weather was of a very stormy nature. From
an early hour in the morning till nearly midday, the
snow was driven along in fitful showers, and a depth of
several inches was added to the previous fell. Through-
' out the remainder of the day snow fell at intervals, and at
nightfall the weather had still a very stormy appearance.
The roads have been cut where they were most heavily
blocked up, and the communication throughout the dis-
trkt has not been so much retarded as might have been
anticipated. The trains, although generally late, have as
yet all managed to get through. The keen frost has been
taken advantage of by curlers, and a number of friendly
matches have been played on the neighbouring pond... At
Broxiuouth Park, her Grace the Duchess of Itexburghe
and party have enjoyed the amusement of skating on the
pond there. The sea yesterday was running high, and
there was every appearance of stormy weather outside. A
number of vessels have been lying windbound in the
harbour for some thee. _

At Jedburgh the storm broke out with renewed vigour
I on Saturday, and every day since has had its fall of snow,
so that where it has been undisturbed it is lying to •
considerable depth. On Saturday night, however, •
pretty strong wind prevailed. In exposed districts there
was a good deal of drifting, and notwithstanding the ut-
most care of the shepherds sheep were buried in the snow,
and in some instances they could not be extricated with-
out much trouble. Some of the roads in the district are
almost blocked up ; but although the ordinary traffic has
been much retarded it has not been stopped, and the local
post-runners have as yet been able to take their customary
rounds. Out-door labourers are, of course, off work. and
although the storm has not been very protracted sonic
are already feeling the pinches of poverty. The soup-
kitchen was opened a week ago, and yesterday • quantity
of orals was distributed to the poor of the town. We
understand that several gentlemen have given donations
of money towards the alleviation of the distress of the
deserving.
The keen frost which set in last week at Falkirk con-
tinues to increase in severity, and is interrupting trade
considerably. Yesterday there was • slight fall of snow,

[TWOPENCE

which will serve to protect the wheat brain' from the
ravages of the stone. Traffic on the Forth and Clyde
Canal has been very much impeded this week by the Mocks
of ice which have accumulated on its surface. It is feared
that if the frost continues for a day or two longer, traffic
on the canal will be impossible. Yesterday the "breakers"
bad great difficulty in prooeeding up from Grangemouth
to G row. The railway trains have been very irregular
during the past few days ; and yesterday afternoon the
first train from Aberdeen for the south since Saturday
passed Larbert at half-past three o'clock.
The steamer Clydesdale arrived at Oreenork yesterday
orta morning and the master re an unusually heavy fall
of mow in the north-west ' Mends. The mail column-
nication had been stopped by the snow, and the oldest
inhabitants stated that they had never seen such a snow-
storm before.

A correspondent of the Dundee Adrrrfiser, writing on
Tuesday night from Leurencekirk says :—" Since yester-
day, there has been but little change for the better.
Trains and engines, guards and guarded, alike assemble at
this great ' Mushy junction ; and anxiously do some ask
for trains to the far north, but calmly and truly are all
informed that there is no train at present, and will be—
none knows when. Passenger trains and goods Satiny
Lassie' trains and mixed trains—all come north to •
certain limit, but there they ere met by the great white
wreaths, and et different stages are they informed that
thus far have they come, but no further can they
go. The several intermediate stations are in • grand
plight with shunted goods train.. Perthhasbeenorderedto
bookpassengers no farther than Dubton. This forenoon,
after patient working by a band of workmen, spade in
hand, for the teat two days, it was determined, if possible,
to break the barrier by • stronger power, and faros a way
to the land of Aberdonians. Accordingly, three strong
engines were coupled together at the station here, and
these set forth—to proceed, to return, or, Re a last resort,
to stick. Yesterday, two engines required the help of an
equal number of locomotives to bring them and • train
back out of the snow ; but the efforts to-day were more
sueoesiduL Some idea of the rate of their progress may,
however, be got from the fact that two young men—
coming off the south mail about an hour after the de-
parture of these engines, and anxious to get on to Stone-
haven for information about one of the injured men—set
out on foot by the turnpike road in order, if possible, to
catch the engines and get a " lift," actually made up With
the treble locomotive about two miles from Laurencekirk.
The snow on most of the line was about an average of five
feet in depth, and the engines were able to out through it
only by running back and then driving into the white mass
at • most tremendous rate. Frequently, they advanced
at a speed of perhaps thirty miles per hour, and yet were
able to cut through little more than a hundred yards.
Hard at work the engine-drivers kept, however, for some
hours, till "exhausted nature "—the contents of the ten-
ders—gave way, and a journey had to be made to Lau-
rencekirk for water. A fresh supply was got, the work
was resumed, and at about sax o'clock, after seven
or eight boars' hard driving, the men returned
with the tidings that they had managed to cut
through to Fordoun. These proceedings took place
on the " up" line—that from Aberdeen—in order to
meet the party working from the north ; but the men re-
port that the drift towards the south mid seems to be
highest on that side of the cutting. This, then was an ad-
vance of three-and-a-half miles on one of the rails, but it
seems that the snow is thicker beyond Fordoun, being re-
ported as about level with the bridges. The gang of men,
consisting of some fifty or sixty navvies, will now pro-
ceed to Fordoun, but how long that small number
would take to clear the line cannot of course be at
all &aerial:red. The first parliamentary train from
Perth to-day was well up to time, the second mail
was about an hour late, and the express was
about an hour and a-half behind time—the latter delay
having been occasioned by • break-down of the engine at
Forfar. By all of these trains there were fresh arrivals at
this, the temporary terminus of the line, so that, but for
the departures of disappointed travellers, Laurencekirk,
already overflown, must to-night have been at its wits'
ends for bed-room acconunodation. A general order,
however, was issued in the afternoon by the
manager, to all stations, stating that down trains
would be run from Perth to Leurencekirk and back,
at, or as nearly as possible to, the time of the up
trains. By this arrangement. therefore, the ordinary
number of passenger trains left for the south—and so
the village was somewhat cleated. Still, however, a busy
time, and • jolly time, is being held here. To-night, the
passengers were requested by the station officials to
adjourn to the Town-hall, where refreshments would be
supplied at the expense of the railway oempany, and
this opportunity was gladly taken by many—for, however
lightly fret class peesempare may at present treat the
matter, these detentions are a hard ease on poor people
travelling with but a thin purse, and with no means
of passing their time save that of sitting wearily at
the waiting-room tires. The interruption made on
Sunday last to the communication betwixt this and
Aberdeen is as yet undisturbed. Yesterday we
learn, the line was blocked from a point three miles north
of Stonehaven down to this station—a distance, in all, of
above seventeen miles. To-day, that still remains on the
down line ; but on the other rail the operations have suc-
ceeded in clearing the up line from this station to Fordoun
—a run of three miles. It is reported here, too, that the
operations in the north have penetrated to Stoneluiven
so that, should that be correct, there is now a block of
eleven tulles on the up line, and about sixteen miles on
the down line. Some of this must be of immense depth ;
and when it can be cleared one cannot venture to guess."
A correspondent telegraphed to us yesterday morning
from Inverness to the effect that the statements which
have been made as to the blocking-up of the Highland
Railway are incorrect. On flatunlay, Muted, the trains
arrived late ; but every day since the mail and ordinary
trains have been up to time, and yesterday the whole of
the line was dear. To prevent any block, snow-ploughs
are attached to all the trains, and they do their work in
excellent style.
The Dessider Adrerfisir says, "The Montrose and Bemis
line still continues entirely blocked against all traffic. An
attempt was, we learn by telegraph, made on Tuesday to
get an engine through the snow, but this utterly failed,
and the engine, after getting out only n short way, had to
do it. utmost to get back to Bervie. So the line has been
entirely closed since Saturday and as the MOM.
plough is at present busy on the seottish North-Eastern
line, it was improbable that any attempt towards reopen-
ing would be made yesterday."

