The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-29 00:00:00

THE GALE IN THE METROPOLIS.

The gale of yesterday was one of the most de-
structive that has passed over the metropolis for
some years. It commenced at nine o'clock, when
the wind chopped round suddenly to W. by S , in-
creasing in violence as the flood tide made. At 11
o'clock the storm raged furiously, with tremendous
gusts at intervals. About this time the roof of the
house, No. 11, South-crescent, Tottenham-court-
road, was lifted up, and falling, broke through the
attic floor with a tremendous crash, and fur some
time it was feared that one of the female servants
had been buried in the ruins ; this was happily not
the case. A similar occurrence took place at No. 9,
Alfred-place in the same locality. A large sheet of
lead, six feet by two feet, was torn from the roof of
a house in Woburn-place, Russell-square, and hurled
into the street. The large and massive stone cross
on the top of the Roman Catholic chapel, in Farm- 1
street-mews, was blown down, and smashed into a
thousand pieces ; and the roof of a house in Revel's-
row, Southwark, was entirely stripped. The streets
were strewed with broken tiles, slates, and chimney-
pots, and some serious accidents occurred.

In the Pool a tier of vessels broke away, and
drifted athwart another tier, causing considerable
damage to spars, bulwarks, and rigging, and several
collisions took place, by which a vast amount of
damage was occasioned ; and the young trees and
shrubs in the various parks sustained great injury.

LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY.

A severe gale commenced to blow here on Sunday
evening, which continued all day yesterday. This
morning it had quieted down considerably, but as the
forenoon advanced it again became violent, and nar-
row escapes from collision on the Mersey were fre-
quent. The ships Georgiana, Nan set, Granite State,
Jane Henderson, and Gulf Stream, in the Mersey,
all dragged their anchors, and but for the ready aid
of steam-tugs, would inevitably have done consi-
derable damage to each other, for the river was in a
most turbulent state; so much so indeed that most
of the ferry boats were compelled to cease running
for two or three hours. The gale softened doWn
considerably in the afternoon.

The Eliz-abeth Kimball, hence for Melbourne, has
put back leaky. The Thornton, hence for New
York, has also put back.
_ _

The Arequipa, for Itio Janeiro, which put back
yesterday, has pumps choked, and six feet of water
in her hold.

To-day a large iron ship, supposed from this port
for Australia, put into Belfast Lough in tow of a
steamer.

The Robert Mills, from Liverpool for Galveston,
is on shore on the east side of the Bay of Holyhead,
with fore and mainmasts gone.
The Hastings, Forbes, from Kooria Mooria, for
Liverpool, foundered off ♦lgoa Bay, on the 28th of
December. _

A telegram from Lisbon states that the captain
and crew of the Isle of Skye, from Liverpool for
Buenos Ayres, with coals, have arrived at Madeira,
the ship having foundered about 250 miles off.

THE GALE AT DERBY.
On Monday last Derby was visited with one of
the most violent gales that has been known for
years past, and the destruction ofproperty. has been
very great. The hurricane was at its height from
two until four o'clock in the afternoon. About three
o'clock the fine tower of the parish church cf St.
Alkmund's was seen to wave to and fro, and pre-
cautions were immediately taken to block up all
the streets which had a thoroughfare past the
church. About four o'clock the top of the spire,
about four yards in length, fell with a tremendous
crash, which resembled the discharge of cannon. It
penetrated the high pitched roof of the nave, and
fell into the body of the church. The damage done
is estimated at £4OO. At the same time one of the
fine pinnacles on the top of St. Marie's Roman
Catholic Church (opposite to St. Alkmund's) fell
into the yard below, but although it caught the
corner of the priest's house no serious injury was
sustained. About half-past four o'clock the
large chimney at Messr.i. West's colour works,
' William-street, was blown down on to the
workshops -beneath, and did immense da-
mage, numbers of carboys of vitriol being de-
stroyed, and causing a complete suspension of the
works. In every direction trees were torn up by
the roots, and although we have heard of many
narrow escapes by men, women, and children, still,
we are happy to say, that no lives were sacrificed.
The gale abated about eleven o'clock on Monday
night, but yesterday (Tuesday) it came on as vio-
lent as ever.
THE WEATHER AND THE TELEGRAPH.—The
gale NY hich commenced blowing on Monday, and
which still continued up to yesterday, bas played
sad havoc with the various pole lines of telegraph.
Not alone in this country, but throughout the Con-
tinent, from Berlin to Paris, the lines have been
interrupted, partly by posts being blown down,
partly by trees falling on the wires, and hurling
poles and wires together upon the ground. Beyoed
the interruption of communication, which will
speedily be remedied, little material injury has
been sustained, the damage being for the most part
local in its character, and easily repaired.
THE GALE ON THE RivEß.—Considerable
damage was caused on the River yesterday by the
heavy gales which prevailed. In the Lower Hope
a schooner was driven completely on shore, and off
Woolwich a large number of barges were sunk, two
of which were heavily laden with. The damage to
house property in the town of Woolwich was also
considerable.

PRICE OF GOLD.—The quotation of gold at Paris
is about i per milled, and the short exchange on London is
25.12 f per £1 starling. On comparing these rates with the
English Mint price of £3 17s. 100. per ounce for standard
gold, it appears that gold is at about 1-10ths per cent, dearer
in Paris than in London. By advices from Hambm'g the
price of gold is 422 per mark, and the short exchange on
London is 13.31 per £1 sterling. Standard gold the
English Mint price is therefore about 1-10th per
cent. dearer in Hamburg than in London. The course ofex-
change at New York on London for bills at 60 days' sight is
about 10811 per cent., which, when compared with the Mint
proportions between the two countries, shows that the ex-
change is slightly against England ; and, after making
allowance for charges of transport and difference of inte-
rest, the present rate leaves no profit on the importation
of gold from the United States.