The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-18 00:00:00

THE INUNDATIONS.

READING, July 16.—The fall of rain has this week
been such as has no parallel in this district at this season
of the year. Both on Monday and Tuesday the weather
was very favourable for hay making, and great activity
and energy were displayed to secure the crops of grass
then cut ; but a check was put to these busy operations
by a fall of rain on Wednesday night of the most fearful
character. The low lands in the neighbourhood have
been covered with water making a second flood within
a period of little more than six months. In the parish
of Swallowfield, a few miles from this town, Mr. G. Cox
a farmer, had water in one of his meadows to the depth
of three feet, and it presented a singular appearance,
from the surface being covered with mown grass. At
different parts of Burghfield the hay meadows were in-
undated, and the road leading from that place to the
village of T'neale was rendered impassable to pedestrians.
The injurious effects of the storm have been experienced
at Sonning, where a great deal of hay was lying on the
ground ready to be carried. Near Newbury the flood
has considerably extended itself.
By this heavy rain the damage to some portion of the
corn crops it would be difficult to estimate. The barley
appears to have suffered to the greatest extent, for in
some districts whole crops are completely flattened, and
it is not possible they can recover. The wheat is less in-
jured, though in a few places it affords evidence of the
severity of the storm. The other grain crops are all
mere or less damaged.

This fall of rain, followed by strong and chilling
winds, has been unfavourable for the potato, and now
the tubers present appearances of the old disease. Up
to the time of this stcrm the reports of the crops of this
plant were generally good, but there is too much reason
to fear the truth of the rumour that they are attacked.
NOTTINGHAM, Saturday.—This town and neighbour-
hood have, during the last several days, been visited by
heavy storms. A considerable amount of property has
been either spoiled or injured in the lower districts of
the town. In the neighbourhood of Poplar the river
Beck, which is arched over, and forms the main drain
of the district, was quite incapable of carrying away the
vast quantity of water that rushed into it ; the conduit
consequently burst at several points, making, in parti-
cular, a cavity of several yards in extent in a yard known
as Stevenson's-yard, thus filling the houses of the poor in
that district with the most offensive sewage matter, and
doing great injury to articles of domestic use. The
depth of water was such that the inhabitants of the dis-
trict were either obliged to retreat to their chambers or
leave their dwellings altogether. Two large stone slabs,
covering a portion of a small culvert in Plough-lane,
were forced up by the tremendous rush of water. The
cellar of a public house in Poplar was inundated, and
100 gallons of ale spoiled. This morning, in conse-
quence of the heavy rains that have fallen in Leicester-
shire and Derbyshire, the river Trent, in this neighbour-
hood, rose to an alarming height. In the East Croft
and meadows, near the town, some of the low lands
were flooded ; we have not heard, however, of any seri-
ous damage being done. At Kegworth and in that
neighbourhood the sudden overflow of the water has
done great injury to the crops.