Four FOR THE PEOPLE. —The Society of Arts
have, at the instigation of Mr. Harry Chester, appointed
a committee to inquire into the supply of food, produced
in .this and other countries, available fur the working
classes, a proposal which recommends itself to aIL There
can be no doubt of the fact that our. people are underfed,
and now, when there is such a general movement through-
out the country for the reduction of wages, we fear that
the labouring man will be in worse case than ever. As
well pointed out by Mr. Chester, there are many substances
available for nourishment destroyed simply because these
cannot be brought into markets where they would bring
prices which would remunerate the producer, especially
milk. But there is more than this ; for, in ninny parts,
articles of diet which are highly relished, in others are
I absolutely despised. To take a single illustration, eels
whichare so highlyprized in London,are in Scotland voted
unclean, and if caught for amusement ins thrown
away as useless. Again, in many places mushruouts
grow abundantly, but they are not utilised beerier,
the people have a dread or dislike of all " toadstools;'
tone of watercreaaes grow, but they are only fit for
cows. Many parts of our coast swami with shell fish,
which can be caught with very littie trouble, only that
trouble is not taken. What, therefore, is meet essential
is that the resources of one part should be utilised for the
benefit of another, instead of being, as they now are,
neglected or despised. We really do not so much
want new articles of food introduced as that old
and known ones should be properly appreciated,
and that the people be shown that things they
have been wont to reject are really of meat
value. Bread will ever remain the etatf of life, but
bread by itself is insipid fare. Let our working-classes be
taught where to look for a relish, and they will only want
one thing more, which in reality is one of the most essen-
tial of all—they. must be taught how to cook it. One
phase the inquiry shows soma symptoms of assuming
which we greatly dread; food cannot be e.tinieted by so
many pairs of carbon or so many of nitrogen ; neither of
these are capable of nourishing the body. As we have
before insisted in our artieies on the Philosophy ;c4
Food," experience is the guide as to what contains nioet
nourishment and is best adapted forsupportiug the labour-
ing man. What is wanted is that the ellwrienue of one
district should be made available in another, for rerilly the
ignorance displayed in this way is perfectly astonishing ;
this, combined with improved means of ].reservation and
transit, will do much to relieve, though they may not per-
fectly remedy, the present deficiencies in the diet of our
working-cloaca-7kt Abdietli Tiers and Go:tile.
Tli E NAVAL M EDWAL SERVIcE. --At a numerously
attended meeting of the students of naves sity College
Hospital, on Wednesday evening, Mr. Lenginure, senior
house surgeon, in the chair, the following resolution,
proposed by Mr. Allchin, seconded be. Mr. Hurlstooe, was
carried unanimously :—" That this meeting views with
dissatisfaction the proposal of the Admiralty, as reported
in the Britten Medina Journal of January 12, to subsi-
dies medical students of three years' standing until they
have become qualified medical practitioners, on condition
of their entering into a bond to acne in the navy fur 10
years. It believes this to be likely to bring di-credit on the
whole profession, inasmuch as the standard of the navel
medical service, far from being raised by it, would be consi-
derably lowered by the class of men that such an induce-
ment would be likely to bring into it. ' Aftereonie warm
expressions on the subject from other students of the col-
lege, the meeting proceeded to thu discussion of other
marten.