The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-29 00:00:00

Upon receipt of this communication a meeting of the
Leeds Chamber of Commerce was convened, and took
place in the Council Chamber, on Monday afternoon
last. Darnton Lupton, Esq., presided, and after a con-
versation upon the subject which bad brought them to-
gether, the meeting appointed the following gentlemen,
as a sub-committee, to consider the whole matter, and
report thereon to the chamber, viz., Mr. D. Lupton,
Mr. W . Firth, Mr. Charles Bousfield, Mr. Charles
Hindle, and Mr. Thomas Plint.—Leeds Times.

SNOW-STORM IN LIVERPOOL. —On Tuesday morning
snow fell heavily in Liverpool, and a few minutes after 2
nine o'clock a rare atmospheric phenomenon occcured.
While the snow-flakes were falling thick and fast, one 2
vivid flash of lightning burst through the morning gloom, 2
accompanied by a loud peal of thunder and sharp hail.
SNOW-STORM—TYNEMOUTH, Tuesday night.—As the
fleet of collier vessels was leaving the north-ea.t ports

yesterday morning, though the we tther appeared bright
and clear to the ordinary observer, seamen watched
with an ominous eye a dense mass of clouds banking up

is the north-east. The last of the vessels were crossing
the bar, when a heavy squall of wind came away from
the north-east, accompanied with showers of hail and
sleet. The wind caught a Blyth brig, the Cygnet, which
was being towed out, and threw her sails back; the
force of the wind overpowering the steamboat that had
her in tow, the brig was driven on the Herd Sand,
where she is now a total wreck. The Supply, of South
Shields, was also driven on to the edge of the Herd
Sand by: the same squall, and got such a thump that
she had to be immediately taken into the harbour again,
both pumps going to keep her afloat. She will have to be
discharged and put into dock. The crew of the Blyth
brig were gallantly rescued by the South Shields pilots
in the lifeboat, and safely brought into the harbour.
The other large fleet of vessels, as stated in the despatch
from here yesterday afternoon, ships drawing under
16 feet of water, all got safely away. There is now a
very large fleet of laden vessels on their passage to Lon-
don. To-day the storm clouds have burst, and we are
now experiencing a heavy fall of snow, which is drifting.
It has been snowing nearly all day. There has been a
considerable " fall" since the darkening, and the storm
seems to be still " brewing." The laden colliers have
had a spanking wind from the N. and N.N.E. since they
left the north yesterday. Last night was clear and star-
light, but the appearance of this night is producing great
anxiety and alarm among the seafaring people. The
fleet, they calculate, will be passing into the Would to-
night, in the neighbourhood of the sands off the coast of
Norfolk—a passage most dangerous for a large fleet of
laden vessels to thread in a night like this. The sea is
terrific off our bar this evening. Notwithstanding the
large number of vessels that left here yesterday, there is
still a heavy fleet of laden vessels in the Tyne. If the
weather of this morning had been like what we had yes-
terday morning, we should have had another large de-
parture ; now the laden vessels are safely locked in port
until the weather and sea moderate. 9 p.m.—The wea-
ther still looks dreadfully wild, and snow continues
falling. The wind is N.N.E., blowing half a gale of
wind at' sea, with blinding snow showers.
THE CHRISTMAS RAILWAY TRAFFIC.—The amount of
the Christmas traffic on all the leading metropolitan
railways would appear, from the usual returns, to have
considerably exceeded that of any previous year. On
the London and North-Western, during the period no-
minally called "Christmas week," extending over seven
days, there passed " down" the line 27,000 parcels
and Christmas presents, and "up" 12,250 for distribu-
tion throughout London, this being exclusive of many
thousands of parcels, coming by goods trains. Last year
on this line the "down" parcels were 25,000, and the "up" 1
12,000. In the passenger traffic there was a correspond-
ing increase. The Great Western conveyed, exclusive of
large consignments by the goods trains, 16,000 parcels
and presents by the "down" passenger trains to all parts of
the west, and 13,000 from the west " up" to the metro-
polis. The Great Northern disembogued from their
depots at King's-cross 10,000 parcels " up," and about
the same number " down," exclusive of goods trains'
consignments, and the Eastern Counties in four days
carried 15,000 parcels " up" from the agricultural dis-
tricts, and about half that number " down," besides a
large tonnage to and fro of agricultural and dead stock,
In each case special arrangements had to be made on a
large scale for the safe and speedy transmission of these
Christmas cargoes, and a large additional staff was in
requisition.

HALIFAX, Dec. 24.—As is usual at this time of the
year, our Piece Hall has been very slenderly attended
to-day, and scarcely any business has been transacted.
In wools and yarns there is no quotable change, either
as to demand or price.
BIRMINGHAM, December 24.—1 n every branch of
the iron trade full activity still prevails ; orders
continue abundant for rods, bars, sheets, plates, and
rails ; for castings, also, there is a large demand ; while
pig iron has been in such request, that good qualities
are mostly bought up for next quarter. The demand
for coals continues unabated.