The Express.
London, England, 1868-12-29 00:00:00

1111VAPrRous EFFECTS 01P Tilt GALES.

ditOSS OF LIFE AND OREAV DESTRUCTION OF
FROP9MTII.
Earl] riterdsY ilitirsing, after the rain had
seemed and the ivied had slightly haw, the mosa, which
wee at its full, ghosts ont with a brightness seldom wit-
nessed, the sky at the ease tires being besetitelly clear.
Pewees eve and six o'clock it was fressing bard. Later
en is the morning the barometer continual register •
dew but gradual tall. At 11 o'clock the wind was blow-
jag a ga'c, not only in the metropolis, but, according to
reports received at the meteorological department,
all round the coast. At twelve o'clock it had
attained almost the strength of a hurricane, and later on
in the day it gained additional force. As each strong
gnat blew, chimney pots in all directions flew off houses
sign-boards were blown down, aad damage was done in
various, ways to house property. At about half-past
three the force of the wind was PO great that the position
ef persons walking in the streets was rendered very dan-
gerous from the tiles, boards, zinc and other chimneys,
&e., falling round them. It is estimated that at least
about 100 persons have been injured in the streets, and
some of the ca.-es are of such a serious nature that death
will probably result. In all parts of the metropolis
the damage done has been great, every thorough-
fare bearing full evidence of the fearful force of
the wind. In the suburbs where the wind had greater
play, outhouses, conservatories, and other buildings which
emild hardly be expected to resist the force of such a
wind, have been destroyed or greatly damaged, end in
eve ease of this kind, at Stockwell, a servant wrs
almost killed by the falling materials. The poor fellow,
whose name is under:L.o°d to be Henry Matthews, about
32 years of age, was engaged about 3 o'clock in the after-
neon in making efforts to shield with canvas and poles a
large conservatory, and had nearly stampeded, when a
temic gust of wind blew a portion of the conservatory
down, and the falling materials knocking him down,
he was fearfully cut about the head and Lies with the
glass and injured on other parts of the body by the debris.
At Clapham the roof of a stable was blown off
about 2 o'clock, and a horse killed. In the
same parish a little girl and boy were meri-
t tuly cut and bruised by the fall of rubbish of a
eirr.ney stack which was blown down. The children
were at the time in the nursery in a 10-roomed house in
Clapham-park. and the materials which injured them
lr.l into the middle of the room. The trees and shrubs in

the various royal parks have been greatly damaged, the
übs being uprooted. and the treer greatly damaged. In
the Regm's-park and Hyde-park, which are more ea-
posed than the others. several trees have been blown
down and other dam rge done. This, however, will bear
no comparison with what war witnessed in Richmond-park,
Hampton-court. and other royal property. It is stated
that at the latter pleads such • destructive storm has
not teen txperienced for many pairs, the ground being
literally covered with broken branches and timbal'. Along
the line of country traversed by the railways, cott►ges are
ecroofid, haystacks and barns blown down, and great
image done. On many of the liner themselves the late
heavy rains have in cutting.' laid the rails under water.
and loosened the foundations on which the sleepets rest,
aeorssitaling constant care and examination. No act:-
dent has as yet been reported, the cause of many of the
trains whidi arrived late in London yesterday being more
attributable to the action of the wind which con-
siderably impeded their motion. Engine-driven state
that with heavy luggage trains progress could only be
made with the full steam power applied. Telegraph posts
have been blown down, and other damage done. In Lam-
beth yesterday a portion of a house which was in course
of removal for the improvements which arc being carried
eat was blown down, and two men injured. At Battersea
about 160 houses were seriously damaged, and in the
Lower Wandsworth road • man was knocked down by the
limp of a public-house, which was blown down. When
the poor fellow was picked up he was insensible,
and it was found that he had sustained
some severe scalp injuries. At Kennington great
damage was done to house property, one house
liming unroofed. No serious accidents were however
reported. In the northern and eastern districts of the
metropolis great damage was also done, and many pr-
oms were treated at the hospitals for injuries occasioned
by the wind.

