The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-22 00:00:00

DISASTROUS FLOODS IN DEVONSHIRE.

EXETER, WEDNESDAY.
This neighbourhood has been visited by one of the
most disastrous floods ever known in this county, caus-
ing a fearful loss of property in the district of South
Devon, and washing away portions of the Exeter and
Crediton Railway, though, fortunately, without being
attended with any fatal result.
In consequence of a heavy fall of rain, whieh com-
menced on Sunday morning, and continued without in-
termission until midnight on Monday, the waters of the
Creedy and Yoo, two tributary streams uniting with the
river Exe, at Newbridge, rose with frightful rapidity,
and laid the Exeter and Crediton railway, in many parts
of it, and also the turnpike roads in the neighbourhood
of Crediton, completely under water. The first indica-
tion of damage to the line was ascertained on Monday
night,• when the 6.35 train, which left the Exeter station
for Crediton, arrived at Newton St. Cyres, a station
about half-way between this city and Crediton, and it
was then found that the line beyond was totally impas•
sable.

In this emergency the trains attempted to return to
Exeter, but when near Newbridge the rails sank, in con-
sequence of the ballast having been completely washed
away for about half a mile ; added to this, the fire in
the loco►notive was extinguished, and the engine thrown
off the line. It was impossible to move forward or go
backward, and equally fatile were the attempts to extricate
the passengers from their unpleasant predicament, the land
on either side the railway being flooded to the depth of
several feet. Mr. Mears, the superintendent of the Exeter
station, with other off►cers of the company, were out the
whole night with lights and vehicles, in the hope of being
able to afford assistance ; but, in spite of all their efforts,
they could not get within three fields of the disabled
' train. At length, about four o'clock in the morning,
after the passengers (fourteen in number) bad been in
their uncomfortable position for nine or ten hours, the
waters gradually subsided, and horses having been
attached to the carriages, they were drawn back to
Newton St. Cyres, a distance of about half-a-mile, whence
the passengers were sent on to their respective destina-
tions by another conveyance. The traffic of the line is
entirely suspended, and the company are carrying pas..
sengers in four-horse omnibuses over the old turnpike
road.

The damage done is so extensive that the traffic on.
the railway cannot be resumed for at least four or five
days, although the company are doing their best to Meet
the emergency of the case.
The river Exe lower down is very much swollen, but
the adjacent portion of the Bristol and Exeter line has
not in any way been injured.
A horse belonging to Mr. Carthew, a miller, was
drowned while drawing a waggon on the turnpike road.
At Newton Abbot the floods have been much more
serious, and occasioned damage to the extent of several
thousand pounds. The water rushed from the mill-lent
at Newton Bushell, washing down the bridges, causing
a large wall, sixteen feet high, and a portion of a house
in Sun-court, to fall down, and submerging the residents
of the locality in nine feet of water,
quite exhausted when taken out with ropes,
washedpes away,, &c.
some of them being
trees, ricks, and hedges were uprooted
and many small animals
were
residentsdrowned. of the town.
loss has been experienced by the
An

THE ROYAL BARON OF REEF.—The baron of
beef destined this year to grace her Majesty's sideboard in
Windsor Castle, on Christmas-day, will be supplied by
has reserved three prime Scots, esti-
rtorvneyor to the Queen, Peascod-street, Wind-
sor.about 100 stone each, fed by John Tucker,
in order that the Castle
Esq., of East Ham, Essex,
from
which the baron is em-
to be taken.
ployes may choose rom .
They are all of unrivalled
~ quality, and either of them
would literally furnish a dainty dish to set before a
Queen." The baron will be roasted to-morrow, and served
mliarelllidit.ownXieigh
up cold on Sunday next.
THE HOLIDAY ON MONDAY, DEC. 26.—Yesterday,
notices were posted at the various hospitals to the effect
that regular out-patients will not be attended to on the
above-mentioned day, but medicines will be issued to
to them either the Saturday previous or on Tuesday.
Accidents and urgent cases will receive the usual prompt
attention as on other days. The several savings' banks
have also notified to depositors that the establishments
will remain closed on Monday, the 26th, but that de-
made on Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.
posits, notices of withdrawal, &c., will be received and
payments
In the City, business will be refrained from altogether,
notices to that effect being exhibited in every shop and
counting-house, and bakers, butchers, and greengrocers
intend to close • their establishments during the whole
lllRY—Yesterday, the inquiry
was Mr. Austen. Mr. Edward
day.
THE
uE
againM ARTLEB ONE
resumed IbNyQ
Joseph, a surgeon, had vaccinated Walsh's child, and
bad seen it the day before it died, in order to ascertai
if the operation had been successful. The child th
appeared to be quite well. Had afterwards made a
mortent examination of it. The body presented ni
pearance of emaciation ; and the stomach was
full of milk. Witness considered that the c 1
died from asphyxia or suffocation, most robs'
sioned by its having been too well wrappedP
tteh,eocfastemhe
inquiry was adjourned till to-morrow.
oEfPF:LEoopomsoyle.Nn—uwllnhNotwThlleeEremNflect:
"gicgaed,/PRoTnOiDblcccraTiemd
17th instant, are reports, by Dr. David
. one."ofPLExherYMlNaD-
jesty's ships, one of whom r AosvoedG:zodffrom the
gratings in a fit of epilepsy, and t
Ale other had an apo-
anen
sufficientt l y oot;
pseurtviacneable: Surely these facts
plectic attack.
at 1e Ire Oue was rende•
end to a practice why I, -
J. Is a disgrace to our
country and our age !
TREASURY N "
OTICE.— the following notice, issued y
order of the Lords of fie 'lre' asury, as' re Ards the o by-
ment of the Bills of F. c' was put up" yea `ya'.
the Bank of Engl'an'a and the Royal Exchange at
"Notice is hereby given, that all bills of exchange.ane ac-
cepted:—
at the Pay master-General's Office, Whiteha11, or
at the Treasury, or Admiralty, payable on the P
ter-General's 'account at the Bank of England,aYmas.
which
fall due on Monday next, 26th inst , will be
sented, on 'Saturday, the 24th inst.. But paid if pre-
such bills due
on the 26th inst., which are not presented for payment
on the 24th inst., will be paid as usual on the 26th last
if required." .s
THE REPRESENTATION OF SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE.—
With much gratification we announce to the electors of
this division of the county, that the question of who
shall contest the forthcoming election on the Liberal
interest is definitively
settled. After an annoying, but
unavoidable delay, the committee of the Li •
beral party
have secured Lord Paget, a nobleman to whose qualifi-
cations we referred in our article upon the public meet-.
ing which selected him, and to whose excellent address,
our
appearing in columns of to-day, we confidently
refer every lover of reform, Wolverhampton Serail.
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