The Express.
London, England, 1861-11-08 00:00:00

STORM SIGNALS.

Rear-Admiral Fitzroy, of the Meteorological
Department, writes :
" On Friday last, at 2 o'clock, we knew in London that a
northerly gale was impending on the northern and eastern
coasts of Great Britain. Having on a previous occasion
given warning at the earliest moment, but unavailingly
to those who would not wait even for one day, or more
probably could nut then stop (unhappily many of them
were lost on the shores of Durham), and having then been
thought too early, we did nut send out the telegrams
until after reading the 3 o'clock reports from ten salient
Mathew which arrived at 4, or soon after, from Ireland as
well as Scotland. Getting dark now in the north at 5, it
would have been uncless to hoist a signal that evening, so
the telegram was to 34 stations on the coasts—'At day-
light to-morrow hoist drum, and keep it up all day.'
A drum (showing as • black square of three fast)
means that dangerous winds are probable from different
directions successively. On Saturday and Sunday a northerly
gale blew. On Monday and Tuesday a southerly gale was
blowing. The instructions accompanying our cautionary
signals my that they apply to acy time from first
hoisting to two or three days afterwards. I do
out hesitate to nay, and it is more than 40 years
since I bought luotiell's first work on meteorology,
' that the peculiarities of our winds and climate are now suf-
ficiently known to niche it practicable to foresee every ex-
tensive storm ; and, when no such change is impending, to
give the negative information, often valuable, that no
tempest need be feared. The storm of last Saturday was re-
markably local and circumscribed, but, as usual, violent
proportionally to its smaller extent between two strong
contrary currents. While blowing hard from the north,
with a low thermometer (30 to 40 deg.) aaces Scotland,
England, and the western side of the North Sea, there was
■ southerly gale over Holland, and at Paris the thermometer
showed 60 deg., while mentss Franca there was only wind
from south-east to soutb-west. The weather reports of
last Friday morningshowed notable difference of pressure
and temperature—startling when compared with the general
uniformity or gradual changes so prevalent (except in two
weeks) during the last seven months. Places usually oor-
respooding closely io barometer and temperature numbers
differed nearly half-as-inch and nearly 20 degrees.
The sure indications of a northerly gale, in addi-
tion to these wanting signs, were a low thermo-
meter and a highly electrical state of atmosphere, with a
low barometer, which had been falling for some days, but
fell rapidly on Friday. At Lynn it was below 29 inches ;
at Yarmouth and at Scarborough scarcely above that
point, which before • northerly wind is equivalent, as
• warning, to 2fii inches before • southerly gale.
The storm of Saturday was circuitous, or cyclonic;
its centrical area was in the North Sea, off Yorkshire,
round which, along the coast, it blew hardest from Northum-
berland to Norfolk. Off Flamborough Head it was sudden
and most severe.

" There wu nn Triad to speak of in the west of Ireland.
On the north-east coast and in the Irish Sea there was a
short gale. This cyclone was local, and did not travel far."

Last evening Mr. Alderman Salomon' met the
Deptford portion of the electors of the borough of Green-
wich, at the Lecture-hall, and addressed them upon the
position of politics and parties. Mr. Duval presided, and
having briefly stated the objects of the meeting, Mr.
Wilson complained that the alderman had voted against
the proposal for giving one of the rate apportioned
by the bill of the last session to Chelsea and Kensington.
He deniandod representatives for the at present non-electors,
who, he said, were, us a body, more enlightened and more
St to be entrusted with the franchise than the majority of
those who were electors under the reseal law. Mr.
Alderman Salomoos defended the vote in question,
on the ground that it would have been unfair to the country
at large to give either of the four forfeited seats to the
metropolitan boroughs, but he would have preferred that
one of them had been given to the London University.
Some questions of local interest were asked and antigen-
tardy answered, and a vote of coolidenee in the boo, mem-
ber, and the usual compliment to the chairman of the night,
concluded the business.

