The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-04 00:00:00

THE WEATHER IN THE PARKS, dv.

During the past few weeks the weather has been
intensely cold, the wind, with the exception of one
clay, having been in the north-east ever since the
9th of last month. During that period the tem-
perature, as registered by Negretti and Zambra's
thermometer, at the Royal Humane Society's
receiving-house in Hyde Park, has been several
degrees below freezing point ; but owing to the high
state of the wind little ice was formed on the orna-
mental waters of the different Royal parks until
this week. Even as late as yesterday not one-
sixteenth of the Serpentine was frozen over ; but
near the bridge which separates that river from
Kensington Gardens the ice had formed over the
width of the place to the thickness of three inches,
and should the frost last until Sunday next skating
and sliding may be pursued without the least danger
of the frozen surface giving way in any part of
the river.

Mr. Charlier, the secretary, and Mr. Williams,
the superintendent, of the Royal Humane Society,
have had an additional number of icemen placed o❑
duty, and the tents and marquees supplied with
hot-water baths, and beds are kept ready, t,) be
applicable for any emergency that may arise.
In spite of all that the icemen could do a great
number of men and boys insisted upon going upon
the ice, and several immersions took place, some
proving nearly fatal. _

The thermometer during the night of Tuesday at
29, being three degrees below freezing point. At
nine yesterday morning it had not varied in the
least degree, and at noon the mercury stood at freez-
point, viz., 32. The barometer at nine o'clock on
Tuesday morning was 29.51, and yesterday morn-
ing, at the same hour, it stood at 29.49, the wind
being still in the same direction.
A vast number of carriages containing members
of the nobility and gentry were driven into Hyde
Park in order to allow their distinguished occupants
to witness the healthy exercise of sliding and skat-
ing, but owing to so small a portion of the Serpen-
tine being frozen sufficiently to bear, the parties
were to some extent doomed to be disappointed of
the sport they expected.
Travelling through the parks is a work of no
little difficulty, owing to the great accumulation of
snow. Last evening at seven o'clock the glass at
the Royal Humane Society's receiving-house began
to drop, indicating:a continu trace of frost. In the
Regent's Park, the Long Water iu Kensington
Gard ens, the Round Pond in Victoria Park, &c.,
a great number have ventured upon the ice, and
amongst those whose lives have been perilled were
the following :—Alfred Thomas, of Eaton-lane,
Pimlico, who was immersed in eight fleet of water
in the Serpentine, but rescued by iceman Henry
Smith, and taken to the receiving-house. John
Newman and four others broke through the ice at
tpo same spo:. They were rer,cued by Leeman
Higginbottona, and received the most prompt at-
tention at the hands of Mr. Superintendent Wil-
liams and Dr. Christian, and they wore, after some
time, able to return homo. Perry, one of the ice-
men, also rescued two persons who had broken
through the ice in deep water ; John Williams, 4,
Lisson-street, was rescued from the Round Pond
by the society's men, and five others were likewise
'Nei by the aid of Icemen Higginbottom and Perry.
Fortunately not one fatal accident has yet taken
place, owing to the exertions of the Royal Humane
Society's men.