THE PItIN6IPALITY.-ThE; recent heavy floods have
been attended with a considerable destruction of pro-
perty in the Principality, more especially in South
Wales, in addition to those already recorded. At
Cwm Neath alone no less than seven bridges (including
that of Pontwalby) have been swept away by the
heavy thunderstorms and the unusual rise of the waters.
In the Vale of Neath the fall of rain has been
heavier than has been known for many years.
The county bridge of Pontwalby was literally carried
bodily away, only a small portion of the eastern abut-
ment having been left ; the result was, that the traffic
on the Merthyr road was completely stopped. In and
near Brecon the loss of property has also been very great.
It i 3 said that the river rose 15ft., and that the flood
was the effect of a waterspout. The Taff was also flooded
to such an unusual extent as to carry away the stone
bridge thrown over the river between Pentrebach works
and Abereannad ; its chief ravages, however, were in
the upper part of Brecknock, and in the adjoining vale
of Neath. Brecon town was flooded and filled with
mud ; a cottage, with five inmates, was carried away
near Builth, and the whole district was swept clear of
hay, potatoes, and all moveable articles. The river
Mellte carried away several small bridges, washed off all
the hay that was already cut, and did serious damage to
all the corn fields and meadows on its banks. The little
river Nedd Vechan, prior to its junction with the Mellte,
carried off the parapets of Pont Neatli Vaughan bridge,
and from the junction below that village the Neath
committed terrible devastations. The farm of Ynys
Sando was inundated, the cattle were carried away,
and the farmer only escaped with his own life, after
climbing with much effort from one of the outhouses
through the window into the upstairs room. The farm
of Ynys-y-Cymmer was denuded of its hay, and the
houses in the neighbourhood were filled with water and
debritus. At Lougharnc a great amount of damages has
been done to the wheat crops as well as the hay. The
flood likewise undermined a large piece of the ancient
castle wall, which fell with a tremendous crash.. The dis-
trict of Marros Pendine and Amroth was completely over-
flowed, a great number of houses were inundated, and the
inhabitants obliged to make their escape through the win-
dows and roofs of their houses, and leave all to the mercy of
the water, and rushed with awful impetuosity, carrying
before it bridges, culverts, hayricks, and everything that
Stood in its way. Great damage was done to the highways.
especially those places having any declivity, which were
completely blocked up, and it will take some time to put
them in passable repair. The brook at Amroth was
swollen to such a degree that the water found its way
into the Castle several feet in depth. The amount of
damage at this single place is estimated at from 2501. to
3001. At Haverfordwest some cattle were killed by
lightning during the storm that prevailed. At Cardigan
two pigs, belonging to Mr. John Ilavard, cabinet-
maker, were killed by the lightning ; and at Dlaennerch,
near Trensaine, two horses, worth about 301. each, be-
longing to the Rev. Mr. Jones, of Blacnnerch, were
killed. They were in a field at a farm called Cwm. The
farmer, George Griff' hs his wife, and children, had a
providential escape from being struck by the electric
fluid. While they were sitting at breakfast it entered
the room by the chimney, and in an instant cleared the
breakfast-tabla of everything, and struck down a little
girl ; it then passed out through the open door, leaving
the room filled with sulphurous smoke. The child was
slightly scorched on the arm, but happily no other
injury was sustained. Altogether such awi ely-spread
devastation occasioned by heavy floods has not been
known for many years.

