The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-16 00:00:00

THE FROST.

The weather during Saturday and yesterday has been
most variable, and a thaw has at last succeeded the frost
of the previous ten days. During the early part of
Saturday the mercury was as low as 25 degrees, with a
boisterous wind from the N.E., but by seven o'clock it
had risen to 29 degrees, and at noon to 32 degrees, at
which point it stood at six o'clock in the evening. About
noon the wind veered from N.E. to S.E., and for a short
time to S.S.E., with a light fall of sleet, but just before
ono o'clock a fall of snow commenced, which continued
at intervals until eight o'clock in the evening, when the
wind returned to the N.E. The lowest point of the
thermometer at the Royal Humane Society's Receiving-
house, Hyde Park, was, during Saturday night, 31 de-
grees. Yesterday morning at seven o'clock, the mercury
had risen to 35 degrees, a thaw having commenced about
two hours previously. The sky during the morning was
particularly dense and hazy until between ten and eleven
o'clock, when the wind shifted from N.E. to S.E., and
for a time the sun partially appeared. Shortly after
eleven o'clock, however, the atmosphere assumed its
former density, and at noon the mercury stood at 39 de-
grees, at which point it remained during the afternoon.
About one o'clock there was a light drizzling rain, which
continued until nearly two, when the wind was again
N.E. In the early part of last evening the new moon
was visible, but was afterwards obscured by the hazy
state of the atmosphere. At seven o'clock the thermo-
meter in Hyde Park was 37 degrees.
During the early part of yesterday morning, the ice
on the Serpentine was quite dry, and from between seven
and eight o'clock until about nine the skaters enjoyed
some excellent sport ; but their number having then
become much increased, and the cracks in the ice having
been affected by the thaw, some water oozed through,
and eventually the whole surface became covered, in
some parts to the depth of full an inch. Throughout
the middle of the day and the afternoon, the number of
spectators was very great, but the number of the skaters
during the day did not exceed 4,000. Towards evening
the ice became very dangerous. About three o'clock
much amusement was occasioned by a lady, accompanied
by a respectably-dressed man, appearing with skates on
the ice. For about an hour she performed various
evolutions with much ability, but she then had a fall, and
immediately left the ice. About four o'clock, a number
of lads, coming off the ice to the north shore, were im-
mersed, but the water not being more than two or three
feet deep, they were immediately got out. At an early
hour yesterday morning, printed bills, of which the fol-
lowing is a copy, were posted against the trees round
the ice:—
" Notice.—ln case of accident on the ice, the public
are requested not to crowd round the spot, nor to inter-
fere with the icemen. J. Charlier, Secretary, Royal
Humane Society."
The number of skaters on the Serpentine on Saturday
was about 6,000. No accidents occurred.

On the Round-pond in Kensington-gardens the number
of skaters on Saturday was 3,000, and on the Long-water
4,000, without any accidents. Yesterday, on the latter
piece of ice, the number of skaters was nearly the same.
Amongst them were several members of the Skating
Club, who were easily distinguished by the silver skate
suspended from their necks. On the Round-pond,
although the ice was throughout the day nearly dry, not
above 600 skaters ventured upon it. No accidents oc-
curred.

The ornamental lake in St. James's-park*was attended,
on Saturday, by about 3,000 skaters and-sliders. The
ice was in excellent condition, and in thickness about
three inches and a half. Yesterday, as the day ad-
vanced, the continued thaw having melted the snow,
rendered the ice sloppy and disagreeable. There were,
however, about 3,000 skaters and sliders during the day,
and the banks were crowded with well-dressed company.
No serious accident occurred.

In the Regent's-park, where, as wo mentioned on
Saturday, the ice was very much cut up, and so full of
flaws as likely to prove dangerous in the event of a thaw,
about 6,000 skaters and sliders attended on that day, the
bunks being lined with spectators, but yesterday the ice
was found to be sloppy and dangerous. The park-
keepers and the men from_ the Royal Humane Society,-

with the police of the D division, under Mr. Super-
in!pnflent Hughes, succeeded in keeping the public from
i.• its that were dangerous, and by such judicious
managr_qaent, although during the day there were up-
wards of 9,000 skaters and sliders, not a single accident
occurred.

The pickpockets mustered very strongly in all the
parks, particularly in St. James's, where, from the ab-
sence of the police, it is supposed they made a rich
harvest. Several handkerchiefs, which could not easily
be carried, were hidden in various parts ; a white silk
one, with orange border, was deposited on one of the
hurdles near the Humane Society's marquee.

DREADFUL ACCIDENT AT
DRURY-LANE THEATRE.
On Saturday night a frightful occurrence took
place at this theatre during the performance of the
Revolt of the Harem. In the second act of the ballet
the ladies of the harem are discovered bathing, among
whom Zulica, the royal slave (Miss Webster), is one.
During the scene the gas placed at the bottom of the
stage, or under the sunken portion of it, where the
water-pieces, or waves, are placed, caught the light
drapery of Miss Webster's dress, and in an instant
her whole person was enveloped in flames. This
frightful event, taking place on the stage, in sight Gf
the audience, the whole house was in a state of con-
sternation, and screams issued from the ladies in the
front of the boxes and pit, who were the first to per-
ceive the appalling accident. The unfortunate young
lady rushed round the stage, actually in a blaze,
uttering the most heart-rending cries, and in her
agony attempted to seize the dress of one of her com-
panions, but this lady had the presence of mind to
avoid close contact, to push her off, and thereby save
herself, although her own dress was for a moment on
fire. Miss Webster at last rushed towards the P.S.
wing, and was caught in the arms of a carpen-
ter, who, with great presence of mind, threw
her down and rolled himself over her, and thus
extinguished the flames, though, as it appears, at his
personal risk, for his hands and face are said to
have been much burnt in the generous effort to
rescue the sufferer. Miss Webster was instantly
taken to the green-room, when it was ascertained that
her arms, bosom, and face were severely burnt. Sur-
gical aid was procured, and the young lady, by desire
of her friends, was removed to the residence of Dr.
Locock, in Hanover-square. The accident was of
so sudden an occurrence that the whole scene did not
occupy the space of two minutes. The carpenter
who was injured in extinguishing the flames, was con-
veyed to the King's College Hospital in Carey-street,
near Clare-market. Whilst the house was in such
a state of alarm Mr. W. H. Payne, who played in
the ballet, endeavoured to address the audience, and
stated that hopes were entertained of Miss Webster
being only slightly injured, though at the moment
nothing but the worst fears were entertained. The
ballet, notwithstanding the alarming occurrence, was
concluded in the usual way, though much delay ne-
cessarily took place.