The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-05 00:00:00

TERRIFIC STORM AT BLACKPOOL.

A communication, dated from Blackpool, Thursday
evening, says :—" Since Tuesday night a groat storm has
been raging here, and at noon to-day it appeared to
culminate. For many hours the wind has been
blowing at a hurricane pitch, and between eleven
and one to-day the tidal water rose to a greater height
and with more violence than the oldest inhabitant call
remember. On Tuesday night the water ran very high'
sweeping down several walls, &c., on the south-west side°f
Blackpool. Early this morning the storm was renewed'
At noon the water ran `mountains high;' many houses
were flooded to the depth of 2ft. or 3ft., and in spite of
closed doors fastened up with clay, and drawn shutters'
the violence of the sea broke in upon several, sweeping
round and coming in at the back with immense fury the
spray of the waves dashed over the houses, and some Per-
sons were apprehensive that the whole of South-shore was
going to be washed down. The water between the ISO
chestei and Fox-hill Hotels rushed over the walls nth
amazing force, and eventually flooded the Blackpool all'
Lytham Railway, a portion of which was washed away. I°
trains have been able to run between Blackpool and Lytila'
to-day, and travellers have had to pass to 'and fro by
other conveyances. The two piers have stood the storm
well, although considerably shaken at times. Fortunately'
the wind blew to-day from the north-north-west ;if i;
had come from the south-west terrible destruction we'll"
have been caused. This evening the wind is blowillg
hard, and the tidal water of this forenoon has not beell
cleared out. If the gale continues great destruction is °U.;
cipated. Some persons fearing the tide to-night, hal-
removed their furniture, and abandoned their dwelling
entirely.

THE DETAILS OF THE SHEERNESS

EXPLOSION.

IP.•
Details aro now to hand of the terrible expiesion 0°
board her Majesty's ship Thistle. The Thistle (as we ha
already stated) is a double-screw composite gun vessel, 3-4,
tons, with a pair of old gunboat engines, working el),:c
120-horses. The boilers of the vessel are' new, 11°,70
recently been supplied from Sheerness dockyard.
ship was commissioned a short time back by Coun3ll
Blomfield for service on the south-east coast of Africa. „,t-
-final trial of the engines of the ship was ordered by t°
Admiralty for Wednesday morning, and during the fore,
noon the vessel left for the measured mile off 3lalfa
Sands. During her run to the Mouse everything worFc
satisfactorily. In the engine-room were four engillee.:
three engineer students, and some fitters from the dee-n;
yard, while the stokehole had the usual complement
stokers. stokers. The machinery was under the supervision a 3.".
W. W. Williamson, chief inspector of machinery afie:
and there were also present on board Mr. Bariisvl
assistant-engineer of the dockyard, besides the 118+15-0
staff of officers. As the engines were either of led
condensing or high pressure principle, it was deel'a
to try the former principle first, and this aesw.,,,er.eie
in a satisfactory manner. The trial was then made ,0
the engines at high pressure, and two first-rate r"
were made, but on tho commencement of the third r.etti
the engine-room and stoke-hole were suddenly filled
one
steam. No noise was heard upon the deck, and eireilieot
on the upper deck was ignorant of the dreadful aeeic
that had happened below until the scalded and stucll: to
men crawled to the upper deck. Everyone was in a,siii-30e
of consternation, but soon discipline was restored, flu-i,iet
went below. In the engine-room a horrible sight
their view. Two mutilated remains of gentlemen'sy'c
lieo
uniforms only enabled the men to recognise tOO
as engineers, were lying close together, near
.
indicators, while close by were two more engincerslP'r at
if sleeping, but dead, with their features intact. ICelojo
hand were two engineer students, with nearly the 000
of their skin scalded from their bodies, but still livi% 00
dead engine-fitter, and other scalded persons, while iteeta'
stokehole were lying two stokers, dead. A private s etastug, appropriately named the Rescue, lying close
rid to
hailed, and the wounded men were transfeeros
her for conveyance to Sheerness, where the dancf the
cases were taken to the Garrison Hospital, an of the
remainder of them treated by the surgeons eut 00
naval barracks. The tug Ithen returned and hreilgio
the
dead bodies ashore ; and early this morning brought yrool
Thistle, which had been disabled by the accident'ie cost
information that can be gathered it appears i„rebable
notice the persons in the engine-room had of their oelte-
danger, was seeing a flash of light issuing freicai,ll otessi;
hole, and immediately the room was filled Wit oi, ars'
Edgar, one of the survivors, a student, states tliam
irgea
to
seeing the light he sprang for the ladder, and 931:11. 0 010
reach the deck, where he fainted away. ll° is„ed
person that was in the engine-room that has eseare of
paer, eci°seoreoli
life, and only bears a few severe scalds.
deceased men, assisted a mate to the deck, but he eatlY
reached it when he fell down dead, having alls"roje se-
for
by th:
haled the steam. No cause can be assigned
dent, as every necessary precaution was take° Oily
Steam Reserve officers, and the only supposed eatiesoecePe °
to
.00.0o0'
the boiler cracked, thus allowing the steam
full force through the stokehole into the eegi ca, Pte
The bodies now lie awaiting the coroner's inte-oo
inquiry into the circumstances of the ease the 131,„e0
made by the Government officials. NearlY a" while
were married, and leave wives and families
00g vie
two engineer students were fine, promising
nearly out of their time, and were only sons.

