The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-01-24 00:00:00

THE LATE GALES.

During the last few days the weather at Liverpool has been
exceedingly rough and boisterous, with alternations of calm,
and, for the season of the year, warm and beautiful weather.
After continuing thus capricious during several days, on Fri-
day night the weather appeared to have settled into a calm,
which bade fair to be durable. A change, however, speedily
took place, and Saturday was dark, wet, and gusty. To-
wards night the wind rose to a gale, which, with occasional

intermissions oushort duration,- increased till Sunday morn-
ing. During the early part of Sunday morning the weather
was what seamen call squally, the storm blowing with much

vehemence, and .occasionally increasing to heavy gusts. A
few niinutes after four in the afternoon it increased to a hur-

ricane, which continued during about fifteen minutes. It
then abated to a steady but rather heavy gale, which conti-
nued during the whole, of the night and the early part of
Monday. In the afternoon of the last-mentioned day, fre.
queut symptoms were manifested that the storm was on the
increase.. The barometer, before low, fell considerably, and
the frequent strong gusts damped the feelings of some who
had cherished hopes that the tempest was abating. Such
was the violence of the wind towards midnight and shortly
afterwards, when the tide was at flood, that many families
residing in the more exposed situations near the town, either
did not retire to rest at all, or, having done so, arose and
kept watch during the night. Of Monday night, from its
greater intensity and steadiness, we are inclined to treat as
distinct from those which preceded it, and in some of its
characteristics it resembled that of the 7th January last.
Like that terrible tempest, it rose in the south-east, gradual-
ly increased in violence as it wore round to the south and
south-west, and ultimately settled in the west. In the latter
point it fixed about midnight, and, fearfully as it then blew,
it rather increased for about two hours, when there was a
short lull. This, however, seemed but to be a pause to ena-
ble the wind to gather strength ; for it returned with renewed
violence, and about three o'clock on the morning of Tuesday
it was terrific. During a full hour it blew with such fury,
that those whose dwellings were in exposed situations, ap-
prehended a repetition of something like the extensive da-
mage caused by the visitation of last year. Fortunately the
damage done on shore was trifling : a few chimney pots were
blown down in the vicinities of Everton and Kirkdale, and a
few squares of glass were broken. So far as is at present
known, the damage to the shipping on this part of the coast
has been inconsiderable.

The hurricane spoken of as having occurred at three
o'clock, settled down into a steady but heavy gale, which
continued till noon, when there were again indications that

the weather was changing for the worse. The tempest seem-
ed to come, as it frequently does, on the top of the tide,
which was the highest of the mOnth, being a nineteen feet
tide. So far, however, from abating with the reflux of the
sea, which seamen frequently expect to be the case, the gale
increased. It was flood about one o'clock. and from that

time till three the wind blew a tornado ; and we have heard
many express an opinion that the gale at this period was the
heaviest that was ever experienced in Liverpool. In this

