The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-19 00:00:00

THE WEATHER, THE PARKS, &c,

Yesterday, owing to the extraordinary fineness of the
day, and the continuance of the frost, an enormous
number of persons congregated on the Serpentine, in SC.
James's-park, and in Kensington-gardens. Numerous
accidents took place during the day, no less than six
persons having fractured their limbs, and upwards of 30
received severe contusions and bruises on the face and
head. They received prompt attendance at the Re-
ceiving-house of the Royal Humane Society. The ther-
mometer, duriarthe night, was as low as 13 deg., and
at. 9 o'clock a.m. yesterday, 14 deg. At 12 o'clock the
thermometer was at 24 deg. Fahrenheit, at which point
it continued until five o'clock. when the mercury began
to fall, indicating a continuation of the frost. On Satur-
day a number of sleighs were driven on the ice, but, on
account of the vast number of persons there, and the fear
of the masses congregating to one spot, it was COTlBideYed
dangerous, and was prohibited.
In St. ames's Park the number of sliders and skaters
was very great. During the day upwards of 40 persons
met with accidents from falls—principally cat eyes and
contusions.
On the Long Water and Round Pond thousands of
persons amused themselves on the ice, many of the gent
tlemen belonging to the Royal Skating Club being pre-
sent, but no accident of a serious nature occurred.
In the Regent's Park an enormous number of sliders
and skaters availed themselves of the solidity of the ice.
The Regent's Canal, the Surrey Canal, and other open
waters, now icebound, round the metropolis, all had
their quota.
The Thames may be said to be nearly frozen over.
From the immense quantity of ice above bridge, and in
many places below bridge, all steam traffic, and, in fact,
all navigation, is suspended from Greenwich to London-
bridge, and thence to Richmond. So large a quantity
of thick ice has not been seen on the river for many
years.
During the whole of Saturday crowds of persons as-
sembled on London-bridge aid the various wharves op-
posits Billingsgate-market to view the extraordinary
spectacle of persons skating on the Thames near Pickle.
herring stairs. For some days past the crews of the
various vessels in the Pool have been enabled to walk
across the ice to the shore; but on Saturday the men
belonging to a Dutch brig, after carefully sweeping a
large area of ice, commenced skating, much-to the asto-
nishment of the spectators.

LIVERPOOL.
On Friday the merchants on 'Change, organised ,a
temporary relief fund for the labourers engaged at tise
docks, and the contribution in the evening amounted to
about 1,000/., which was increased to about double that
amount on Saturday. With this fund bread and coals
are being liberally distributed among the distressed cot-
ton and corn porters. Private benevolence is also being
widely exerted ; the public charitable institutions have
set their accustomed machinery to work, and are distri-
buting tickets for coal, bread, and soup ; and by these=
means the distress, which is becoming intense, is some-
what diminished. The greatest suffering will, however,
continue to be felt until the wind changes and enables
the large fleet of "inward bound " vessels to enter the
river.