The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-19 00:00:00

AN OAK SHIVERED BY LIGHTNING.

The rector, of Holy well, Ives,
clouds communicateshco,
inst., about five o'clock, dark the following facts, which • •to
many be
.mteretshtinf7tioi
many of our readers : evening,
covering the
horizon
O
heavens, I perceived in the
southern orr onda
lre
red-
dish mist, which seemed
of an extensive fire. I got likeut thethe smoke.doan
to look
at it more attentively, whpenol
sawwinit
extendingw
along the horizon eastward
and westward, so as
to prove that it did not originate from any cause
on the earth ; but the great singularity of
appearance seemed to indicate some approaching
atmospheric convulsion. Almost immediately a
thunderstorm burst forth of more than usual se-
verity, accompanied with heavy rain. The inter-
vals between the flash and the report
taneous as to prove that the
4, Clouds with heaven's artillery
fraught"
were immediately over our heads, and, after one
tremendous peal, the mighty power of the hand that
hurls the bolt was exhibited in a result that no bat-
teries of human skill, if they were opened at once
on the object, and were to strike simultaneously the
spot smitten by the thunderbolt, could possibly—l
will not say have effected, but have even approached
in terrific power. A few hundred yards from my
residence, in a farmer's field, stood an oak of about
40 feet in height and 10 in circumference, perfectly
vigorous and sound, just putting forth its leaves.
The thunderbolt struck it about 15 feet from the
ground. It was broken about two-thirds off, and
the top of the tree fell to the earth clinging to the •
stem by the undivided fibres.
The tree was barked nearly from the top to the
root as perfectly as human labour could have
stripped it. About one•fourth part of the standing
stem was cleft clean out to the very root, and flung
on the ground on the side opposite to that on which
the top had fallen ; the remainder of the standing
trunk was cleft in four or five places, so that the hand
could be thrust into some parts and the fingers into
others. The whole heart of the tree was literally torn
into thousands of splinters, and fibres from the spot
where the bolt struck it down to the very root of
the tree, the splinters, of various degrees of thick-
ness, from a small cord to a rope, in shape flat or
round, some erect, others tapering to a thread, hang-
ing like willows in pendulous disorder through the
chasm left by the part of the stem cleft out. The
bark and pieces that seemed torn from the stem of the
broken top were flung in various distances into the
field. One piece that was not less, I should think,
than 2 cwt , was thrown to a distance of 36 feet,
and one not nearly so large to a distance of 65,
while the bark and other fragments of the tree lay
scattered at various distances. It is impossible to
behold it without being impressed with the impo-
tence of man, and without being forced to feel and
confess the arm of God Himself is here. if such be
the blow inflicted by one of His messengers, what
shall it be when He comes Himself to judgment!

THE CHANCELLORSHIP OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
EDINBURGH.—The Scotsp!an of yesterday states that the
Chancellor of the University arrived at Edinburgh last
night from Brougham Hall,. by the Caledonian train, at
840 p.m. Lord Brougham is the guest of the Lord Pro-
vost during his very brief stay. His lordship was to have
brought with him his venerable friend, Lord Glenelg, a
distinguished student of our university, who, however,
is unfortunately so much indisposed as to be unable to tra-
vel. At the installation of Lord Brougham as Chancellor
of the University, the degree of LL.D. will be conferred on
the following gentlemen :—The Lord Justice General, Dr.
Reeves, from Ireland; Dr. Stokes,. Trinity College, Dub-
lin ; Dr. Sharpey, of London ; Professor Miller, of London;
Mr. William Fairhairn, of Manchester; Mr. John FOrster,
of London. The demand for tickets has been very great.

THIS DAY'S MARKETS.

COVENT GARDEN.

Our market continues to be very moderately supplied
with fruit, but the arrivals of vegetables have further in-
creased. For most kinds of produce the demand rules
steady, as follows :