opinion, however, we cannot concur.
The river, between one and three o'clock on Tuesday a,
ternoon, presented a wildly magnificent appearance. The
tide was of course increased in height from the westerly di-
rection of the wind, and the water was nearly on a level with
the piers, over which the wind carried the spray in a com-
plete drift, drenching those who exposed themselves so far
to the fury of the storm. In fact, when the tide was at
flood, the billows rolled completely over the pier walls which
fronted the river, and rendered a near approach to the brink
impracticable. The force of the wind, too, was occasionally
so great, that individuals who ventured to quit the sheltering
projections where they had placed themselves, were fre-
quently whirled away without any command of their persons,
while others deprived of breath, baffled by the rush of the
wind against which they had not the slightest chance of
stemming, made a precipitate retreat. The Camera Obscure
on the George's pier, which has more than once been blown
away, and which, in the storm of last year, was shivered to
fragments, bore the gale bravely. The floating wooden
landing slips were knocked to and fro in a manner that ex-
cited considerable apprehensions for their safety. Some-
times they were completely buried in the frothy waters, but
they rose again to be again buffeted, and they stood all the
force of wind and water gallantly, though their unwieldy
proportions did not promise such worthy behaviour. The
ferry steamers, during the period of which we are speaking,
suspended their operations, and we believe we are correct in
stating that but few trips were made in the course of the
afternoon.
The terrible effects of the storm of the ith of January, last
year, have necessarily made many of the inhabitants of the
town tremblingly apprehensive at every token indicating a
repetition of that fearful eeene ; but we are happy to state
that, thus far, both the town and the shipping have escaped
almost unscathed. We have only heard of one accident of a
serious nature, on shore. At three o'clock on Tuesday
afternoon, as a woman named Mary Garrick, a fruit vender,
was sheltering from the severity of the gale in the rear of a
landing waiter's hut, on the south quay of the Waterloo
Dock, a furious.g,ust of wind overturned the hut upon her.
A police-officer arid several men instantly raised the hut, and
extricated the poor woman, who was severely injured. She
was conveyed to the Northern Hospital, little hope being
entertained of her recovery.
On Tuesday, about two o'clock in the afternoon, shortly
after high water, when the gale was at the highest and the
river very rough, a boat, with four seamen, named Robert
Cawson, William West, John Petterson, and Evan Owens,
left the government packet Medusa, for the purpose of mak-
ing a rope fast to a mooring-buoy, opposite the George's
Pierhead, on the Cheshire side of the river, but the wind and
tide being too strong, they were unable to reach it, and were
carried down, notwithstanding they made the greatest exer-
tions in order to gain their vessel. The critical and danger-
ous position in which they were placed being observed by a
number of individuals on the Pierhead, ropes and life-buoys
were procured, in the hope that the poor but bravt fellows
would be able to make the George's Dock-basin ; in this at-
tempt, however, they were foiled. Nothing was expected
but that the boat would swamp, and those on. hoard meet an
untimely death.._ On'several occasions the unfortunate crew
held -up their oars, as if supplicating aid, which• were but
dimly visible through the spray continually lashing over
them ; while the boattikas tossed from one billow to another,
and seeming,; at ieach succeeding dash, tolie engulphed be-
tween the waves. Hope cheered the hardy crew to further
exertiOns, and' bY good management they kept the bow of
their little craft to the wave. Ikthis state they were rapidly
driven down the river, followed` by, hundreds, on the Prince's
Pierhead, who exhibited the keeneat hnTiety for the safety of
thafelur Men, a,number,of persons carrling with.them ropes
and life-buoys. The boat was at laSt cbiverl'against the sed-
wall at the Waterloo Dock, and lines-being thrown 'down.
the four seamen wereliappily landed safe, to the great joy of
those who, had so anxiously wataed their fearful situation.
The boaewas afterwaids'ltailled round to the Prince's Dock-
basin, being-very slightly damaged.
The same day, the schooner Mary Anne, of this port, Ted-
ford, commander, inward bound from Dundalk, with a cargo
of seeds and oatmeal, was driven on shore opposite Breckell's
mill, about half-past two o'clock. She is the property of
Messrs. Battersby and Macfold. She had not sustained any
considerable damage. The Red Rover, from Newfoundland,
was also driven ashore opposite 'Waterloo, in the early part
of the day. All hands safe. •
During the gale of wind on Tuesday, two pilots unfortu-
nately, lost their lives by drowning, in the Mersey, abreast of
the Magazines, They were stowing away their mainsail on
board the boat, No. 5, when the gaff fell to the leeward, and
knocked a man named Robert Lloyd overboard. Four of
the hands, . named, John Jones, Mark Hudson, Edward
M'Alister, and John M'Clunkey, put off in the punt to his
assistance. The sea ran so high that they could not get back
to the boat, and, ran alongside the ship Majestic, when the
boat swamped. The crew of the ship saved all of them but
Hudson. The mate, whose name we do not know, and the
pilot do board, Hugh Owens, letting themselves down the