I THE GALE OF
1 SHIELDS, SATURDAY,—On
. from the N.N.E. raged off

A meeting of the friends of the ballot was held on the
14th, at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street,
Lincoln's-inn-fields. The meeting, which was convened
by circular from the Ballot Society, was called with the
view of enabling that body to confer with the friends of
the ballot movement on the best means of insuring its
success. The attendance on the occasion was highly in-
fluential, while the letters received from leading re-
formers in the country proved how wide-spread is the
feeling in favour of the ballot among the constituencies
of the empire. At the hour fixed for the meeting, ono
o'clock, there were, among others, present, the Hon.
F. H. F. Berkeley, M.P. ; R. Cobden, M.P. ; J. M'Cann,
M.P. ; J. Brady, M.P. ; J. Ball, M.P. ; W. J. Hall,
Torrens M'Cullagh, T. Prout, H. Bateman, Donald
Nicholl (who handed in a contribution of five five
guineas), G. Pouncey, T. B. Parker, G. E. Dennes, R.
Dawson, J. Evans, W. Simpson, J. Ledger, A. New-
ton' W. D. Saul, W. Geeson, J. Prout, W. Wickham,
H. Dixon, W. Roberts, R. Cassidy, Monstrevern ; H.
Kennedy, Brighton ; J. Sothern, Yarmouth; W. Gibbs,
Aylesbury ; R. Cosens, Barnham, Sussex ; T. Falvey,
Southampton, and other gentlemen.
Previous to the more immediate business of the meet-
ing, the Secretary of the Ballot Society read communi-
cations, expressive of concurrence with the ballot move-
ment, and of regret at their inability to attend on this
occasion, from Baron Rothschild, M.P., through Mr.
W. J. Hall, with a contribution of twenty guineas ;
Mr. Scholefield, M.P. ; H. Hussey Vivian, M.P. ; R.
W. Crawford, F. Bennoch, Dr. Lee, of Hartwell-house,
Bucks ; Mr. J. Etches, Derby, with a contribution of
51. Letters to the same effect were also read from Ha.
vant, Landport, Haverfordwest, Swansea, Enfield,
Stroud, Inverness, Banagher, Cheltenham, Bristol,
Great Marlow, and other places.
The Hon. F. H. F. Berkeley, having been called to
the chair, stated the object of the meeting, which was
to confer on the steps to be taken at the present im-
portant juncture (when a measure of Parliamentary Re-
form was in prospect), for obtaining such an expression
of public opinion in favour of the ballot as would secure
its adoption in the place that would be proposed by her
Majesty's Ministers.
Mr. Berkeley was followed by Mr. Cobden, who ad.
verted to the means of effecting this object. Mr.
Cobden thought that the constituencies should make
the ballot an indispensable condition to their support of
candidates at the next election. The whole energy of
the country should be concentrated on this great ques-
tion, which involved equally the national character and
public morality. As a means to this end the hon. mein-
ber dwelt on the importance of local organisation for
the promotion of the ballot.
Mr. Cobden was followed by Mr. W. J. Hall, Esq.,
who said he had been requested by Baron Rothschild in
handing in his subscription, to express his regret at his
unavoidable absence. Mr. Hall then expressed his
concurrence with the views put forward by Mr. Cobden,
and added, that, as alcitizen of London, he hoped to see
the City soon take up the question of the ballot.
Mr. J. M'Cann, M.P., adverted to the unanimity of
the Irish Liberals on the ballot. All that was neces-
sary to be done so far as Ireland was concerned, was to
give the constituencies timely notice of the question
being brought forward, and they might safely be left to
deal with their respective members. The resolution
which affirmed tho support of the ballot as a duty in-
cumbent upon the friends of purity of election having
been supported by Messrs. Dawson and Geeson was
unanimously adopted.
The second resolution, which adverted to the import-
ance of an immediate expression of public opinion in
favour of the ballot being made a feature in the new
Reform Bill was moved by Mr. Richard Cosens, of
Barnham, Sussex, who, on announcing himself as a
tenant farmer of 800 acres, was welcomed by the meet
ing with a hearty English cheer. Mr. Cosens, after
alluding to the well-known fact, that the farmers had
"no voice of their own" in county representation, dwelt;
at some length, on the mode in which the ballot move-
ment was to be promoted among the agriculturists. In
the course of his speech Mr. Cosens declared his convic
tion that an appeal to agricultural constituencies, on
behalf of the ballot, would now meet with a welcome
response from tenant farmers.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. Torrens M'Cul-
lagh, who hailed the sentiments of the last speaker as
an earnest that on the question of the ballot, town and
country, the tradesman and farmer would become one.
Mr. M'Cullagh, after adverting to the silent, but not
ineffectual, labours of the Ballot Society during the past
few months, stated that tracts were now in preparation
on current objections against the ballot, some of which,
such as the proposed failure of the ballot in America,
had been endorsed by high authority even in the House
of Commons. He believed it would be found that this
supposition arose from the want of accurate information
as to the real facts of the case. Such information it
would be one of the earliest duties of the Ballot Society
to supply.
The resolution having been supported by
13vIars. J. Brraiella
M.P., and Mr. J. Gibbs, of Aylesbury,
12,011. COM
The third resolution which embodiedle hearty as-
sent of the meeting to a subscription in aid__the object
,r
t ofi
of the Ballot Society, was moved by Mr. T. Prout, who
.otahleyrsetsreoliruatisioncould easily be
re-
ferring to the difficulties in the way of carrying this ques-
tion showed that.tshie,
overcome by a le which ho had
the honour of proposing ; that response was, however,
yonlsveereto
of paramount importance to their success.
Mr. Henry Bateman, in seconding the resolution, ob;
served that it was the pith of the whole question. Ile
had no fear that the movement would fail for the want
of money, but under existing circumstances prompt and
energetic aid in the way of contributions would go far
to obviate the evils resulting from a protra,cted agitation
of the question. His support of the movement was in-
duced mainly by his confidence that the ballot.was the
most effectual means of putting an end to the present.
debasing and demoralising practices of contested eled-
tions.
The resolution having been supported by Mr. Robert
. Cassidy, was carried unanimously.
The fourth resolution, which urged:- the formation of
local societies for the promotion of the ballot, was moved
\
1 by Mr. T. Falvey, of Southampton; who gave valuable
. illustrations of the importance of local organisations.
1 The resolution having been seconded by Mr. R. Daw-
THURSDAY. , son, and supported by Mr. A. Newton, was carried.
Thursday a violent gale A vote of thanits to the chairman closed the proceed-
the coast north of Flaw.. ing6.