The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-18 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.

The thermometer at the Receiving-house in Hyde-
park at midnight on Wednesday, and up to nine
o'clock yesterday morning, registered 25 deg., or
7 deg. below freezing point ; at noon it had risen to
32, but at nine o'clock last night it was again down
to '26. A biting north wind prevailed yesterday,
and several times a cloudy sky seemed to indicate
the approach of a .snowstorru. In spite of the keen-
ness of the weather there were large crowds in all
the parks. On the Round Pond, Kensington, ac-
cording to the official report, there were during the
day upwards of 5,000 persons. The ice was firm,
and there was no accident of any description. On
the Long Water, Kensington-gardens, about 6,000
persons were present ; the ice on it was also very
good, and no casualties took place. On the Serpen-
tine there were about 7,000 persons. Two immer-
sions took place, but they were successfully attended
to at the Receiving-house. During the afternoon a
serious accident happened to a gentleman while
skating. His skates twisted, and he fell heavily on
his face, breaking the bridge of his nose, besides re-
ceiving other injuries. Ile was taken up and carried
into the Receiving-house, where his wounds were at
once attended to by Mr. Williams, the superinten-
dent. Several persons experienced injuries from
falls, but, with the above exception, none were
serious. At nine o'clock last night, it being moon-
light, several hundred persons were skating, and the
banks of the water were crowded with spectators.
During the whole day the promenade and carriage-
drive were crowded. About 15,000 persons were on
the ice in St. James's-park, but no accident of any
consequence took place. None was reported from
any of the suburban parks or waters, or from the
Crystal Palace. Icemen are now on duty at the
latter place by request of the company.
The river navigation is still totally suspended, and
will remain so till the frost breaks up, the river being
full of ice.

Mr. L. Young, the secretary of the Humane
Society,yesterday hal an interview with Lord John
Manners, the Commissioner of Works, and Sir
Richard Mayne, the Police Commissioner, for the
purpose of obtaining the assistance of the police to
aid the officers of the society in preventing night
skating on the Serpentine. He was promised that
his request should be complied with. A deputation
is also to wait upon the Home Secretary by appoint-
ment, with the object of obtaining the aid of the
police generally for the purposes of the society.
A heavy fall of snow has taken place since Wed-
nesday morning between Ashford and Dover, the
effects of which have been more felt near Shorncliffe.
At the latter place the snow lies more than a foot
deep, and the railway traffic between that point and i
Dover is suspended. There have been no trains
from London to Dover since Wednesday morning,
Ashford being the furthest station to which the
South-Eastern Company could despatch the trains.
The railway authorities have employed a number of
soldiers at the camp at Shorncliffe and others to
clear the snow from the lines, but it is no sooner
removed than the wind drifts it back.

A very severe snowstorm has visited East Kent,
and has been especially severe in the neighbourhood
of Canterbury. The snow now lies nearly 2ft.
deep, and in many places the roads, from the drif t-
ing of the snow, are quite impassable. The mails
have been very much delayed, and the trains, both
on the London, Chatham, and Dover and South-
Eastern Railways, have been much behind time.
In places on the line where the snow has drifted
locomotion was very difficult. The snow fell during
a great part of yesterday. The snow plough was
sent through all tho streets of Canterbury yesterday
morning to clear a passage for the carts and ear-
-1 riages, and it may safely be affirmed that the fall of
snow here is greater than it has been for many years
past. A melancholy accident occurred on the ice
in the pond of Godmersham-park. A young lady,
aged 14, the daughter of Viscount St. Vincent, was
sliding on the ice along with some other members of
his lordship's family, when she fell heavily on her
left side, and lay on the ice. Lady St. Vincent
went and lifted up her daughter, who was found to
be insensible. Without loss of time she was con-
veyed to the house, and medical aid was immedi-
ately called in. She, however, did not rally, but
died at midnight. An inquest was held on the body
yesterday afternoon, and the jury returned a ver-
dict of " Death from a fall received on the ice."
The return of frost when the meadows of the
Cherwell, Isis, and Thames made one vast lake in
the neighbourhood of Oxford has left a most
extensive field for sports on the ice, which have
been largely indulged in during the week. Christ
Church meadow has been so thronged with people
as to resemble a fair ; sleighs have been driven
over the snow which covers it, and skating has been
continued by torchlight. On the ice of another
college meadow a cricket match has been played.
Many persons have skated from the mouth of the
Cherwell in Long Meadow, Oxford, to Iffiey,
crossed the river in a ferry, and, passing through
the Isis Tavern, have continued the journey along
the Berkshire shore. Others have gone from Mr.
Ward's wharf, along the canal, to Thrupp and
back, a distance of 12 miles. The running water
has not been frozen over, and a girl 9 years of age
has been drowned through slipping off a sloping
ledge of ice at the side of Tumbling Bay. One
man has broken his leg, and another his arm, and
a third nearly bled to death from falling down
while skating ; but the still waters are too strongly
frozen to permit of any one falling through in the
present state of the frost. Much damage was done
by the flood when at its height. The new walk,
made by the University authorities between Mar-
ston-lane, and the parks in particular, has been
washed away in many places ; and it is believed
i
that a porter was carried away and drowned n the
swollen waters at the foot of Magdalen Bridge.
Northern wild fowl, driven in by the frost, have
been shot near Oxford.
At Malton the temperature rose considerably on
Tuesday night, only 10 deg. of frost being
registered. The following day, however, was one
of continued heavy snowfall, and on the moors the
depth of snow is greater than for many years past.
The railways have been tolerably punctual under
the circumstances, the chief blocks having occurred
at Sherburn, on the Scarborough and Malton, and
at Speeton, on the East Coast of Yorkshire lines.
A strong wind causes the snow to drift greatly.

In Cornwall such a severe winter has not been