The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-08-09 00:00:00

THUNDER STORMS.

The sight when the thunder storms were so gement, over
this county, an oak tree was struck by the lightning, os the
premises of John Brown, Esq. of Castle Hayes, is the parish
of Tutbury, in this county, widely killed three sheep Iving
or standing guider it. The visible effect of the electric fluid
on this tree forms an isstrective lemon to the electrician amid
the traveller, who may unguardedly seek shelter under a tree
fis a storm. This is a solitary oak, situated upon this pro.
jetting headland midway betwixt Tether,' Castle and Has•
bury church, on the side towards the Castle, from whence
there is such a commanding view over the rich vale of Dore,
and Lord Vernoes domain. This tree has a forked branch,
somewhat like the letter T, on one side of which is dead
wood, hard and dry, and the other a lire branch, covered
with foliage, which is shivered to pieces, and the other ap-
parently nut touched. The bark is stripped off on the in-
side of the green branch to the ClOlllll or the butt, through
which it passed, to within about three feet of the emit►,
where it made its escape at two ',prate quarters on the side
towards Tutbary Castle, and opposite to the Bath that was
struck: this is evident from the bark being driven off by a
force within the tree ; the dead branch haying escaped the
stroke, coulirm■ what has been found in electrieity, that
baked wood is a son-conductor, end the lighimisg making
Its escape out of the butt of the tree uear the earth, should
warn all persons never to approach the butt of a tree iu a
thunder sturni.—(Staffordshire AdcertS,er.)

LOUDIPRIRS, JULY 30.
From all we ran learn on the subject, the thunder storm
of Monday se weight was rather violent than general i■ its
effects. So strikingly was ibis the case, that at Quarrelwood,
only sin miles from this town, the day was fair throughout,
while at Kelton, Camels, &e. there was only one mart
shower. On the Saturday and Sunday preceding, the then.
der was much more general, and in mime instances seems to
have travelled from the north and the northwest to the
moth and south east. In the higher parts of Galloway there
was abundance of rain, bet no thund►r—at least none that
was near 111111 loud enough to be audible; but in Annandale,
the storm is said to have raged with extraordinary and al-
most unprecedented violence.

Is the parialses of Middlebie, Hutton, Tuntlergarth, kr,
the rain literally fell in torrents, swelling thediffcrent soon.
lain streams, and aceonspanied with such heavy goals of wind,
as threatened to demolish the shepherd's isolated and clay-
built dwelling; while the thunder, at times, hurled through
the air with such foree,and fury, that the people actually
felt as if the earth had been passing from under their feet.
At Copelfoot, on the water of Milk, a girl received a shock,
from the effects of which she has sot yet recovered ; and
much about the same time, ■ cow was struck dead at Mia-
mi, parish of Mibblebie. At Ricking, in the neighbour.
hood of Moffat, another cow is reported to have bees killed
within a few paces of • poor boy who h■d taken shelter
antler • tree, ■nd who was so stunned by the falling of the
tree and the erects of the lightning, that nearly an hour
elapsed before be recovered the complete use of his semen.

On the term of Arinaorhorle, parish of Donscore, occupied
by Mr. AMirk, three roles of bay, containing each about 40
stones, were lifted by the force of a whirlwind high iota Ike
air, almost beyond the ken of the astonished spectators.
Two of these coley have been kneed of, while the third,
after travelling like a balloon, upwards of a mile, was recta.
erred in s very dilapidated state, baying previously strewed a
fallow held with part of its contents. The solver two cults Mlle
more perismadicularky, and appeared lobe pretty compact, so
long as they were within the ravage of vision. Wllbin half a
mile of the town of Biggar, the liglstnieg 'sock sod nearly split
iu Iwo a fine old oak tree; sod near the same spot Iheeleciric
fluid entered • farm-hunse, Messaged the furniture in almost
every apartmeet, wounded the faemer's wife in she right
foot, mud instantaneously killed a poor mass who had taken
shelter withiu the porch, sod with wham the former had
been bargaining fur • few articles of crockery ware. The
deceased, we understand, wan next to a mendicant in his
cerciimstaacee, and has left • wife and five cbildrtn to lament
their luso.

Mr. Giewss, an officer in the artillery. under-
took yesterday morning, on the Ball's Pond-road,
to do s quarter of a mile within a minute for a bet
of twenty guineas. lie wore a light pair of drawers
only. and he did the ground in two seconds within
the given time. A Mr. Giercian started en the
some ground to run one hundred yards in eleven
seconds for ten sovereigns, which he won cleyetly.
The Annual Meeting of the Staffordshire Ani-
cultural Association was held on Tuesday last. The
show of cattle and stock, though not very extensive,
was particularly fiat.; and the company. though far
foam numerous. comprised several eminent agricul-
turists mid liiiirl-.woes. There were tot more than
thirty gentlemen sat down to dinner, at which E. J.
Esq. •M;P. presided, supported by
Sir J. P. 00110114 Y. Bart. M.P.—Mr. Wean, of
.Barton 'Peck, end Mr. AsrL►Y, of Oditone, wire
the Judges of the show.

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