The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-19 00:00:00

STATE OF THE WEATHER.

The frost which commenced on Tuesday in the metro-
polis has been most severe, and the extreme variation of
the thermometer has been remarkable. Mr. Williams,
the superintendent of the Humane Society House in
Hyde Park, states that at twelve o'clock on Tuesday
night the mercury had fallen to 16 degrees, that is, 16
degrees below the freezing point, and it continued in
this position until eight o'clock yesterday morning. In
the course of the day it rose considerably, but towards
evening fell rapidly, and there was every appearance of
another hard frost. In a pond at the back of the So-
ciety's house the ice is an inch thick. At the north-west
end of the Serpentine the ice extends a considerable dis-
tance from the shore, and above the bridge in Kensington
Gardens the water is kimmed over with it.

After some continuance of fine weather, we were on
on Sunday visited with a snow shower on the hills, but
which in the valley descended in gentle drops of rain.
The accompanying indication was frost,. which was con-
firmed during the night, and on Monday all the moisture
of the road was dried up by a hard frost.— York Courant.
DRIFFIELD.---After two or three frosty nights and a
very cold day on Monday, Tuesday nu rung brought a
slight downfal of snow, with a very wintry aspect.
Winter has this year stolen a march upon us. During
the whole of the past -week the weather has been cold ;
and on Sunday morning, at daybreak, we had several
showers of snow falling in unusually large flakes. On
Monday night there was another thick fall of snow, which
completely covered the ground between Brighton and
Lewes, in some places to the depth of four inches ! This
was followed by an intense frost, which continued in the
shade during the whole of Tuesday and Tuesday night.
The sun shone brilliantly during the whole of that day,
and, of course, the thaw was considerable ; but, not-
withstanding, some of the hills .near Lewes were yes-
terday covered to the depth of two inches.—Brighton
Gazette.

On Monday morning last our city and neighbourhood
‘were visited by a heavy fall of snow, which 'soon covered
the ground. There was another fa'l early yesterday
morning. The frosts at night are very severe ; and
everything around us wears the aspect of deep winter.
—Bath Chronicle.

TUNBRIDGE WELLS.—On Sunday morning we were
unexpectedly apprised of an early approach of winter,
by a heavy fall of snow, as well as on the next morning,
Monday, but in neither case did it lie long on the ground.
The weather has continued very cold ever since ; and
we feel it the more, having had several fine warm sunny
days previously. Amid this variable weather there has
been to be seen for nearly the last fortnight, an apple
tree in full blossom, in the garden of Mr. Bell, at the
Mount Pleasant Brewery, in this place.
RIPON.—If any jndgment can be formed from the
present week, we have every indication of an early
winter, having experienced keen northerly winds and
severe frosts. On Sunday we had a slight fall of snow,
and within a mile of this city the ground was covered.
On Monday morning, the east and west hills appeared in
their winter garb, and the cold has since continued in-
tense for the season.— York Courant.
HULL.—GALE OF SUNDAY MORNING. —SOO n after
ono o'clock on Sunday morning, the wind, which had
blown here with some violence during the night from
the north- east, arose to a perfect hurricane ; and we
regret to add, that accounts are already received of con-
siderable damage among the shipping, which it is feared
will prove but the harbinger of more serious disasters as
the natural consequences of so violent, though providen-
tially so short a storm. The vessels arriving in the Hum-
ber after the wind had in some degree abated, report
having previously encountered the heaviest sea that
has been experienced on this coast for twenty years.
Amongst them were the steamers William Darley, from
Hamburgh, and the Monarch, from London, the crews
of which state that the swell of the billows and the trough
of the sea, as the most tremendous ever witnessed on
those passages, the waves repeatedly breaking over the
mast-heads and funnels of the vessels, and at times ren-
dering the engines perfectly powerless. Three or four
light colliers were driven on shore between Clea and
Humberston, but as the wind moderated and changed to
N.W., it was supposed they might he got off.—York
Courant.

GRIMSBY.—The gale was tremendous here on Satur-
day night and Sunday morning, with the wind at E.N.E.
Seven brigs were driven on shore at Cleethorpes, besides
other smaller vessels. The Emma, Turner, from South-
ampton to Whitby, went to pieces—crew saved.— York
Courant.

BRIDLINGTON QIJAY.—About 60 sail of vessels found
shelter in the bay during the storm of Sunday, among
which was the mail steamer for Gottenburg, which
sailed from Hull on the preceding day. At about two
P.M., a large laden brig with a white streak was seen to
founder, about three miles from the lighthouse. Not
above half an hour previous, two men only could be seen
on deck, and they, poor fellows, with whoever else might
be on board, went down with the vessel, there being no
possibility of rende:ing them any assistance.—York
Courant.

Within the last few days the weather has assumed the
appearance of the most rigorous winter. Friday the
cold was intense, with showers of rain ard sleet ; this
clay (Saturday) snow is falling heavily with all appear-
ance of a continuance. We are happy to be able to
state that, in this locality, the potato digging is almost
completed.—Tuam Herald.

We regret that the weather, since Thursday night, has
undergone a most unfavourable change. Bleak showers
of sleet, with high winds, have succeeded a fortnight's
almost cloudless sky, and have, consequently arrested
the operation of sowing that had progressed considerably
throughout these districts. Potato digging is also
impeded.—Belfast Vindicator.

CELEBRATED OAK TREES.
(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
The oldest oak in England is supposed to by the
Parliament Oak (from the trad.tion of ward I. hold-
ing a Parliament under its branches) in Chepstow Park,
belonging to the Duke of Portland ; this park being
also the most ancient in the island. It was a park be-
fore the ConepeEt, and was sezpd as such by the Con-
qucrer. The tree is supposed to be 1,500 years old.
The tallest oak in England was supposed to be the
property of the same Nobleman ; it was called " the
Duke's Walking-stick," was higher than Westminster
Abbey, and stood till of late years.
The largest oak in England is called Cilthorp Oak,
Yorkshire. It measured 78 feet in circumference where
the trunk meets the ground.

The " Three Shire Oak" at Worksop, was so called
from its covering part of the counties of York, Not-
tingham, and Derby. It had the greatest expanse of
any recorded in this island, dropping over 777 square
yards.

The most productive oak was that of Gclonos, 14 on.
mouthshire, felled in 1810. Its bark brought 2001., and
its timber ‘,3701.

in the mansion of Tredegat Park, Motitotitlishite,
there is said to be a room 42 feet long and 27 feet
broad, the floor and wainscot of which were the producO
of a single oak tree grr 06, ti t3ti the estates.
While on this subject the following anecdote respect=
ing an old cirri tree that formerly stood in a park neat
,iognao, may not be Nettled Inappropriate. The
Pueli.ess d'Angoulerne, mother of Francis 1., during a
morning ramble in the party, being at the petiod far
advanced in the last stage of her pregnancy, was side
den!), seized with the pains of immediate labour, and
being unable to reavh tho Oastla or obtain assistance,
was obliged; Under the shady ail wide-spreading foliage
of an ancient elm, to give birth to the Prince. Ttie
singularity of the circumstance inspired at the time a
general interest in favour of this venerable j9abitant
of the park, and to secure it from the sacrilegious axe
a wall of hexagonal form was erected around its blise.
Time, how( vee, the common destroyer of all things,
led to the total decay of the old elm,which was speedily
rcpl iced by another, planted in its stead, and called
"L'Onnee

POVERTY.—Who shall say there is no want
and poverty even in Cheltenham, when they are told
that at a Court of Appertl on Friday last, upwards of
450 persons were excused their poors' rates, on 016
ground of poverty alone l--Cheltenham Examiner.