The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-07 00:00:00

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A sudden and most unexpected
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weather occurred yesterday iu London. filu
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strongly, and the slipper. state of the ro

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pavement made them very danuereui fur pa,,seugcrs,

PRICY Id.
EAT AM PED d.

awl many aecident,-; th::eurred. At Lni,ini,gbt a
strong and biting wind set in, accompanied by a
fall of snow for about half au hour ; this was fol-
lowed by a complete hurricane of wind, hail, and
sleet, which continued until au early hour yesterday
morning, and then another change took place ; the
wind ceased, the atmosphere became many degrees
warmer, and a heavy fall of rain occurred, which
continued more or less during the remainder of the
day. As might be expected the streets were iu a
frightful state, the rain and melting snow mixing
together and forming a slush ankle-deep. The
omnibus and cab traffic was almost entirely sus-
pended. The change in the weather was a great
disappointment to the lovers of skating ; but, not-
withstanding, several hundred persons assembled on
the ice in the different parks early in the forenoon
of Sunday, although it was in some places very rot-
ten and dangerous, and in all parts covered with
water to the depth of from two to three inches. The
rapid melting of the vast quantities of snow caused
much inconvenience and some damage in low-lying
districts.

CLYDE S UIPBUILDING-1.

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As usual at the end of the year, we present our
readers with statistics showing the number of
vessels built on the Clyde during 1866, and the
vessels now in hand. The result, as might have
been anticipated, is unfavourable for the past 12
months as compared with the preceding year. In
1865 the number of vessels built was 263, repre-
senting a total of 151,998 tons and 23,857 horse
power, while there were building or contracted for
185 vessels, with a tonnage of 140,548, and 18,750
horse power, making in all 448 vessels, 292,546
tons, and 42,607 horse
power. This year the re-
turns show a considerable falling off, especially as
regards vessels in hand. There have theen built,
excluding a few fishing and other boats of unim-
portant character, 239 vessels, representing a total
of 132,619 tons and 16,974 horse power ; while
there are building or contracted for 109 vessels,
with a tonnage of 81,511 and 9,337 horse power—
making in all 348 vessels, 214,130 tons, and 26,311
horse power. This shows a decrease from 1865 of
100 vessels, 78,416 tons, and 16,29 G horse power.
This striking deficiency may be easily accounted for
by the partial depression in the shipbuilding trade
which followed the cessation of the war in Ame-
rica ; by the subsequent monetary panic, which,
from the prevailing want of confidence has had
such an effect in limiting operations in so many
branches of business, and also by the variances
which have existed between employers and
workmen in different departments, and particu-
larly in the shipbuilding trade itself, the dis-
organised state of that portion of the labour market
having, we are informed, been the occasion of a loss
to the Clyde of orders which, in the condition of
matters, could not be undertaken, to the extent of
at least £350,000. The amount which from this
cause the workmen in the shipbuilding trade have
lost in wages has been estimated at from £150,000
to £160,000. Of that sum about £65,000 applies
to the period of the look-out ; but it should be ex-
plained that only one-half of that amount was ef-
fected by the resolution of the masters, as one-half
of the men would have been on strike at anyrate
during that time. The loss of the other portion of
the £150,000 is due to the action of the workmen,
in some of them remaining out after they had the
option of returning to their employment. But these
statements do not show all the injury which has
been occasioned by this unfortunate dispute, and if
we calculate on the extent to which other branches
have suffered who contribute to the get up of a ves-
sel, it is believed the actual loss in the value of ship-
ping will not be much short of a million sterling.
The struggle has now terminated, the men being
now paid for;the hours they work,although 57 aweek
is considered the standard. The carpenters were
the last to yield, having remained out on strike
from 16 to 18 weeks, and during that period the re
pairing trade was almost at a complete stand, and
orders had to be taken to other ports. At present
the ship-building trade continues very dull. Few
orders are coming in. An immense number of
d
egof inupeunteteidgled and some of the mas-
town ships to keep the
n
from 2s. to Gs. a week has taken place in the wages
heiarensn ares
at are
t hworkiinnkcioli duringconsequence
s the winter. A reduction of
of all classes employed in shipbuilding. Masters
are using every means to pay the men according to
their merits ; and while some have been reduced by
ss. or Gs., probably others have experienced no re-
duction at all. There is a general feeling enter-
tained that the trade will experience a great revival
in the spring of next year ; but before the winter is
over there is little doubt that much and increasing
distress will be experienced by the workmen and
their families.—North British, Mail.

Among the phenomena of the past week a most
singular fact is the lowness of the temperature in
London, as compared with other places in a higher

