The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-21 00:00:00

HE STORM.

The thunderstorm of yesterday morning was ono
of the most alarming and destructive which have
occurred in London for many years. As stated in
The Sun of yesterday, it began on Monday night at
8 o'clock with sheet lightning and distant peals of
thunder. At 2 o'clock the lightning, both sheet
and forked, became incessant, and of a brilliancy
seldom witnessed in England. At this time it was
accompanied by a high wind, and by a deluge of
rain. A lull occurred about 3 o'clock, when the
wind fell and the air became quite still, and as
sultry as it had been on the previous evening. At
half-past 3 the most alarming part of the storm
began. There was no wind, but heavy rain fell,
and long flashes of lightning, even more brilliant
than before, were followed for about au hour by
incessant peals of thunder. The storm ceased at
half-past 4, and a few hours later the sun shone in
a clear sky.

The accidents reported are less numerous than
might have been expected, but damage has been
done to houses in all parts of London. In
Pimlico,
the Commercial-road, a chimney was
struck and fell over the roof of the house.
The lightning entered the front room of the third
floor, in which it caused considerable damage
furniture, but fortunately
injured.
no one was
cabman was struck by the lightning aheiut2re A
o'clock
n Whitechapel when driving home, and was re-
moved insensible to the hospital ; and several other
cases are reported of a similar kind, the precise na-
ture of which cannot be ascertained. Other damage
is reported front Camberwell and Streatham. At
Clapham common the newly-made fire escape, be-
longing to the Metropolitan. Fire Brigade, was com-
pletely destroyed. Many of the vessels on the river
have sustained damage, but no accidents have been
reported. The various works in connection with
the main drainage of the metropolis will be par-
tially stopped in consequence of the storm, all the
cuttings being swamped with rain.
It is stated that the injury done to the crops is
very serious in all the districts round London, and
that the market gardeners, especially at Norwood
and Chelsea, have had their plants aud shrubs all
but destroyed.
In the neighbourhaod of Guildford and West
Surrey generally the storm appears to have been as
severe in London. Throughout Monday the weather
had been oppressive, and about 9 p.m. lightning
by
shot from every quarter of the heavens, followed
loud and continuous peals of thunder, and accom-
panied by a deluge of heavy rain. There was a lull
in the storm about 11 o'clock, but at 1 o'clock it
broke forth With redoubled fury, and the rain came
ehe
down with a violence almost unprecedented. T
storm did not greatly abate until near suainnrise,
ceased,
when
the lightning Lecame less frequent, the r
and the thunder only occasionally reverberated at a
distance among the Surrey hills.
At Reading sheet lightning continued frequent
from 9 o'clock until midnight, and a good deal of
htn
rain afterwards fell.. Forked liging succeeded,
the flashes being very vivid and almost incessant
between 1 and 2, while the peals of thunder were
remarkably loud. At Southampton lightning was
first seen in the south about 7 o'clock on Monday
evening. It increased in brilliancy as the sky became
more and more overcast a
little rain fell, whilst distant tathuintaderer vals.
was
occasionally heard, and
Shortly after 11 the storm burst over the town in
all its fury, and for about an hour forked and sheet
lightning flashed incessantly from every quarter of
the heavens, accompanied with loud peals of thunder
and heavy rain. The storm went away to the north-
ward soon after midnight, but for two or three hours
subsequently th which was illumined by the intensely
vivid lightning, throughout was more brilliant
than been witnessed for yew,