The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-12 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS,

Yesterday was what is technically termed a grand day in
the different Royal parks. From an early hour in the morn-
ing pedestrians and members of the nobility and gentry in
carriages vontinued to flock into the parks, in order to wit-
ness the evolutions of the lady and gentlemen sliders and
skaters upon the different sheets of ice. Princess Mary of
Cambridge was one of the promenaders on the banks of ho
Serpentine, with her attendants, and her Royal Highness
inquired at the Royal Humane Society's receiving-house as
to whether skating was going on in Kensington-gardens,
and whether any accidents had occurred.
The thermometer at this institution, as registered by Ne-
gretti and Zambra's patent glass, showed that during Wed-
, nesday night the mercury indexed 31} deg. At 9 obein'clock
yesterday morning the same glass showed 321 deg., g
little above freezing point. At noon the glass rose to 35
deg., being 3 deg. above freezing point. Tha barometer was
29.63. The wind was N.E., and the weather was overcast,
Last night the glass began to fall, and the wind chnodpgpitsoendi:
to the north-west, showing every indication of aicechianngset.
James's taking place in the state of the weather. The ice at the
prebent time on the Serpentine is 2in. thick, but exceed-
ingly dangerous. In the Royal Pond in Kin
garmdees Park is only about ens, the ice ishaalbfant
Ii inchesinchth niieketrh.ickn
thickness,
a most rotten and unsafe state.

Owing to the admirable arrizngements made by Mr,
Young, the secretary of the Royal Mullane Society, and
Mr. Williams, the superintendent, the icemen, by great
exertions, managed to clear the vast expanse of this river,
if we except about 100 or 150 females and gentielnen, who'
in spite of bll expostulations of Deputy-superintendent
Murphy, insisted upon staying
upon the ice until late in
the afternoon. Fortunately only a few slight immersion®
took place on this river.
In the Regent's-park about 3,000 skaters and sliders dis-
ported, and several serious accidents took place. Shortly
before noon Henry Childs. of 7, Bury-street, BloomsburYt
broke through the ice into 7 feet of water. Ile was rescued
by one of the icemen diving after him. About half-past one
a man named Geo. Addis, of 33, Duke's mews, Grosvenor-
square, fell through the ice in 11 feet of water, and iceman
Windyard, managed to get him out in a very exhausted
state, the iceman nearly losing his own life in saving him.
Three other persons were also immersed, but happily they
were rescued. They were attended to by Dr. Norton, and
were able to return home. The Royal round-pond hal
about 700 males and females upon the ice, but only a few
immersions took place, and nothing of a serious character
occurred.

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