On the river the scene yesterday was even mere excit-
ing than it was on Sunday last, when several vessels
were injured by collisions with others, with lose of life.
On Sunday night at high tide the wind had lolled, and
She arprehensions which in the early part of the after-
noon were entertained for the safety of large numbers
cf mall craft were for • time dispelled. Tester-
slay, however, not only was the navigation ren-
dead difficult, but even dangerous. At • coffee-
hekse in the Strand, whilst several persons were
►eated at dinner yerterday, • heavy chimney-pot fell
through • glass skylight and alighted on the head of one
of the persons, who although wounded was not severely
injured. The skylight was, however, destroyed, the
<Mr's covering the table beneath. Last night the wind
mciierated. 1 iit the barometer was nut steady, and more
ri ugh wi atht,r is expected.

Liot ect oiiier about 5 o'clock the extensive bill-posting
nat the comer of Webber-row, Blackfriare-road,
war pawn cempletmly down bye sudden and violent gust
cf wind, the timber supports being shivered in pieces
like lathe the boarding fell across the pavement, and
several passeugen passing at the moment were knocked
down by the falling timber, and more or less injured by
cuts and truices. A portion of the southern part of the
/carding was left' up, swaying backwards and forwards
in the wind in a most dangerous manner, but, under the
direction of the police, men were set to work with ropes
to pull it down, to prevent further mischief.

IN, MONDAY.

It has been blowing bard here for the last two
Gays. Sometimes the wind has increased to a tierce gale.
tome aright damage has been done to houses in the town.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's sailing ship
Indus, bound for Bombay, has been windbonnd at the
Motherbank for nearly a week. The South Western
Company's steamer Despatch has left hare for Portland
to tow the New York mail steamer Borussia to South-
ampton. The Borussia broke down in the Atlantic.
PLYMOUTH., Die. 28.

A heavy W.B.W. gale has been raging here
derieg the night and this morning, and appears to be
ienessing. The Greylock barque Cabot, Captain Ritchie,
from the Baltic with deals for Bristol, was lying in the
Bound with both anchors down. She parted one chain
last night and the other this morning, and while drifting
'So leeward fouled and carried with her the brig Flying
-Cloud, Captain Evans, of Bideford, from Pernambuco
with sugar. Both vessels went on the Batten reef, and
are expected to prove total wrecks. Assistance was
promptly rendered, and every endeavour was made to get
them off with the tiring tide, but the sea was running too
high. The wife and child of the captain of the Cabot
were brought ashore by the gig of the barques agents,
Messrs. Fox, Son, and Co. The crews of botk vessels
were also rescued. The lifeboat was early in attendance.
Evzsino.
The robot has been got off, and towed into Sutt-,n Har-
ts n. r. Attempts are being made to-night to save a part
of the cargo of the Flyiug Cloud.
OXFORD, Dec. 28.
'lie 11,,eds are higher at Oxford at the present
dime than for some yearn past. The meadows immediately
ad jari at to the Isis and Cherwell are completely covered
for miles. Christ Cherrh Meadow is quite submerged,
the water encroathing upon the gravel path of that
favourite promenade. Iu the water walks of Magdalen
College the flood is also very high, and the lands In the
vicinity of the New Park are quite inundated. Port
Meadow bas entirely disappeared beneath the water, and
for some distance below Oxford the country looks like one
vast lake. As the heavy rains still continue, it is feared
the water will rise considerably higher in the course of
the next few dais. As far es we can hear (no damage of
any moment hastreen.done at present.
LIVERPOOL, Deo. 28.

Liverpool was visited bv a terrific storm of wind
lust the west to north-wset, from an early hour on Sun-
day sip to skylight this morning, and the damage dose to
house property is at wend incalculable. Between one
and 4 o'cl.ch on Sunday the wind blew • whole gals from
zortis-west, accompenied by blinding showers of rain and
hail. Fortnintely the river was not crowded with
shipping, otherwise some disastrous accident might have
sutured. Aa it is, however, one veiled bad • very narrow
escape. The barque Violeta, wilbst being towed up to
the Signe, was caught in a sodden squall, and mated
cur on her beam ends., making the posttlon of the
crew extremely dangerous. On the news mashing
Liverpool, • lif:tboat was despatched to the None
cf the accident, and the crew reamed from their perilous
position. In the eask portico of rho town several feet-