latitude. On the 3d inst. London was returned in
the meteorological reports as having enjoyed a
minimum temperature of 18 deg., while at Aber-
deen the thermometer did not fall below 28 deg.,
Shields 30 deg., Scarborough 32 deg., Yarmouth
33 deg., while at the Helder the temperature was
36 deg. On the following day the minimum tem-
perature at the Helder was 39 deg., and in London
19 deg.—an adverse difference of 20 deg. of tempe-
rature, with about 2 deg. of latitude in favour of our
metropolis.
At Portland a furious gale from the south-east
prevailed during the whole of Saturday, causing a
tremendous sea, by the violence of which about 130 f t.
of the staging which connects the inner with the
outer breakwater was carried away. A more violent
sea has not been experienced since the formation of
the breakwater commenced, 12 years since, but the
adequacy of the work for its intended object was
proved by the comparative safety in which the ves-
sels anchored in the harbour rode out the gale, one
vessel only, the Celeste bark, having dragged her
anchors. The force of the wind was equally great
at Weymouth, where the light at the mouth of the
harbour was washed away. Yesterday the wind
veered to the south-west, and was much less violent.
The thermometer had risen to 51 deg.
From Portsmouth we learn that the sharp, clear
weather of Friday last on the south coast was suc-
ceeded on Saturday by a south-cast gale, which
swept the Channel and coasts all that day and the
greater part of the following night, heavy falls
of sleet and hail taking place at short intervals.
Her Majesty's turret sloop Wivern, Captain 11.
Burgoyne, V.C., lying at Spithead, rode out the
gale safely, with two anchors ahead and au enor-
mous length of cable veered out. One merchant
vessel dragged her anchor for some distance past the
Mother-bank, but was ultimately got up without
suffering any damage. No casualties had been re-
ported from sea at Portsmouth up to sunset yester-
day. As daylight broke yesterday the wind lost its
greatest strength and veered to S.S.W., the atmo-
sphere gradually clearing as the day advanced, and
the wind veering further round, with the sun, to
south-west and west.
A telegram from a Falmouth correspondent
dated yesterday inforns us that one of the heaviest
gales ever remembered visited that port for nearly
22 hours, commencing on Friday about midnight
and not abating till 10 p.m. on Saturday, during all
which period the sea was terrifically high, accoin-
panied with rain and wind blowing from the south-
east. The only casualties within the port arc as fol-
lows :—The schooner Enterprise, a coaster, clay
laden, strained under Trefusis-house after parting
her cables, and lies on the rocks entire of ter being
scuttled. The bark Vulcan, Ilarpa master, from
Bahia, with piassava, and bounded to Liverpool,
parted both cables from her anchorage near the
Black Rock, and after touching the ground near the
eastern breakwater and breaking her rudder drifted
again into deep water and brought up with spare
bower and stream in the inner harbour ; vessel not
leaky. A Spanish brig and a coasting schooner
came into collision, and both received damage. The
Swedish brigantine Carola, Christensen master,
from Rio Janeiro, coffee laden, and which sailed
from this port on the 3d inst. for Altona, in being
driven back in the gale missed the harbour, and on
Saturday, at 7 p.m., drove ou the rocks near Swan-
pool, at high water, and bilged; the crew, except
the cook, were most providentially saved, and the
cargo landed on the rocks. The wind yesterday
veered to the south-west, and the weather mode-

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From Plymouth we are informed by telegraph
that snow fell there on Thursday and Friday. On
Saturday there was a severe frost. Warm rain was
followed yesterday by a strong gale from W.N.W.,
which is increasing. On Saturday morning some
30 trawl sloops belonging to Plymouth were caught
by a storm from the south-east. In Whitesand-
bay four lost their nets, and two ran to Falmouth.
The Emblem, Capt. Williams, got embayed .off
Seaton. A boat in attempting to enter Looe-har-
bour was capsized and the three men in her were
drowned ; the remainder of the crew, two lads, arc
supposed to have perished in the Emblem, which
was dashed to pieces at noon. The ketch Hearty,
Capt. Allen, from Swansea for Treport, put in and
landed Capt. Jones and the crew of the iron
schooner Ebbw Vale, which had been run into by
the schooner Cherub. The True Briton, with pas-
sengers for Melbourne, left Plymouth Sound on
Friday evening. The steamer Peninsula, from
Cadiz for London, put in this morning short of fuel.
We learn by telegraph from North Shields that
yesterday a severe gale prevailed, in which the
Mary, the M'Cora, and the Merghee, all of Whit-
stable, and the Lucerne, of Blyth, became total
wrecks at the South Pier. The crews were saved,
with the exception of two lads. The gale was
abating last evening, but the barometer was low.
A thaw was proceeding.
The weather in Yorkshire during the past week
has been very severe, the cold having on two nights
been within a few degrees of that of the Christmas
eve, 1860. The lowest registers have been :—At
Malton—Monday night, 20 deg. ; Tuesday-1 deg.;
Wednesday, 21 deg. ; Thursday, 10 deg. ; Friday,
4 deg. At Wellaam, and also at Welborn, the
temperature has been even colder. A thunder-
storm occurred on Thursday morning during a
shower of snow, and there was lightning the same
evening, and also the aurora. On Saturday night
the wind had changed to S.E., and the weather
was warmer, the thermometer marking 33 deg. A
thick fog prevailed.
The weather was intensely cold iu Northumber-
land on Saturday morning, and a dense fog prevailed,
which put a stop to traffic in Shields harbour during
several hours of the forenoon. The upper reaches
of the Tync are entirely covered over with ice, and
information has reached Newcastle that the Elbe
is frozen over. Saturday morning was the coldest
experienced on the north-eastern coast this winter.
The intense frost and the quantity of snow which
lies on the ground has put a stop to building and all
out-door employment.
At Liverpool on Saturday night a heavy gale, ac-
companied by snow, blew over the town. The
snow drifted in several places to two and three fees
t
deep, and traffic, particularly on the railways, wet
much impeded. Yesterday morning a thaw com-
menced.

DESTRUCTION OF MR. JOHN DAY'S STABLES.—
Intelligence was received on Friday night by Mr. John
Day (who was then in London) that the entire range of his
stabling at Banstead had been burnt to the ground. The
cause of the fire is as yet unknown, and the almost impass-
able state of the roads rendered it difficult for any of the
engines to render any effective assistance. Wu du not
know whether the buildings were insured, but in any case
the loss to Mr. Day will be very great.