The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-27 00:00:00

AWFUL THUNDER-STORM

(From the Second Edition of the Standard of Tuesday)
At two o'clock this morning this town was visited by a
a thunder-storm of more than usual violence, but providen-
tially of short duration. The preceding day had been fine
throughout, with a freshness in the atmosphere by no means
portending anything like the electric termination which fol-
lowed. Soon after ten'o'clock the sky became visibly over-
cast. and large thunder drops announced a decided change in
the state of the weather. Several showers of this kind—
accompanied with a tremendous fall of hail—fell before
twelve, though neither severe nor lasting in their dura-
tion, with an occasional appearance of lightning and very
distant thunder. Towards two o'clock, however, it threat-
ened more immediate collision with the town, and within
a few minutes of that precise time, a most terrific clap
of thunder announced a more decided attack on our re-
sidences ; the lightning of a pale blue cast first descended on
the church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, striking the spire
within a few feet of the top, dislodging a very considerable
portion of the masonry, compared with the attenuated form
of that portion of the building, so that thorough repair will be
required at the summit. It gradually pursued its course
downwards, dislodging stones and fragments of stones in its
path, and 'sweeping with it in one instance a considerable
portion of exterior ornament, finding its way out eventually
at the roof. Although severely struck, however, the build-
ing itself, does not appear to have suffered material injury.
The direction of the storm may be accurately marked by
the damage it inflicted apparently at both extremities of its

During the storm, the spire of St. Michael's Church,
Pitt. street, was struck by the lightning, and the spiral part
of the steeple was so much shattered that it will probably
have to be pulled down and rebuilt, to the base of the cone,
or at least to the lower loop-holes. The great probability is,
(though some difference of opinion exists on the subject,)
that the building was struck by the second great shock, or
explosion of the electric fluid, at about twenty minutes past
two o'clock. The clock hands on the south side of the
steeple stopped at that hour, some stones having fallen
amongst the works. The clock hands on the east side, how-
ever, are said to have indicated half-past one o'clock, when
first seen this morning; but of this some doubt exists; and
it is reasonable to suppose that the clock, at least, was not
affected till the latter shock, otherwise the hands on the
south side would not have gone on.

The appearance of the spiral part of the steeple, particu-
larly on tht west and north-west sides, is alarming, a large
rent or aperture in the masonry, with abrazion of the outer
stone-work being apparent, in a winding or spiral direction
down the cone, commencing about two-thirds its height from
the base, and going more than half round the steeple. A
large quantity of stone was dislodged from its position, and
fell in large fragments, strewing the ground immediately
round the steeple, and even the opposite street. The round
mouldings, or outward groining of the corners of the oc-
tagonal spire are broken off to a great extent on the north
and west, but those on the east and south-east appear to
have sustained no injury. In one part of the rent, an entire
stone or nearly so is forced out, leaving a large aperture
which admits the light.

The great height and shattered condition of the spire ren-
ders it necessary, for the public safety, to station policemen
to prevent persons from passing that part of Pitt-street be-
tween Kent-street and Cornwallis-street. Our reporter,
however, obtained admission to the interior of the church,
and finally, accompanied by the clerk, ascended the steeple,
walked on the roof of the church, and got into the bell-loft—
the highest floor—to ascertain the damage. On the roof of
the colonnade, on the north side, projecting continuously
with the roof of the church from the base of the steeple, large
fragments of stones are strewed about, and five large holes
are made by others through the slates and woodwork, as
if produced by cannon balls. A portion of the capital of one
of the Corinthian columns in the upper story of the steeple,
has imbedded itself in the lath-work under the roof.
Several holes are also formed in the roof of the church on
the same side by the stones that have fallen, and the rain has
consequently come through the roof of the aisle, in several
places.

