The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-17 00:00:00

711 E SEVERE GALES.

The destruction caused by the severe gales Which
were experienced on Monday and Wednesday last
in the metropolis, and generally throughout the
country, has been greater than was at first reported.
The heavy rain has caused an overflow in the upper
parts of the Thames, covering large areas of land,
and at Esher, Hampton, and the surrounding dis-
tricts, the water in several of the kitchen gardens
and meadows is three feet deep. Yesterday,
shortly after noon, the tide rose above its usual
height, and in many of the low lying districts
between Battersea and Chiswick the water
flooded a large extent of ground. In nearly all
the south-western districts great damage was done
by the wind, which unroofed outhouses, and blew
down trees and haystacks. The telegraph wires
were also in many parts destroyed. At Wands-
worth a conservatory was blown down, and two
persons injured ; at Roehampton a chimney stack
in falling killed a horse ; and other damage was
done to house property in the neighbourhood of
Clapham. Last evening the wind again blew from
the south-west with the full force of a gale, accom-
panied by heavy falls of rain, and there was every
appearance of another tempestuous night. Warn-
ings were issued ye3terday to ail the Arts round
the coast from the Meteorological Department,
and it was stated that at most of the southern
and western ports the storm drum was hoisted.
The captains of the continental boats which arrived
in the river in the afternoon reported a very
rough sea in the Channel. The Medway is full of
shipping, and a large number of vessels have
sought the shelter afforded by the harbours on the
Suffolk and Norfolk coasts. On the river several
small craft were overturned, and at the turn facing
the Nine Elms Kiln, a man named Anstey, whose
friends reside in Rotherhithe-street, was, together
with two other waterman, named Maynard and
Emmerson, precipitated into the river. The two
latter were picked up by Mr. Sykes, a waterman,
who put off, but the first-named sank, and was
drowned. A skiff containing five persons was over-
turned by the high wind, near the Folly-house, at
Millwall, and two out of the number were drowned,
the other three being saved by a man working
at the Patent Crane and Anchor Works. The
damage done to house property is very great. On
Wednesday morning, during the violent gales, a
mill belonging to Mr. James Hodson, a miller re-
siding at Hunston, was almost destroyed by the
wind which raged throughout the night. One por-
tion of it was blown down, and Mr. Hudson's eon
and another person had a very narrow escape from
being killed. The damage is said to amount to
about £BOO. The side of a barn in the same neigh-
hour hoo I wz,s blown down, but no one was injured.
At Crawley, Cuck field, Itedhil, and other places,
the damage done by the gale is said to be incou-
siderable. In some places the roofs have been en-
tirely carried off the houses. At Cuckfield a stack
of brickwork was blown down, and fell through the
roof of a small cottage, and several persons had a
narrow escape.

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