The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-01 00:00:00

THE HURRICANE.

On Tuesday morning at Brighton the most tremendous
hurricane ever experienced here commenced about ten
o'clock, and raged with unabated violence till past twelve.
The largest stacks of chimneys were blown down, houses
were unroofed, thousands of windows were shattered on
the cliffs and at the western part of the town, the largest
and most stately trees not only trembled in the blast, but
were torn up by the roots, flys were blown over, persons
were blown down in the streets, and severely injured, and
many carried against their will several yards, while showers
of slates, tiles and chimney pots were seen flying in all
directions. The damage done is immense ; scarcely a house
has escaped ; but that which is most distressing is the loss
of human lifs. A bricklayer, named Leggett, was struck
on the head by a large sheet of lead, which was carried off
a house on the New Steine by the wind, and, we lament
to state, was killed on the spot. The remains of the
poor fellow presented a shocking spectacle. Two per-
sons walking beside him were also seriously hurt, and
conveyed to the county hospital. A large stack of chimnies
on the house of Mr. Mutton, confectioner, was blown down
upon the roof of a small house at the back, also in Mr.
M.'s occupation ; it forced its way through the roof, buried
Mr. Mutton's shopwoman, named Redding, in the ruins ;
descended through the first floor into Mr. Mutton's bed-
room, and a portion of the mass forced its way through
the third floor, where Airs. Mutton was writing, who had a
very narrow escape. The table on which she was writing
received the falling ruins, and a small portion touched her
arm. The poor girl Redding was actually carried through
the first floor with the ruins, and when taken out showed
no signs of life, a nail having been forced into the back
part of her head. She was immediately put to bed, and
medical assistance called in, but there is little hope of
her recovery. From the appearance Of the ruins, it is
astonishing that she was not dashed to pieces. Mr. Mut-
ton has sustained a serious loss by the breaking of china
and the damage of plate.
The Chain Pier withstood the raging or the storm for
upwards of two hours and a half ; but at length a sudden
gust of extreme violence lifted up the third platform, which,
after quivering and vibrating in the air, snapped asunder,
and has left a breach similar to that occasioned by the last
accident. Happily the suspending chains are not in any
way warped or affected. Besides the broken platform, some
of the upright rods are gone, and what is of more import-
ance, two of the towers are strained from their proper bear-
ing. We are infornied by those who witnessed the disaster,
that it was awfully grand. Several persons were on the
Pier at the time, near the spot where it broke,and narrowly
escaped, by running for their lives. One of the large scats
on the outer head, in which many of our readers have so
often sat, was at an early period of the storm blown into
the air, and scattered in fragments on the sea. Captain
Brown has been written to, and will no doubt be shortly
here.—Brighton Gazette.
Private accounts have also reached us, detailing the
havoc committed by the storm. These on the Pier had a
very narrow escape of life, as many ran to the outer head
and were obliged to remain there, exposed to the storm,
until low water, as no boat could put off to their assist-

at An inquest has been held on the body of Leg-
gett, and a t-crtliet of Accidental Death returned.
At Shoreham, the zgaeks of chimnies on the new Cus-
tom-house fell with great violence, injuring the roof and
producing it is feared other damage to the building.
The following particulars, obtained from the guards of
various malts, and from passengers, will show that the
furious gale extended widely, and has done most serious
damage in all parts of the country :
Mr. Bailey, guard of the London and Norwich mail
through Ipswich, states that about two o'clock on Tuesday
the wind veered from south to due north, and blew a hurri-
cane. In the promenade of Chapel-fields, Norwich, seve-
ral large elm-trees were blown down, the roofs and chim-
neys of many houses were driven down, and tiles and chim-
ney-pots were flying about in all directions. A fine old tree
in. the Prussia Gardens, about half a mile from Norwich,
was uptorn by the roots, and fell across the road, and had
to be removed before the mail could pass. Stacks of corn
and hay were unroofed in all directions, and the contents
dispersed abroad. Along the road huge boughs and branches
of trees were frequently met with, and other signs of the
fury of the gale.
Mr. James Delves, guard of the Bristol mail, states that
on Sunday night the journey from London to Birmingham
was accompanied by heavy rain. On Monday it blew a hur-
ricane at Birmingham. On Monday night he went with
the mail on to Bristol. The weather was stormy, and the
country generally inundated. In several places the road
was to the horses' knees high with water. At Bristol the
wind raged furiously during the day. He left at half-past
seven o'clock in the evening with the mail. The Beddeford
Cross mail had not then arrived ; its proper hour of arrival
was ten minutes before six o'clock.