vessel's side and over the stern by ropes, in a most daring
and adventurous manner to rescue the unfortunate immersed.
Hudson was seen for ten minutes or -a quarter of an hour, a
long way a-stern, holding to a rope which" had been thrown
to him. The mate of the ship got hold of 'him, but was
obliged toi jet go. Lloyd sunk before the punt could reach
him. Ile was a single man. Hudson has left a wife and
child.- They were each about twenty-six or twenty-seven
yearsiold_. Lloyd was an apprentice.
Part of the wreck of the Alarm, of Woodbridge,was washed.
ashore at Leasowe Castle. The stern of the same vessel was
, washed up at the Canning Dock gut.
.The. Dock Committee, we learn, sent out a steamer to as-
. certain, the state of the light-ships. The sea, however, ran
so high that the steamer could not get alongside of either of
'hem, as she at first intended. She reported, however, that
they were all secure, and would, without doubt, be enabled
to ride out the gale.
BLACIEDURN.—During the last few days we have had ex-
ceedingly boisterous weather, and yesterday the wind from
the west and north-west increased until it blew a gale.
In various parts of the town slates have been blown from the
buildings, and we believe a chimney was blown down at St.
Albans ; but we are happy to state that no serious accident
has occurred.—Blackburn Standard.
GLASGOW.—The boisterous weather which, since our last,
has occasionally amounted to a hurricane, must, we fear,
have proved very disastrous at sea. On Saturda.. night and
Sabbath morning it blew terrifically, and the streets of the
city were, in consequence, here and there strewn with frag-
ments of chimney tops, slates, &c. Throughout the day the
wind came in sudden gusts, while the rain fell heavily ; and
in the evening, about half-past ten, a very loud clap of thun-
der broke over the city. Betwixt four and five yesterday
morning several thunder claps were again heard, the light-
ning being exceeding vivid, We understand that the Royal
Sovereign, which sailed from the Broomielaw for Liverpool
on Saturday, did not proceed any farther than Greenock.—
Scottish Guardian.
LONDON.--Yesterday (Tuesday) the metropolitan and
suburban districts were visited by as severe a gale of wind as
we have experienced for some winters past. In the fore-part
of the day it blew tremendously hard from the' `south-west,
accompanied by heavy showers of rain ; the weather, how-
ever, between the showers, was very fine, the sun shining
cheerfully. As usual upon such occasions, we regret to say
that many accidents have happened owing to the violence of
the wind, particularly on the river, some of which have been
attended with fatal results. Considerable loss and damage
of property have also taken place amongst the numerous craft
on the river. About mid-day several deeply-laden coal-
barges were swamped off the south shore between Blackfriars
and Waterloo Bridges. At Millbank similar loss of property
took place, as well as at Chelsea and other places up the river.
Between 10 and 11 o'clock in the morning a barge, laden with
grain, sank between Battersea Bridge and Wandsworth, and
it was with the utmost difficulty that the two men and a boy
that were on board could save their lives, which was effected'
by a boat reaching the spot just as the barge sank and pick-
ing them up. About three o'clock in the afternoon a boat,
containing two watermen, was upset off Lambeth church, by
coming in violent collision with a barge which was drifting
with the tide in the centre of the river. Several boats put off
instantly, and succeeded in picking up one ; the other poor
fellow, a young man about 20, was drowned. Another fatal
accident occurred near Putney Bridge to a lad, named Holmes,
who was on the river with his uncle in a fishing boat. While
assisting in hauling in the net a violent gust of wind blew him
overboard, and he unhappily perished. On shore much
damage has been sustained ; stacks of chimnies were blown
down in various parts of the town, and in the Parks con-
siderable damage has been done, particularly amongst the
young plantations near Grosvenor--gate, Hyde Park.—
Standard of Wednesday.
FATAL OCCURRENCE ON THE RIVER YESTERDAY
DURING THE GALE.—AS the Comet, Gravesend steamer,
was going down the river yesterday morning, ft 10 o'clock,
her captain (Smith) and crew perceived, as they were passing
through Erith Reach, a man floating on a plank of about 10
feet long and 14 inches wide. The man was not descried
until the steamer bed passed him, and in consequence of the
state of the weather and the water, it was with great difficulty
!that she was enabled to tack round and approach near enough
-.to pick him up. The poor fellow said his 'lime was Piper,
:that he had been nearly an hour in the water, and belonged
tO the sailing barge William, of London, the property' of Mr.
'Marsden, of Eas,.lane, Rotherhite, which was capsized that
-Morning by the gale in Erith Reach, and that her captain,
Sapock, was drowned.—Standard of Wednesday.
EniNDuaGn.—We have had very stormy weather here
during the last few days. On Saturday night, Sunday, and
Sunday night especially,.the wind blew with great fury from
the west, frequently rising to the violence of a hurricane,
and occasionally accompanied :with rain, hail, and snow.
Slates and chimney cans were blown from the houses in all
directions; but we have not heard of any accident worthy
of notice.—Scottish Standard.

The first name on the Roserea registry. is " Terence Alt,
Esq., Ringroe Cottage, parish of Ardcrony, barony of Lower
Onnond.'