The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-10 00:00:00

THE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.

Another extraordinary spectacle took place last
night upon the Serpentine River in Hyde-park ;
in fact, those present during the whole of the day
were kept in a state of the greatest excitement,
owing to the immense number of persons who
patronised this park, and disported themselves by
sliding or skating on the frozen surface.
After the park gates were closed on Tuesday
night an immense multitude of persons, including
members of the Skating Club, riflemen, females, &c.,
were present. Not fewer than 52,000 continued
on the ice, and several serious accidents happened,
which would doubtlessly have been attended
with fatal results had it not been for the
services rendered by Mr. Young, the secretary,
Mr. Williams, the superintendent, and the icemen
employed under them. As it was, during the
night Mr. R. Willcox, of No. 26, Queen's-gardens,
Brompton, sustained a severe cut on the head. A
number of other persons had their heads also cut
by falling upon the ice. These persons were taken
to the Royal Humane Society's Receiving-house,
where their wounds were dressed. Mr. R. Wilcox,
of 25, King-street, Holborn, broke through the
duringcmeme r
sedpyrotechnic display, and became
thee
was taken by the icemen out of the
water, removed to the receiving-house, and was
attended to by Mr. Williams, the superintendent,
and other persons belonging to the institution.
Just about the same time, Thomas Kelley. of Cres-
cent-place, Brompton, Mr. Johnson, of 114, Long-
-1 acre, and a rifle volunteer, named George Newman,
of 19, New-street, Golden-square, broke through
the ice, and descended into seven feet of water.
Fortunately they were rescued in the nick of time,
and were attended to by Mr. Young and Mr. Wil-
liams. Warm baths were prepared, the stimulants
administered, and the parties were enabled to re-
turn to their homes. At an early hour yesterday
morning more than 6000 persons wended their way
into this park and commenced sliding and skating.
Many matches were gone through by the patrons
of the ice, including the " Circular Dance Polka,"
the " Quickest Road to Bristol," the " Express
Train," and a variety of quadrilles and fancy
matches, to the evident amusement of some 20,000
' or 30,000 persons, who had taken up their positions
on the best vantage ground of the promenades on
either side of the river. The bridge that separates
Kensington-gardens from Hyde-park was crowded
to inconvenience during the day, as well as the
bridge leading to the Albert-gate ; but towards
eight or nine o'clock at night other great torch-
light skatching matches and pyrotechnic displays
commenced, which was carried on with full vigour
for many hours. The visitors yesterday upon
the ice were not content with amusing themselves
with fireworks and torchlight skating, but seve-
ral skittle tents were pitched, and the game of
nine pins played, not only by males, but females
also took part in the laborious games. One
woman who took part in a match let the ball fall,
and severely injured a man who was sweeping
the cut up ice from the entrance of the tent. A
great number ofother tents and marquees of various
sizes were again placed on the ice for the sale of
hot and cold provisions, similar to those put up on
Epsom Downs on a Derby-day. There were also
peep-shows, coffee-booths, Punch and Judy shows,
roast potato-depots, cooked by roaring fires made
upon the ice; pigs'-trotters, roast chesnuts, sand-
wiches, beer and ale both in bottle and on draught,
which found ready and no doubt remunerative pur-
chasers, especially as fourpenny ale fetched in some
places ls. a pot. Even that sum was not begrudged
by some of the persons after fatiguing themselves
with a few hours' skating. It is proposed to have
on Monday next a grand amusement fair on the
Serpentine, and, should the present severe weather
continue, to have circuses for horse riding, shows,
and dramatic performances ; but it is to be hoped
that no wild beast exhibitions will take place on
the ice. It seems from the inquiries made last
night that there is no one invested with the power
of preventing such an affair from taking place, more
than preventing persons from skating or sliding on
the ice, lip to a late hour last night no fatal acci-
dent had necurrpd, although several persons had
been seriously injured by being tripped up by the
skaters. The thermometer in this Park during
Tuesday night was as low as 18 deg. At 9 a.m.
yesterday the mercury only rose to 21 deg., being
11 deg. below freezing point. At noon the quick-
silver had risen to 31 deg., but even then there was
1 deg. of frost. At 7 o'clock last night the glass
Iwas 27 deg., being 5 degrees below freezing point.
The barometer was yesterday 30.34,, and the
wind was E.N.E., and the weather was described as
being foggy in the morning, but during the middle
of the day fine. A tremendous number of persons
were still enjoying the healthy exercise of skating
and sliding when the Park gates were shut.
In consequence of the quantity of ice now in
the river the greatest difficulty was experienced
yesterday in communicating with the vessels of
war at Chatham. The river alongside the dock-
yard wall, the Gun-wharf, and Anchor-wharf was
nearly covered with floating masses of ice, through
which the boats' crew had much difficulty in forcing
their way. Should the present intense frost continue
the whole of the river will be frozen over. The Go-
vernment steamers proceeding up the river from
Sheerness yesterday experienced the greatest diffi-
, culty in reaching the railway pier at Stroud, the ice
in that part of the Medway having accumulated in
large quantities, through which the steamers could
scarcely force themselves. Some of the pieces of
ice picked up in the river are as much as 6 inches
in thickness.

