The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-27 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.

Since Saturday we have had a rapid thaw. Theparks
yesterday morning were nearly deserted, and the autho-
rities ♦ery properly prevented eager skaters and sliders
from venturing on the ice. _ _

Labourers have been engaged, and are now busily em-
ployed on the Thames in demolishing the ice, in order to
get the ships clear. The break-up of the ice is much
dreaded along the shore. All the shipping have hauled
in from the centre of the river close into shore, and will
in a measure avoid the masses that will be carried down.
A large quantity of rain has fallen, and nearly cleared
off the snow in the principal thoroughfares.
One singular effect of the sudden break-up of the frost
has been the stoppage of a large number of church clocks.
Amongst those is that of St. Paul's Cathedral.

Tb e accounts from the country show that the thaw is
general. The frost began to break up in Manchester on
Friday night. In Liverpool it moderated somewhat on
Saturday. At Newcastle the thaw began to set in on
Saturday evening ; at Leeds on Saturday morning.

FIRES IN BISHOPSGATE-STREET AND WHITICCRAPIL.—.
Last night, between the hours of nine and ten, two
serious fires, which were attended with a considerable
destruction of property, broke out almost simultaneously
—one in the sawmills belonging to Messrs. Udell and
Co., No. 37 A, Skinner-street, Bishopsgate, adjoining the
pianoforte factory of Messrs. Smith and Co., the other
in the Montague Glassworks, Old Montague-street,
Whitechapel. The first fire originated in a building
fitted up most extensively with steam machinery is the
sawmill, which was of considerable breadth and length,
in which property of great value WAS deposited. The
other commenced, it is supposed, in the counting-house,
and extended thence to the back warehonse and also to
the first floor, and, having penetrated the roof, it be-
came distinctly visible all over the neighbourhood. The
fires were not extinguished until a considerable amount
of damage was done.

CHANGES IN THE MANCHESTER POST-OPTICE.—Some
extensive changes are making in the Manchester Post-
office, under the direction of a commissioner from St.
Martin's-le-Grand, to better fit the machinery for the
increased business of this large town. The number of
letter-carriers, at present 80, is to be increased to 112.
The scale of remuneration is also to be increased, and
placed on a better principle. At present there are
some of the best letter-carriers, who have been 20 years
in service, only receiving a guinea per week ; but by
the new scale they will have the chance of rising, by
merit, to salaries as high is 30s. per week. There are
in future to be 61 letter-carriers at 18s. to 21s. per week;
40 at 225. to 255. per week, and 15 at 265. to 80s. per
week. This is a very desirable change. When it is
considered that this class of servants have frequently
letters entrusted to them containing large sums of money,
it was hardly fitting that the wretched payment of 15s.
to 21s, per week should be continued as the utmost re-
muneration they could aspire to. They are also to be
better clothed, and to wear the uniform generally given
to this class of her Majesty's service.
THE LAND TRANSPORT Coure.—Yesterday a large
number of able-bodied young men assembled at the
house of Mr. Price, the Wellington Arms Tavern, oppo-
site the exit gates of the London and South-Western
Railway, for the purpose of joining the land transport
corps forming to render assistance to our commissariat
in the Crimea. Capt. Mayne, the recruiting officer of
the metropolitan district, was in attendance, andin
the course of the day attested 45 healthy-looking
ydeopuontgat Bristol,fellows, to
last few
despatched to the
1v 5
days. These men
uel e last night Witted on the inhabitants, and this moth.
a 2f
ing will be forwarded to the depot. Among them were
:—Superintendent, ss. a day ; sub superintendent,
many intellio-ent young men. Their pay will be as fol-
lows4s. ; first-class drivers, 3s. ; and second-class dtivers,
Gd., with rations and clothing. They ale all regularly
i the Queen
r
after having
enlisted
entitlesefao%lomyaneatros,
auitma
aw afrrerea ndteh
signedarg b e
the following officers ;—Director-General,
Col. ed
mqvinrdo ; assistant ditto, Col. Napier ; two regi-
mental majors, one adjutant, one regimental quarter-
master, and 24 divisional ditto. There will be about
completed five years service. The corps will be com-
m by
2,000 of other ranks, All the officers have started for
the Crimea, except the recruiting staff, and those at the
depot at Bristol. This corps will have sole charge of
the transport of provisions for the army, and will only
act on the defensive—never being is the field except on
such occasions. They will have the direction of foreign
muleteers, and will be well armed and oquippsd,
_