The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-04 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

Yesterday morning, at an early hour, a great change
took place in the state of the weather. Instead of a
bright frosty morning we were favoured, for hours, by
a fall of sleet and rain, which m ide it exceedingly un-
pleasant and highly diNagreeable for pedestrians to pass
to and fro, not merely in the City, but also at the
West-end, as well as through the Royal Parks.
Owing to the admirable arrangements made by Mr.
Williams, the superintendent of the Royal Humane
Society, the public, during the time the sleet and
snow were falling, were kept by the icemen from ven-
turing upon the Serpentine in Hyde Park. Had it
not been for the precautions thus taken, owing to the
snow falling And rotting the ice so quickly, there is not
the least doubt but a fearful sacrifice of life would have
occurred. Owing to the admirable precautions adopted
not the slightest casualty took place upon this river dur-
ing the day.
The thermometer during Tuesday night indicated 28
deg., being 4 degrees below freezing point. At nine
o'clock a.m. yesterday the glass registered 30 degrees,
being 2 degrees below frost ; but at noon, when the
sun was out, the mercury rose to 3 degrees above
freezing point. The barometer during Tnesday night,
and the greater part of yesterday, stood at 211.05 deg.
The wind was from the east to the north-east. About
200 men and boys went upon the ice on the orna-
mental water in the Regent's-park ; hut owing to the
icemen being continually employed in driving the people
off, no accident of any importance occurred during the
day. On the Long-water in Kensington-gardens not
more than from 150 to 200 had the temerity to risk
their lives upon the ice, and no accident worth re•
cording happened up to seven o'clock last evening.
The Royal Round-pond in Kensington.gardens was
patronised by nearly 200 sliders and skaters, but al-
though some of the parties in disporting themselves- upon
the ice were nearly ankle deep in water, no accident
of a serious character occurred. Clapham-common
and the Royal Victoria-park were not patronised
by half the number of sliders and skaters as on the pre.
ceding day ; and the Crystal Palace, advertised for
affording accommodation to parties wishing to run no
risk of being drowned by the breakage of the ice, had
yesterday but few patrons. The water in the grea.,
basins of the fountains, it is stated by the directors, is
not more than four feet deep, which will prevent any
one, even if he should break through the frozen surface,
from being drowned. About nine o'clock last night the
weather suddenly changed to frost, giving every indi-
cation of its lasting for some considerable time.

TEE METROPOLITAN BOARD OP WORKS AND
THE NEW STREET IN SOUTHWARK.

Last night a public meeting of the inhabitants of
Southwark was held at the Hope Tavern, Gravel-lane,
Southwark, for the purpose of taking into consideration
the proposal to form a new street in Southwark, from
the corner of Castle-street to the end of Stamford-street.
Mr. Newman was called to the chair.
The CHAIRMAN said that it appeared' that the plan for
a new street had been agreed to by the Metropolitan
Board of Works, and bad received the sanction of Sir
Benjamin Hall ; but it would be for the meeting to con-
sider whether they should not endeavour to obtain the
plan recommended by Mr. Pennethorne, the Government
engineer, and if they were agreed upon it they should go
to the Government without delay. The plan proposed by 1
the Board of Works interfered with most valuable pro-
perty, and left comparatively worthless property un-
touched—it behoved them, therefore, to see that the
best plan was adopted by the board of Works.
Mr. REECE said the observations of the chairman were
most appropriate, although he thought the line of Mr.
wait
Pennethorne was as circuitous as that proposed by the
Board of Works. Still, as as it was a slight imephnpno:rrettotibigivenheee:::
ment, he should support it in preference to the other.
He concluded by moving that a deputation should
upon Sir Benjamin Hall, for the puarpso:reeeotfineuthp
the line proposed by Mr. Pennethorne.
Mr. DAY seconded the motion.
Mr. KIBITZ/MITE Paid there was
the re:.
bourhood which ought not to pass without sornae
he meant Ewes-street, which was nothing but
onet le whoe
ba-
o f disease and crime. He would refer an
doubted it to the Rev. Joseph Brown,
the Southwark Police-court, fur a cert;ficAte of the
or to
meter of this street. The pariah of St. Gives°
had
cleared of a rookery, and why should not this been
away in a similar manner • Ho
cow
)1 , is be cleared
Metropolitan Board of Works bad kept "led
that the
tions as to the line of new Street to all their inten-
tions themselves, or there
would have been a strong manifee,,tat
•
the inhabitants against them. too on the part of

Mr. ATRAWES said this plan of the 11:),,Ird of Works
was calculated to deceive the public ; if it was adopted
there was not a cabdriver in the uirtrivit, wh) would
take it, but he would prefer the zu ,rte direct line of
Stamford-street.

• The resolution was then put and agreed 0 unani
mously,

On the motion c,f Mr. ATHAWES, seconded by Mr.
HART, a deputation 1.,.as appointed to wait upon Sir B.
Hall, ermshitin..r of Messrs, Parr, Purvis, KibblesOite,
Reece, Day, Waring, and Painter, and a vote of thanks
to the chair luau terminated the proceedings.

CITT SEWERS .Yesterday a court was held, Deputy
Peacock in the chair. Dr. Letheby, the medical officer
of the city of Londi,n, presented his report. The mor-
tality table for the week shows a great diminution in the
average death•rate for the season of the year, although
it exhibits the usually large proportion of deaths from
diseases of the respiratory organs, which are excited by
the damp and cold state of the weather.