The frost in Kent continued with unexampled
severity, and, since Christmas, has been far more
intense than ever previously experienced by any
now living. The Medway for some distance is
almost entirely frozen over, and during yesterday
the ice, which is of considerable thickness, had
accumulated in such masses near Rochester-bridge
that it is fully expected the river above the bridge
will be completely frozen over in the course of a
few days, should the present frost continue, so as
to allow skaters upon it—a phenomenon that has
not occurred for a considerable number of years.
The cold on Tuesday night was greater than has
yet been felt, the thermometer at Chatham, at an
early hour yesterday morning, marking no less
than 6 deg. below zero, a temperature that is alto-
gether unparalled in Kent. In consequence of the
unprecedented severity of the season there is a great
amount of distress, and hundreds of families have
been thrown out of employment. Yesterday a pub-
lic meeting of the inhabitants of Chatham was held
under the presidency of the High Constable of the
town, to raise funds for the relief of the appalling
destitution prevailing. At the close of the meeting
a handsome sum was collected, and the town divided
into districts, each of which was allotted to visitors,
whose duty it will be to search out and relieve
every case of real distress from the funds placed at
their disposal for that purpose.
The weather in the eastern counties during the
last few days has been unparalleled in its severity
for nearly half a century. The rapid thaw, ac-
companied by almost unprecedented Ikeda, which
was hailed as the precursor of milder weather,
was suddenly checked by a return of temperature
several degrees below freezing point, and the result
has been that immense tracts of the flooded land are
now covered with ice several inches in thick-
ness.. During Sunday and Monday there were seve-
ral falls of snow, and the atmosphere was very
heavy; but about sunset on Monday the clouds
drifted away, and the wind having veered a few
points to the north, the night became one of intense
severity, the thermometer in some exposed places
exhibiting upwards of 40 deg. of frost, having in one
place fallen as low as 9 deg. below zero. The wind
on Tuesday shifted due S., with, however, but little
difference in the temperature, and that night was
almost as severe as its predecessor. Up to yesterday
afternoon no signs of a change had taken place, and
at midday, even in the most favourable
deg. he resultrableasipects,the
thermometer remained as low as
of this has been in some instances
f partial,
buthesiesnson and
e
in others the entire, suspension o
various rivers leading to the more inland parts of
Essex and Suffolk, and great numbers are conse-
quently thrown out of employment. The greatest
distress also prevails among bricklayers, gardeners,
and agricultural labourers, who parade the streets
of some of the large towns begging, being literally
without a penny, the high price of provisions and
the low rate of wages previous to the frost having
prevented them from making any provision against
such a season as the present. From the dangerous
state of the highways many serious accidents have
occurred—in one or two instances terminating
nienaatindgeyfisae-
tally- Every means which benevolence
has been adopted to give temporary relief ; but not-
withstanding the opening of soup kitchens and the
distribution of bread, coals, and warm clothing,
greater distress and suffering prevail than have
been experienced in this part of England for very
many years,
The thermometer at Norwich is many dagree