The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-20 00:00:00

HOP INTELLIGENCE.

MAIDSTONE.—Bad as our accounts have hitherto
been, it is now our painful office to record a worse ca-
lamity than any that has visited the hop grounds of this
district since 1833. During the last week the best
grounds have been evidently rather retrograding than
improving. The cold nights and fogs had increased the
mould, and the skies looked gloomy and unpromising.
Oa Sunday the weather was exceedingly fine, and the
bines began to look up a little. Still, even the far-
famed " College Ground" seemed dull and unkindly ;
the crack ground of the district being unquestionably
the " Great Preston" Aylesford ground, belonging to
C. Milner, Esq., which was in full hop, and without a
speck of mould. The weather remained fine till mid.
night. The barometer, however, fell a greater number of
degrees between that hour and four o'clock yesterday
morning than had been previously noticed within
the memory of an acute meteorological ob-
server. At sun-rise on Tuesday morning a hurricane
commenced of most destructive power, and con-
tinued at intervals during the whole day ; the
gusts of wind came with such intense force as to level
at least one-third of the poles in many of the high
grounds of this district, and to effect most serious de.
mage amongst all. The blocs on the fallen poles are,
however, better off than those on the poles which have
remained standing, as the whipping and bruising of the
hops has so far impaired a large quantity of them that
it is expected they cannot possibly recover at this ad-
vanced period of the season. It is seriously feared that
one-fourth of the crop will have been destroyed by this
hurricane, and that the duty will thus be reduced below
20,0001. It must be observed that all the following
notices were written previously to the hurrcane of Tues-
day.
WATERINGBURY AND MEREWORTH.—The burr is
here, coming into hop quite fast. In some of the
grounds, where the vermin has been very bad, the cold
nights and hot days have been injurious. At the an-
nual hop dinner, at the King's Head, Wateringbury, at
which there were between 30 and 40 gentlemen present,
principally growers and factors, the majority were
against 30,0001 duty.
HEADCORN.—The hops here will searcel) produce a
pocket an acre, as they are black and short of bine
and the weather unfavourable : the late showers will in•
crease the mould.

LIDGING AND BREDIFIURST.----IR these parishes the
greater portion of the hop grounds are in a very bad
state. Those of Mr. Pemble, however, have been
estimated to produce four bags an acre, growing well
into hop, and have evidently been well cultivated.
GOODHUR ST, 1-IkWKIIURST, SALIIURST, BODIASI,
SANDHURST, AND BENENDEN.--The hops are so bad
that many of the grounds will not produce one bushel
per acre. Mr. Neve has got the bast garden in this
district (near the park of T. L. Hodges, Esq.) He is
likely to grow 15 or 16 cwt. per acre.

MELANCHOLY CATASTROPHE AT LON-
' DoNDEßßY.—Wednesday, being the "anniversary" was
ushered in with demonstrations. As three young men
were engaged charging a cannon, the cartridge being in
the gun, but not yet driven home, an explosion took place.
One of the three unfortunate individuals, named Fleming,
was killed on the spot, the other Platt, a youth, had
both his arms dreadfully shattered, and ono of the fingers
of his left hand vas carried away, and he sustained
other injuries on various parts of the body. The third
person, who was ramming the gun, lost a couple of fingers,
and the thumb of the young man Ash, who tended the
touch-hole, was wounded, and his clothes set on fire. One
or two of the spectators likewise suffered some slight in.
juries. This awful event put an end to the rejoicings for
the rest of the day, and the apprentice boys desisted from
their parties in their club-rooms.
Da. SOUTHEY.—The delicate health of the
poet laureate has obliged him, for the present, to abstain
from all literary labour.