The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-27 00:00:00

THE GALE.

THE METROPOLIS.

Yesterday, from a very early hour in the morn-
ing, a terrific gale of wind raged over the metropolis
and suburbs, continuing nearly the whole of the day,
causing, unfortunately, the loss of more than one life
and severe injury to several persons. About half-past
7 o'clock in the morning the residents of Grove-lane,
Camberwell, and vicinity were alarmed bp hearing
a dreadful crash, when it was discovered that a wall
skirting the roadway, about 27 feet in length and
nearly 15 feet high, had been forced down, toge-
ther with three very large trees, the latter being
snapped off close to the ground. Shortly after
five o'clock in the morning, as a man named
Robert Martin was passing near the Surrey Canal
at Peckham, he heard a loud scream, and on
looking towards whence it proceeded he perceived a
woman being carried off her feet into the canal by
the power of the gale, and before he could reach her
she became immersed and sank. The body has mot
been recovered. In the Waterloo-road, near the
railway station, a man named Joseph Rupert, who
lived in Windsor-place, Westminster-road, was pass-
ing across :the road, when a large chimney pot was
blown from one of the housetops, and in its descent
struck the poor fellow such a dreadful blow on the
head that he was rendered senseless, and was taken
to Westminster-hospital. The unfortunate man's
jaw was dislocated, and he has a terrible wound on
the skull; he remains in the hospital. A woman,
named Harriet Younger, aged 79, was also received
into the hospital, suffering from a broken leg and
severe injuries to the skull. At the other London
hospitals there are several cases of persons injured,
and i n some instances very seriously, from being
struck by tiles and chimneys. In the neighbour-
hood of Dulwich and Sydenham the damage has
been extensive ; large trees and hedges were blown
down and uprooted, and the roadways for several
miles were strewn with broken branches, &c. The
fury of the gale forced the roof off a handsome con-
servatory attached to a gentleman's residence in the
Dulwich-road. The trees and shrubs in Battersea
and Kennington-parks have received much damage,
and several large trees were uprooted at Wands-
worth and Putney. The wharfs along the banks of

the river have more or less been damaged from the
fury of the storm. Two barges were stove.in near
Battersea-bridge, being both driven on shore and
extensively damaged. A steamer belonging to the
Iron Boat Company received some damage to her
head by being forced by the gale against the arch
of Waterloo-bridge nearest the pier. Several other
casualties took place, and the damage done by the
fury of the gale is very great.

PLYMOUTH, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
Yesterday heavy gales prevailed from the south-
ward, veering suddenly east and west, with much
rain, and in the evening the tide rose unusually
high. The fishermen were compelled to drop their
nets and run into the Sound, and the Irish steamers
were obliged to remain in port.
A schooner, with all hands, is reported to be lost
at Berryhead. At Livermead, Torquay, Kings-
teignton, and Turf the turnpike-roads are greatly
injured by the overflow. The sea broke in on the
South Devon Railroad at four different points. On
the river Teign in front of Delamere-house the
granite coping is washed down for 200 yards.
Above East Teignmouth both sea walls are broken
for a quarter of a mile. At Langston Point between
Dawlish and Starcross there is another breach ;
and above Starcross,bctween Turf and Powderham,
the embankment is destroyed for more than half a
mile, and the ballast is washed from under th•
rails.

This morning the London mail was nearly five
hours late. This evening trains passed over the
line from Plymouth to IJawlish, and the directors
are hoping to renew the entire traffic on Friday.

PORTLAND, OCT. 26

All day yesterday and more particularly last
night blew one of the most tremendous gales of
wind, accompanied by a terrific sea, that has ever
been experienced on this part of the coast. The
wind commenced blowing strongly in the early
part of the day from the south-southeast, and gra-
dually increased in violence until two o'clock this
morning, when it veered round to the west-north-

west, and still continues to blow with considerable
force. The damage caused by the heavy seas on the
great temporary timber support of the breakwater
will entail very serious loss to the contractor, Mr.
Leather, and will also suspend the quarrying ope-
rations in the convict quarries, where the material
is obtained for the making of the breakwater.
The greatest damage sustained is about 600
yards from the shore, in the vicinity of the
first pier-head, and at this point an immense
gap of about 200 feet in length has been made in
the support, the timber from which haslmen thrown
on the beach in all directions. The communication
to the outer or great breakwater being thus cut off,
the depositing of stone must cease until the repairs
have been effected. The granite pier-heads and
sea-walls sustained no injury, although the waves
broke upon them with awful fury; and such was
the force that the spray at times flew in immense
clouds to an altitude of at least 150 feet above the
masonry. In the vicinity of the second pier-head,
on the other side of the opening left for the smaller
entrance to the harbour, and which is at present
bridged over, the damage sustained is very great.
The huge timber piles and bearers are many of them
displaced and thrown about in all directions, It
was at this point that the lighthouse-keeper had a
very narrow escape, and had it not been for his
presence of mind he would probably have been
washed away. A little before dark he was pro-
ceeding on the breakwater in order to light the lamp
in the lighthouse, which is situated at the extreme

ens, for the guidance of vessels entering the har-
bour, and finding the six-feet railed footpath carried
away, he essayed to advance bymeans of the longi•
tudinal bearers which carry the roads for the wag.
gone and locomotives. While crawling on one 01
these timbers a sea lifted it from the staging, but
fortunately, it was not carried away, and he man.

aged with some difficulty to get back again to the
shore. It was now of great importance in such
tempestuous weather that the light should be dis-
played at tha end of the breakwater, and immedi-'
ately measures were taken, by the aid of a steamer,
to get the lightkeeper to his post. This. was at last
effected, but in accomplishing the task the boat
which conveyed him from the steamer was stove in
and lost ; the men scrambling over the rough stones,
gained the staging, and had to remain there all
night. The lighting of the lamp was truly "in
the very nick of time," for a large bark which was
seeking shelter in the harbour was coming down full
upon the breakwater, and would inevitably have
been dashed to pieces had the lighting of the lamp
been delayed bat a few minutes longer. As it was,

the escape was marvellous ; but the crew were a

their posts, and as soon as the first glimmer of the
light was seen tlle helm was •put hard a-port, and
the vessel saved. The sea running at the time was
prodigious, and well it will be if many disasters are
not heard of. A small vessel of 40 tons, the Hope,
of Weymouth, while riding at anchor in the har-
bour, broke her cable and was cast upon the inner
side of the breakwater, sustaining considerable dam-
age. The gale has now somewhat subsided, and
the most strenuous means will be adopted to repair
damages to the works, in order that the progress of
operations may be impeded as little as possible.
The convicts usually employed in the quarrying of
stone will be removed to the great fortress now in
progress,
where fortunately, during' the interval
necessary for repairs, their services can be made
available.

PORTSMOUTH, OCT 26.
It blew a heavy gale from the S.E. to S
Tuesday night at Portsmouth, accompanied by
heavy rain and an extraordinary high tide in the
harbour. Early this h
morning te wind veered to
NAV., and the day broke clear and dry, but still
blowing a fresh gale. As the day wore on the
wind drew slightly to the westward and consider-
ably moderated.

SUSSEX•
The whole of the Sussex coast was visited by a
very :severe storm on Tuesday night, which has