REPRESENTATION OF BIRK ENIIEAD. —MT. John
Laird, the well-known shipbuilder of Birkenhead, who is
the conservative candidate for the new borough of Birken-
heal, has recently seceded from the firm of which lie has
for many years been the head. The cause of this proceed-
ing lies in the fact that Mr. Laird's firm was successful in
tendering for the construction of one of the monster iron
vessels of war, and in cousequence Mr. Laird could not
enter parliament as so interested party in such contract,.
NEWS, Au ENT.' MUTUAL TRADE PROTECTION
Socirrv.—A meeting of uewsvanders resident in the south
and south-seaters dietricts was held last evening, at the
Doke of Clarence, London-road, for the purpose of brining
• branch of the above society. Mr. Bowering. of Black-
friars-road, was called to the chair, and explained the ob-
jects of the society, which were to obtain from the pro-
prietors of the weekly penny newspapers such arrangement.
as would give to the news trade • fair remuneration fur the
extra labour entailed upon it by the uncalled-for reduction
'from twopence to cue penny. Under the present prices
it was impossible for the uewevender to obtain a fair re-
mueeratiou for his labour. Branches were being formed
in each district of the metropolis, and it was inteoded to
roll an aggregate meeting of the trade to appoint •
deputation to wait upon the proprietors of the
penny weekly ;lepers, to point out the evil under
which the trade was labouring, and to suggest a remedy.
The secretary of the western district Laving laid before the
meeting • report of the providonal committee, it MU re-
solved, on the motion of Mr. Chapman, seconded Ly Mr.
Mason, that a branch of the society be formed is the
southern district. Several resolutions in reference to the
subject of street hawking were then adopted. Nearly the
whole of the persons present having enrolled themselves
as members, the officers were appointed, and the meeting
adjourned. It was stated the committee were in conimu-
nication with the police commissioners on the subject of
street hawking of papers.
PROPOSED ROAD TA ROUON HYDE-PARK. A
public meeting is to he held in the course of • few days for
the purpose of taking measures for pre.isiug upon the atten-
tion of the government the necessity of constructing a read
across Hyde-mirk. Although the perk forms one vast block
there are really two separate and distinct parks, shot off
from each other at night, sod opened and closed at dif-
ferent hours of the day. It is proposed to form the road
on the boundary between the two parks, and enclosed from
both—that is, entermg on the north at the foot of West-
bourne-terrace and running along the "ditch" un the east
of the brick wall which encloses Kensington.gardens, pass-
ing down by the guard.house, over the Serpentine-bridge (a
:10-feet roadway), and across Rotten-row into the main road
opposite Exlithitiou-road. It is estimated that the read
would cost less than 30.4.1001. The parish authorities of
Kensington have expressed • willingness to take part in
favour of the movement.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SEW:BONR OF ENOLAND.—
The following members of the college, laving been elected
fellows at previous meetiugs of the Council, were admitted
as such on the 7th inst., via:—Messrs. James
Meesteg, Glamorganshire, diploma of membership dated
May 28, 18.41; Robert Plowden Weston, Wellington, Salop,
May 3, 11331 ; John ?retaken!, Latigport. Somerset, Feb-
ruary Ifi, 1838 ; Robert Lyons Campbell, Inverness,
April 17, 1838 ; Charles Holmes, Slough, April 20. 11338;
Samuel Vincent Price Michell. Rednith, Cornwall, April 5,
1839; James King Sampson, Southampton, June 24, 1834;
and Arthur Newell Jones Sidefonl, Devoe, July C 3, 1841.
'THE MERCANTILE MARINE SERVICE AssocIA-
TION or LIVERPOOL AND TOE MAVOR.—An address was
yesterday presealed from the above association to the
mayor, S. It. Graves, Esq., thanking him for promoting the
interest+ of the association. la reponiling the mayor mid
that his interest in the Ilenautiie Marine Service Associa-
thm was excited from the fact of his being a shipowner.
With regard to its usefuluera, he was persuaded that it yeti&
destiued to be of the greatest benefit to the mercantiW
marine of the country, sod a most important element in
our national prosperity.
THE GREAT EASTERN.—A memorial from the
Liverpool pilots ass presented to the Mersey Dock Board
yesterday, praying for the removal of the moorings of the
Great Eastern, on the ground that they offered an obstruc-
tion to vessels anchoring in the river. Mr. Rees, one of the
members, stated that the Great Eastern was next month
coming to Liverpool from Milford-haven to get ready for
sailing in February, rod that the moonugs, therefore, could
not be dispensed with.
A MAN AND TWO DORMER DROWNED. —On
Tuesday night a toting man named Alitaham Walker, ser-
vant of Mr. Thomas hayfield, fanner, Hari w ith,was drowned
in the River Nidd, and also two horses belonging to his
master. lie was returning from Dorley corn mills, and his
nearest way home was to cross the neer at a wath. It being
dark, he was not aware that the river had swollen with the
heavy rains that had fallen during the day, and it is sup-
posed that when he was creasing the watli the cart wheels
stuck fast against some stone steps. Calling fur help, and
being close to Mr. Layfielira home, another servant went to
waist him, but after yoking his horse he found they were
all going down the rver, and he therefore jumped off his
horse into the water, and caught hold of the bough of a tree.
The other man (Walker) and the two horses were carried
down the stream. The body of Walker had not been found
on Wednesday.
ALLEGED INCENDIARISN AT STOKE NEWINGTON.—
Yesterday morning, between the hours of one and two, a
fire was discovered oil the mumbles belonging to Mr. H.
Eldon, brickmaker, Stoke Newington. The flames were
first seen proceeding from a couple of hackstacks,
each containing abort SO wacgou loads. Several engines in
a short time attended, but the llamas continued to raga for
some hours, and it was not until au advanced hour that the
fire could be extinguished, and 100 waggon loads of hocks
were consumed. As to the cause of the tire, little if any
doubt remains that it was the work of incendiaries, as two
men were wets to leave hurriedly just before the fire
showed a head. They are described as labourers. The pro-
perty destroyed was not insured.