The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-28 00:00:00

ZIPLANA'

Barometer corrected and reduced to 32 deg. at sea le-rel. The
letter r, rising ; f, falling ; s, steady—indicates direction of motion
of the mercury within last 14 hours. Thermometer exposed in
shade. Extreme Force with its Direction during last 24 hours.
Z.—calm. Weather : b.—blue sky ; c.—clouds, detzched ; f.— fog ;
b.—hail ; I.—lightning ; m.—misty, hazy ; o.—overcast, dull ; r.—
rain ; s.—snow ; t.—thunder. Rain-fall, snow or hail (melted)
during last 24 hours. Sea disturbance.
REMARKS.

The sudden decrease in pressure noticed on Saturday con-
tinued with great sapidity over Great Britain till yester-
day afternoon. when the remarkable reading. of 23'24in. was
observed at Nairn and Aberdeen. Since then a recovery has taken
place, amounting to half an inch in the north ; but in the S. of
Ireland a fresh diminution has commenced since last evening. Read-
ings are still lowest in the north—that at Nairn being I'o3in. below
that at Rochefort. Temperature had increased in the S. yesterday
morning, tut a general decrease has since occurred. Hard south
westerly gales have prevailed on almost all our coasts, the wind sub-
sequently veering to the W. and N.W., and moderating. This morn-
ing light to strong westerly winds are reported generally ; but the
gale has not yet ceased at some of the French stations. Rain has
been very general, and heavy in places. Hail, sleet, and thunder
are reported from the S.W. of England. The sky is overcast, with
rain in places. The sea is moderate. The Valencia and Cape Clear
reports are not yet received.

THE GALE AND THE LIFEBOAT

INSTITUTION.

Among the many sad records of shipwreck and disaster
which continue to reach us from all parts of the coast, it
is gratifying to find the National Lifeboat Institution
doing active service. An exciting scene took place off
Aberystwith on Christmas E ve,when the smack Castle, from
Kingstown, struckaground, and the crew were with difficulty
rescued by the lifeboat of the station. Aberystwith owes
its lifeboat to the munificence of Mrs. Wood, sister-in-
law of the present Lord Chancellor. On the same day, at
Aldborougb, Suffolk, the schooner Diamond, of Goole,
was run into and dismasted by an abandoned vessel, and
the crew were saved by the lifeboat from a shoal on which
they had been forced to run the ship. The Royal Mersey
Yacht Club has given to the institution the proceeds of a
ball held in the club-house, Liverpool, for its benefit. We
regret to record the loss of three men from the brig Hearts
of Oak, of Poole, about a fortnight since. The vessel has
just arrived from Labrador in a very distressed state,
and the crew say that during the passage they
had to endure great hardship, and that three
seamen were washed overboard and drowned. Another
melancholy story is told by the survivors of the crew of the
schooner Julia Ellen, from the coast of Sierra Leone. Black
fever appeared on board two days after starting, the
captain, mate, and two sailors dying of it. A passenger
attacked by the terrible malady jumped overboard for fear
of infecting the two healthy persons left. The ship
put back, and was brought home by a black
crew. In connection with these maritime disasters
we may mention that the verdict has at length been given
on the casualty in Douglas Bay, by which six men lost
their lives. The jury, while applauding the courage of
the coxswain of the lifeboat, thinks that he should have
gone out in the lifeboat instead of in his own boat. On
the other points, such as the lights used on the arrival of
night steamers and the anchorage of the schooner, they
decline to offer an opinion.

Summonses have been issued for a Cabinet Council
to-morrow at tha Foreign Office, Downing-street.
it is understood that Sir Stafford Northeote is
likely to bo elected chairman of the Hudson Day Company,
in place of Lord Kimberley, who has taken office.
The Roman correspondent of the Tablet says :
" Mazzini's manifesto of last week has been succeeded by ono
from Garibaldi, in which ho informs his friends and brethron
of the approach of another crisis. Lot the patriots num-
ber their ranks, organise themselves, and hold themselves
in readiness.. As soon as the Republic shall be proclaimed
at Madrid, wo intend to act throughout the peninsula, and
overthrow a king whose hesitations fetter and retard the
froo march of tho nation. Thu Republicans, supported by
the people, will only stop at the Capitol: This (adds the
writer) is plain speaking. and Catholics will do well to lay
to heart the warhint: that has been given thenl,7