The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-03-03
England's Great Storm.

cENES IN LONDON DURING TIE SNOW BLOCKADE
London Correspondence \ y World
4 great storm Is not thing TO rejoice over, but
really believe that many people are thankful Just
now that hey are Obliged to think and talk about
something else than the reign Of Parneil in Eng
land and ireland and the dismal state Of politics
When on see halt the shops il London closed the
streets blocked up and the Prince of aes driving
about II a sleigh, IT must be admitted that ones
attention Is likely 10 be diverted for a time from
the collapse OF great government and the rdicu-
loas position OF the House OF Commons have
seen some very pretty falls of snow III the United
} ateS aid IN Canada. but never one that did its
business IN a more expedItious and thorough man
ncT than that which visited England this week
\ very lew hours Sutiiced to reduce London to
a state OF complete helplessness The drifts wers
violent and soon choked up the principal streets
For several days prero sly the intense trcst had
cut of the supply Of water, and when the snow
came there vas none to be had throughout large
district IN the metropolis For nearly half dav
the trains were unable to get near the city and
had the blockade lasted four and twenty hours
Milk would nave been a guinea pint, for that is
one of the articles which l.oudouers can only gen
from side
Tie managers of English RAILWAYS. however. are
toeTahIt active and euterprlSlng, and before the
snow had ceased to fail thousa DIS If Iut1 were at
work on the man lines Sh0vtlllng ii away Com
munleation Was reopened ana there proved to be
10 occasion ttr the alarm of HE LJndoners lest
winch beteli the ParlSians during the siege But
the air Is still full of SHOW and another downfall
would pretty Learly pat an end to the power of the
ruTd districts to supply the markets with the pro
visions which Londoners cannot produce for hlln-
selves and for which consequently they are
Obliged to depend day by day and hour By hour up
Oh the eXcrtlons OF others
Farmers cannot 20 to the railroad stations and
it IS difficult even tor them to attend to their daily
work about their farms Cattle and sheep cannot
be sent out and over the larger part Of the country
the roads are Obllterated The fields look like
glaciers and i'll the hollows of the hills the snow
lies IN masses deep enough to bury an army of
men Such scene has never been witnessed in
England before
In The part Of the county which know best
snow Is not frequent visitor even in hard winters
but it was not spared from the tremendous storm
OF last Tuesday. | went out early in the morning
mot happening to be in London that dav), but
found it impossible to stand before the fury of the
blast, charged as 1t was with Particles OF driving
sno" as hard as bullets Before evening most Of
the familiar landmarks had been ctfaced Roads
were cn a level with the hedges. and one old road
was completely filled in to the depth of at least
ten or twelve feet, 1t forms long narrow cleft in
billy region. and the snow had dritted into it and
piled itself up IN ali sorts of fantastic shapes
In one place il resembled the waves Of the sea
tumbIlnE IN upon the shore in another il lay in
well modelled strata like section OF the earths
surface. Hugh masses OF snow oyerhung steep
Jam iDOH T. anu tIle scene Idu something WIG and
terrible about It, especially when the sun went
down behind the hills and the short January twi-
light quickly closed in One could understand
how easily bclated traveller in the darkness
could be caught in such a storm ard buried alive
beneath the snow. That night the frost was again
intense, and upon going into my garden early the
following morning found TWO or three dead birds
and picked up biackblrd stupetied with cold and
hunger Starngs, robins. thrushes and blackbrd
were soon assembled around an ample feast spread
for them in front OF my library window During
the day they displayed SC much confidence in me
that when opened the door to carry out fresh
supply they advanced more than half way to meet
me- and one particular robin stood at my very feet
for his share
One song from the blAckbird or The thrush is
worth more than all / threw ont | found foxes
tracks up to the very doors of my poultry house
but having arrived there Master Reynard was fam
to turn empty away. IIares and rabbits came
10 IN from the hillside almost to the garden in
search of food yesterday morning noticed
tracks upon the snow which have puzzled us all :
they are not ike those of animal ever seen near
the South Downs before. Perhaps il is a caribou
and had better send for Lord Dunraven to come
and shoot him. and send him to our old friend
John Sutherland, III exchange for the Minnesota
Venlson and the canvass back ducks with which
like very superior Santa Claus he causes the
faces of Young and old shine and their hearts to
leap with joy