The Exeter and Falmouth mail did not reach Bath till
half-past six o'clock, being nearly two hours behind time;
caused by stoppages arising from the tempest. The towns
of Bath and Bristol were inundated with water.

The Liverpool mail, by way of Bristol, had a tempestuous
passage in crossing the Severn. It ought to have reached
Bristol at ten minutes before twelve at noon, but did not
come in till after two o'clock in the afternOon.

The guard to the Hull and Lincoln mail from Peterbo-
rough, says that on Monday it blew a strong gale, with
thunder and lightning—the lightning streaming along the
streets in a fearful manner.

The guard of the Exeter mail, says that near Whit-
church three trees, containing 100 loads, were blown down
into the lawn in front of a gentleman's house. Along the
line of road damage was done to a considerable extent. At
Overton a large tree was blown down, and carried with it a
stone wall and part of a corn granary. In. many parts,
stacks were unroofed, and in some places the contents were
dispersed. At Enfield-highway, several large trees, with the
paling in front of a gentleman's house, were blown down
upon the lawn.
Mr. George Trunks, guard of the Bath mail, gives par-
ticulars of a dreadful accident of which he heard at Marl-
borough. Three miles on the London side of Marlborough,
near Frockfield, a gentleman with two ladies was driving in
a phaeton, when a tree falling, the back of the horse was
broken, and the gentleman and the elder of the two ladies
killed on the spot. The other was severely injured. This
happened in what is called Maidrnhead Forest.
The guard from Exeter to Bath says that he was obliged
to cross several fields to avoid the quantity of timber
strewed along the road. The delay in reaching London
was thus one hour and a half. The waters were out in
many parts.
On Monday night the same guard on going down found
the wind furiously high, and at times the horses could
hardly keep their legs.
Mr. Charles Hecps, guard of the Liverpool direct mail,
states that he left Litchfield on, Tuesday, at half-past six
o'clock in the evening. The waters were out at Towcester
and Stoney Stratford. At Dunstable two chimneys were
blown down, and carried with them part of the adjoining
house. At Redburn, several trees, blown down by the
wind into the road, had to be sawed across before the
mail could pass.
The damage done on Tuesday in Kensington Gardens
has proved far more extensive than was at first supposed.
On the gate-keepers making a circuit of the gardens yester-
day morning, they found near the outer works alone up-
wards of fifty very fine elm, lime, and beeeh trees torn up
by the roots. By the broad gravel-walk, leading to the
Bayswater Gate, three very fine lime trees have fallen di-
rect across the path. Had any person been passing at the
moment they must inevitably have been killed. Closely
adjoining the Buck-bill Gate two very large and splendid
elm trees, for some hours before they fell, were swayed
and fro by the repeated blasts of wind, and great fears being
entertained that they would fall across the Bayswater-road,
and probably crush any vehicle, &c., which might be pass-
ing at the tnoment, Bishop, the Inspector of the Garden
Patrole, placed the trunk of one of the large trees recently cut
down inside the wall across their roots, and ordered a man to
stand outside the garden wall to warn persons passing of the
danger, which precaution proved well timed, for when the trees
bowed themselves to the subjugating power of the wind they
ell into the garden instead of the road, yet forcing down
with their roots upwards of thirty yards of the wall, which
in that part is very thick. About ten minutes before one
o'clock a tremendous crash was heard in one of the plan-
tations, near the Black-pond, between Kensington Palace
and the Mount Gate, where, on several persons running
to the spot, an awful proof of the powers of the wind pre-
sented
itself, five and twenty noble limes, which a few mo-
ments before were the ornament of the gardens, were found
levelled to the earth by a single blast, their roots reaching
high into the air, with an immense quantity of earth and
turf adhering thereto, while deep chasms of several yards
in diameter showed the superhuman force with which they
had been torn up, Most of the other plantations have
suffered more or less, and in various parts of the gardens
the lower portions of about twenty stupendous pines, elms,
and limes, whose trunks have been shivered within from
six to eight feet of their base. remain standing monuments
of the ruthless blast. In all about 130 of the larger trees
have been destroyed, a considerable larger number than
was by the hurricane on the 3d of March, 1824. On no
previous occasion has the wind made Inch havoc among the
evergreens in the gardens as on the present—the plant etions
of holly, yew, and other evergreens, near the Proving-
house, on the north side of the Palace, having suffered se-
verely ; and in the walk between the Ten o'clock gate and
the Mount-gate, a noble yew tree, the pride of the gar-
dens, has been uprooted. In Hyde Park the devastation
has not been so extensive, not more than about forty trees
being torn up ; yet among them are some venerable and
stately oaks, which had previously weathered many a storm.
On the Palace-green, Kensington, near the forcing-garden,
two large elms and a very fine sycamore have also bowed
their heads.
Mr. Richard Butler, guard of the Dover mail, says that
the sea ran very high upon the beach and harbour. It
was frightful to look at. A vessel was seen in the channel
with a signal of distress hoisted, but nothing could go off to
her. The vessel was drifting towards the Downs. There
was no interchange of mails between Calais and Dover that
day. At New Romsey several houses were said to be
blown down. At Banbury and at Dorchester great damage
is reported to have been done. At tlie Talbot Inn, Ripley,
the roof was blown- in, and carried with it part of the front.