The electric fluid appears to have escaped from the steeple
by the stone work immediately under the east clock, and
close to the ridge of the church roof. Several stones are
there much broken, and outwardly abrupted, as if caused by
an explosion from within. In the interior of the steeple
pieces of the broken stone from the spire above are thickly
strewed in the bell loft. One of them, apparently of nearly
a hundred weight, has, in its fall, struck the axle tree of the
bell, and the strong frame in which it hangs. The bell,
which is about one yard and a half in diameter at the mouth,
was driven from its pendant position on one side of the frame-
work, and now rests, on that side, on the floor, surrounded
by broken stones and rubbish. From this point the steeple
was visible interiorly to its top. One of the huge stones in
the western arched window of the bell-loft is loosened from
its position, and considerably broken. There are also slight
appearances of the electric fluid having here and there touched
the stones in the interior of the tower ; but nothing of con-
sequence. The building generally, indeed, with the excep-
tion of the spiral part, may be considered uninjured. Scaf-
folding may, we think, be erected from the lower loop holes
to take down and rebuild the top.
It is somewhat remarkable that St. Michael's Church was
closed for about six weeks prior to last Sunday, for the pur-
pose of being cleaned and re-painted. It is now necessary
to announce, that owing to the dangerous state of the top of
the spire in the event of a gale of wind, Divine Service will
not be performed within it until further notice.
The storm, as experienced by those on board ship in the
river, was at once sublime ane terrific. Lieutenant Willson,
commander H. M. S. Etna, lying in the Sloyne, describes
the storm in a most interesting manner, but we have not
room in our second edition to particularize. He states that
the first terrific flash of lightning appeared to strike the Mer-
sey opposite the town, and the Etna vibrated from the mast-
head to the keel, so that all on board conceived for a moment
that she was shaken to pieces. eh T pnrties on deck
who kept his own watch)
(including Captain Willson,
lost their sight for several seconds, but on recovering
found that no damage was done to the ship. The second
flash appeared to evolve from the southern extremity of a
dark cloud, and flashed from one end of the town to the
other. This was probably the flash that struck both St.
Michael's, in the south, and St. Martin is, n the north. The
hail, intermingled with rain, came down with a weight and
noise that threatened personal injury to those exposed to it ;
and must, we fear, have thrashed down the crops in the
fields, now approximating, and that has attained maturity. The wind during the storm ranged round the circuit of the
compass, 'and the elemental commotion combined the grand
and fearful. This afternoon the weather is again fine, with a
breeze from the north-west.
There does not appear to have been
is
minorr
damage in-
flicted on our dwellings in its passage ; is certain, however,
that the two chief calamities, by which two of our finest
churches will probably be put to some troublesome, although
not expensive repair, formed the boundnrieg of the storm,
the short space of twenty minutes including the whole of its
greatest fury. Such torrents of rain as accompanied it in its
progress we are seldom called to witness. In the morn-
ing the rain was for a short time renewed with all
its violence, with a mixture of hail. It is to be hoped,
from the defined character of the storm over the town
itself, that no more general effects were experienced from it
with the heavy
in other parts of the kingdom, or otherwise,
blade which the present crops present, we fear it will be pro-
ductive of unusual damage to the agriculturist. We trust,
however, and have reason to believe, that such was not the
case, and that the crops will be spared a few weeks longer,
when they will be safely secured, and deposited in the
garner.

VESSELS ENTERED FOR LOADING.

(SINCE OUR LAST PUBLICATION.)

EAST INDIES, CAPE OF GOOD HOPE, &c.
Moha. W Shaw, 395 Batavia & Singapore, .1 Aikin & Son
Bidston, N Hamer, 481 Calcutta, J Aikin & Son
AFRICA.
Atalanta, J Clarke, 89 Africa, Imrie & Co

WEST INDIES AND MADEIRA.
Grengary, D Al'Donald, 286 Antigua, J Winder & Co
Irlam, W Morphew, 279 Barbados, Barton, Islam &Co
Agnes, D Lamont, 124 Barbados & Nassau, Imrie & Co
Sultana, W S Simmers, 199 Kingston, Jam, Imrie & Tomlinson
Science, J Sheddings, 153 Trinidad, J N Wood & Co
Lyra D Swan, c 218 Demerara, J Poole & Co

Limena, T Fr-ame, 162 St Vincent & Nassau, NP, Clayp ofe & Son
Emma,
SOUTH AMERICA.
Palestine, D Nairn, 202 Vera Cruz, .Amey, Catto &Co
Charles, T Pearson, 238 Rio Janeiro, Costesworth & Wynne
Jane, J Chandler, 178 Matanzas, Poole & Co
UNITED STATES.
Lady Seaton, , 370 Charleston, Ellerton & Carter

GoOdwin, J Davies, 595 Philadelphia,, Ingleby
BRITISH AMERICA.
Willington, J Foster, 344 Miramichi, Chapman & Willis
Cataraqui, B W Jackson, 802 Quebec, .1 Robertson
Lady Flora Hastings, W Samson, 674 St John, NB, _
~...._

Eshelby, Rowett & Co
Wm Rippon, J Storey, 270 Richibucto, W Fisher & Co
Dash, W Huntriss, 86 St John, Nfld, T & J Brocklebank,
EUROPE.
Nova Feliz, da Costa, 100 Azores, T Martin & Son
Herrings, D Stoddart, 292 Bathurst, J N Wood & Co
Copia, R Moy, 145 Constantinople, A Wilkin
Carrs, J H Nicholson, 205 St Petersburg, H Smith & Co
Gregory Bogosloff, E Toler, —St Petersburg, C G Weber &Co
Eliza Cornish, Ft Lauchtan, 111 Syi a & Constan, A Wilkiu
Albion. Crosby, 270 Constan & Odessa, Bahr, Behrend & Co
Olive Cecil, W T Resting, Iceland
Mina, J Harry, 55 Lisbon, T Martin & Son

John Peat, J Guthrie, 163 Leghorn, Bibby & Son
Jane, W Tattier, 3.50 St Petersburg, C G Weber & Co
Don, T Muir, 449 St Petersburg, C G Weber & Co
Thoburn, R lludspeatli, 280 St Petersburg, C G Weber & Co

if nip o rts.