A LIBEL 07.----- -----z===---AsE.—ln the Court of Queel;,,;1113,:illiC111:
amotion was made for a rule to set aside the Ter"- 0_34"
action for libel tried at the last Leeds assiff .0
farw;
under. the Duke of Portland, having teuan
plaintiff, L. farmer named Dicken, occupied 1,.-„oe ft).-
te° -a.u.enr6l
twenty-five eanty-five years and the other for sixteen. In e°°3,B-'signe°
letter written by the defendant liershani, 111/i5 /00*
by five others, he had received notice to quit /3'; jo9°eB:,
and the action was brought to compensate for I', to '''
as well as for the libel. The defendants belonri.o paY°
association of gentlemen at Mansfield, to wholn ."'OO cOi.
had given permission to shoot over his fools,
ai 04
dition of their preserving the game. gr. IC-ellsbiceePl
their solicitor. The libel accused the plaintiff °: %9. It
was contended that the letter was a
dogs that hunted about the land and of killing f
c° 9.
cation. The court granted a rule nisi. 'lll hos le
obtained at the Leeds Assizes against AI ICers- , (04
£5OO. privileged 0 as Sete
1 r Icil' „,9
CURIOUS WILL.—The following sinPl'it- tix to ',-
made by a miser in Ireland :—" I give and becrieskooUilw:
sister-in-law, Mary Dennis, four old worsted Poople
which she will find underneath ray bed; t° l'tlivisg ,
Charles Macartney, two other pairs of stockingioo9ol
white cotton stockings, and my
the box where I keep my linen; to LientenalAtpi pair oil
of his Majesty's sth Regiment of Foot, ra °II .' st; and
to Hannah Burke, my housekeeper, in return for P.teilePo
and faithful services, my cracked earthen Pat eh
reasnnah, in high wrath, told the other lega.tee° erty, °lid
then
igned to them her valuable share of the Pr°Pao burst
great
en retired. In equal rage, Charles kicked
ca
ed
pitcher, old scarlet great ct)uer in!
and, as it broke, a multitude of guiiletii,coV to
out, and rolled along the floor. The fortunate
viiichl,ri
inducedtheir these present to examine the stocking°, cassel
rt 01
Afayazine. cot,' b 01
THE I."
I AMWORTII ELECTION.--111 ill?, DO 'aliCitlf
of two ratepayen,
Queen's Bench the Tamworth election ingtw.' 00 betbo
the joy, were crammed with ntonei"- ,
subject of contention. A motion Nam n'aaerAte or 09
purpose of defraying expenses. The Act prov't.ao JOY of
expenses iucurred in receiving the judge' Aefractiii;ri
to prevent the levying of 3,lcatbAt,,,j,
ing proper accommodation should he - In 19
worth itrl,
the Treasury. When the TO° la iolY
account was sent to the Treasuri „13 the i11,,1103
were disallowed, and a rate as
made 121)°*".loonse" red
The poile°3!
10,1c11°:01
tants to make up the difference.
been charged at £OO, and were reduced to Al silvero' Id
use
C0(.0 diol;t,
were made for furniture, £2O; for tho
liner, £4 ; a•id for saucerans, :X6, which Weon th%tic.
a...together. Altogether the sums charged a •"Dief Juogb
payers amounted to £lB3 13s. ld. The 14°,r,„ ClArge9
having asked whether on such occasions the
not usually doubled granted the rule.

1,