PORT NEWS.
RYE, Nov. 29.—During one of the heaviest squalls about
eleven A.M., this day, two of the light-houses out of the
three, erected at this port for the entrance of vessels, were
blown down.
DEAL, Nov. 29.—We have experienced t;:s morning
one of the severest gales of wind from the W.S.N.r.. that
has been witnessed here for many years past ; indeed it L:
considered by many of the most experienced boatmen to
have exceeded-anything remembered. It commenced at
about eleven a.m., and continued with unabated fury until
thirty minutes past one P.M., during which time it frequently
blew in squalls, a complete hurricane ; and the sea was most
terrific in its appearance, which excited the greatest alarm
for the safety of the shipping in the Downs, also for the
intrepid Deal boatmen that were off, at the risk of their
lives, endeavouring to render assistance if required. The
spray and foaming ,of the sea was so great, we were pre-
vented witnessing its dreadful effects amongst the ship-
ping, and the greatest fears were entertained for their
safety. When the gale and sea a little abated, we observed
with much regret six ships totally dismasted, and two or
three party so ; the whole drove very considerably ; and
many of them, with two anchors a-head, some as far to the
northward as the eye could discern ; and it is much feared
that a foreign galliot, which was riding in the Downs this i
morning, is totally lost with all her crew. Many of the
houses in Deal and its vicinity have also suffered severely.
Chimneys blown down, roofs partly uncovered, and the
streets in many places literally strewed with bricks and
tiles ; and many houses and shops were closed to prevent
the windows from being broken. P.S. The galliot lost
proves to be the Fortuna, from Stralsund, for Liverpool ;
the crew were saved by the Deal boats, and are just
landed ; all well ; the vessel gone to pieces.
On South Sea Beach, about a quarter of a mile from
Portsmouth, several hundred persons assembled during the
raging of the storm, picking up the articles left by the re-