The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-21 00:00:00

HIGH TIDE IN THE RIVER

MEDWAY.
CIIATTIAM, OCT. 19.—The boisterous weather experi-
enced within the lust few days has done very great damage
to the shipping and small craft in the river. On Saturday
and Sunday it blew a complete hurricane, and on Sunday
Light the wind and rain were truly awful, the wind
blowing from the north-west, which accounts for the
extraordinary high tide on Monday afternoon ; such an
overflow of water has not been known fur the last terty
years. The damage along the coast has been very ex-
tensive, and some thousands of acres of land are now
lying under water. Bishop's Marsh, an island between
Sheerness and Gillingham, containing one hundred
acres, and having a large house recently erected on
it, was placed in imminent danger, together wi h the
inmates. So awfully dangerous did this house ap-
pear to the officers in command . of her Majesty's
ships lying in ordinary, that they sent their boats
and crew to the assistance of the inmates. Some of the
furniture floated away, and was picked up some miles
distant. At Gillingham the tide rose into the street up-
wards of three feet deep, and the inhabitants were con-
veyed in carts to and fro. At Chathum, the water flowed
into several warehouses, doing great damage: timber, &c.,
were carried from the wharfs; and the gardens and the
marshes adjoiningßochester are covered with water several
feet deep ; and what is most remarkable is, that the Gas
Works being situated near the embankment of the river,
were completely embedded in the flood, and the conse-
quence was that the towns remained in total darkness.
At. St.rood the waters rushed up the High-street, near to
the turnpli+:;,. and the people were conveyed in boats at
2d. per head, and vans wi re enzaged at 6(1. per head.' The
inhabitants or Strood have suffered greatly by the water in
their houses; fortunately for them it happened in the day
time, Otherwise there must have been some lives lost. It
is stated-that a farmer living in the Hundred of Hoo
has hist upwards of 500 sheep. Indeed the extent of
damage done in the marshes of Cliffe, Higham, and the
Hiindred of Hoo, cannot be known, as the land is covered
with water. Several market gardeners will sustain
great losses, owing to the sea wall giving way and bury-
ing their stock ground. The country for miles presents
a curious spectacle.

THE FIRE AT SOUTH MOULTON.—On
• Wednesday accounts were received by the difft rent Insu-
rance Companies in the City respecting :he dreadful'
conflagration that occurred in the town of South Moul-
, ton, in Devons'uire, on the night of Sunday last. It ap-
' pears that 74 houses were consumed by the flames, and
about 20 seriously damaged. The dwellings were chiefly
tenanted by poor tradesmen and their families, the most
part of whom are reported to be uninsured, in conse-
quence of which they are rendered totally destitute, and
a subscription has been set afloat to alleviate their syf-
ferings, and already a large sum of money has been
collected, principally through 'the humane and praise-
worthy exertions of persons residing in the vicinity of
the unfortunate town. The Earl of Fortescue and seve-
ral -personages have handsOmely contributed to the
wants of the sufferers, who are stated to amount to 'l3O
families. The total loss is estimated at a very large
amount. A portion- of the property destroyed is insured
to the amount 5f about 4,000. in the Royal Exchange,
Globe, and Westnt England Fire-offices.
THEILATRAiREAT FIRE AT GLASGOW.—
,The principal_ sufferers by the late fire and destruction of
the Lancefield Cotton Works, near the City of Glasgow,
which took place yesterday week, are the Insurance
~Companies,.as will be observed by the following state-
-meat :—Sun Fire-office, 5,0001. ; imperial, 5;000/. ;
Scottishs, Union,- 5,000/. ; Pheenix, 5,0091. ; Liverpool,
York and North of London, 3,000/. ; West of
00c. ;
England, 3,000/. ; Yorkshire, 2,500/. ; Manchester,
3,0001. ; GlaSgow, 2,oo4—Total, 38,500/. An inquiry
has been for the. purpose of discovering the
cause o
tol;ut without success. It, however, is
f tghOeufiere in,
supposed to have originated by the friction of the ma-
chinery.
INCENDIARY FIRE NEAR YORK,—OR Mon-
dayVr. John Wilson, Grimston
night last a most destructi.ve.andalarmingfire took
place on the farmstead of .
Grimston, and about three miles from York. No
Smithy, which is situated a short distance from the vil-
lage of
t,
less than eighteen stacks were completely in flames ;
barley, they consisted of five wheat, four four o
fa hay.
• and
three straw stacks, one of beans and peas, one o
The engine con th the to play upon
burning pile
until five o'clock on the that
fire was got under. It was :immediately suspected_
fellowing afternoon, when the
this was the work of an incendiary, and bills were cir-
culated offering a reward of lea for his apprehension.
During Tuesday evening, suspicion fell upon a person
named Thomas Shackleton, a native of this city, ho
, _
was taken into custody by one of the city police.
I.7oT'k Courant.

fat% GREAT WESTERN STEAM-SHIP.—
The following notice has been issued by
the Post-office
authorities:—" General Post-office, Oct. 20.—A shipletter bug, to be forwarded per the Great Western
stcamer, for New Yolk, will be made up at this office.
Letters in time on Friday evening, the 22d instant."
Tho Great Western is advertised to sail from Bristol, for
New York, on Saturday, it being her last outward
voynge this season.

The -cost of the Rural Police for .Gloucester,
shire, for the year ending last Luster, was 15,&731.25. lid.,
with the prospt et of an increase.
A large importation of game cocks.from. Bristol,
have arrived to the Marquis of Waterford,_Curraghuiore.
—Dublin Post.