The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-22 00:00:00

DESTRUCTION OF SHIPPING AND LOSS

OF LIFE.

Since Friday night a terrific gale of wind has
swept over the metropolis, and caused considerable
damage to property on land and to the shipping in
the river and docks. At the east end of the metro-
polis the house-top telegraph wires have, it is re-
ported, been in many places blown down, and the
communication temporarily suspended. No perso-
nal accidents of a severe nature have been reported
as far as the metropolis is concerned.
The same remark does not unfortunately apply
with regard to the shipping on the coast, as will be
seen by the following advices
LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY.

Yesterday and to-day the weather has been very
stormy, both in and ont side the port of Liverpool ;
and judging from the reports of the coasting steamers
the storm extended a long way down the Channel.
To-day intelligence was received here of the loss of
the schooner Effort, Captain Thomas, belonging to
Messrs. Nicholson Brothers., of this town. The tele-
gram from Lloyd's agent states that the Effort ran
on shore this morning in Penrhas Bay, where she
soon after broke up, and that the cargo was washing
on shore along the coast. Only one man was saved.
The Effort cleared at this port on the 13th inst. for
Lisbon, with six of a crew, under the command of
Captain Thomas.

SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 21.

A heavy gale of wind has been blowing here,
chiefly from the north-west, with short intermis-
sions, for the last three days. The Channel Islands
mail packet, due Friday night, did not arrive here
until yesterday afternoon. The Havre packet, due
here yesterday morning, has not yet arrived.
GREAT YARMOUTH, DEC. 20, 8.30 A.M.

Throughout yesterday the gale continued with
little abatement, and during the night it raged with
renewed violence. A large number of vessels have
taken refuge in the roads, which afforded compara-
tively safe shelter, with the wind off shore. Some
which had drifted towards the Scroby Sands have
taken closer moorings under the land. Seve►al
vessels have come in in various stages of distress,
and a large three-master, supposed to be a Yankee,
was towed through yesterday, disabled, from Lowes-
toft. Last night the crew of six hands of the brig
Moore, from Seaham for London, with 309 tons of
coals, were landed here by a fishing smack and
taken to the Sailors' Home, having been obliged to
abandon their vessel. She was dismasted off the
Dudgeon, and two fishing smacks bearing down
took her in tow ; but in consequence of the violence
of the wind, and the heavy sea running, the rope
parted, and she became unmanageable. As she had
8 feet of water in her hold, the crew were taken
off by one of the smacks, and it is believed that she
went down shortly afterwards. The prevalence of
the wind from N.W. for so long a period has
brought up one of the highest tides known in
Yarmouth for many years. The sea this morning is
up to the marine drive, and the quays are flooded
for several yards on both sides of the haven. Old
seamen here predicted rough weather from the bril-
liant apperance of the Aurora Borealis on Sunday
night.

KING'S LYNN, SUNDAY.

A severe gale has been blowing almost without
intermission since Friday, but without doing any
serious damage until this morning. The wind
brought a heavy tide with it this morning, under
the influence of which an important sea wall or
bank, which protects Mr. Bentinck's property
in Terrington Marsh, has given way, and exposed
a large district reclaimed from the sea year by year
for some years past to the ravages of the ocean.
Not much land is at present under water, and
efforts are being made to repair the breach before
the return of the tide to-night ; but it is stated that
the whole bank is in a very precarious state< One
of the banks recently made by Messrs. Peto in con-
nexion with the Norfolk Estuary works, and known
as the 'Wolverton bank, has also given way. At
Hunstanton, the terminus of the New Lynn and
Hunstanton Railway, the water has been quite
over the fine cliff, and the line of railway, which
runs close to the sea along the coast, is now sub-
merged between Hunstanton and Heacham. Some
serious shipping casualties are feared along the
coast.

Yesterday a French vessel was on shore about
ten miles below Lynn ; the crew were in the
rigging, but it was hoped they would be taken off.

RAMSGATE, SUNDAY EVENING.

The gale which prevailed during Saturday night
and this morning has been the cause of a conside-
rable destruction of property on the coast in the
vicinity of this town. The tide this morning was
higher than it has been known for the last 25 years
and the waves, like mountains of water, rolled in
with terrific violence. The famous Ramsgate sands
have not now their usual appearance, they are more
like an immense wreck, being strewn with huge
pieces of timber and lumps of chalk of various
dimensions. In the vicinity of the sands are the
premises of Mesisrs. Strong and Barnes, boatwrights,
which consist of a large wooden structure, used as
a workshop, and what is called the boatbuilders'
yard, in front of which was erected a strong wooden
fencing. Although on an embankment, and some
distance from where the tide usually approaches, the
whole of the latter have been washed away ; one side
of the building has been forced in, and the foundation,
although solid chalk, has been completely under-
mined. A large wooden marquee, used by visitors
in the season, has als3 been partly destroyed. The
coast.gua, d station had a very narrow escape, and
it is feared the men and their families will have to
turn out before the night high tide. The wave
washed completely over the station, and the water
fell down the chimneys so as to pravent fires being
kept by the occupants. Even the Kent Coast Rail-
way Company have not escaped. For some time
past a tunnel has been in course of construction