, 1881-02-19

Wnlle many small boats n With the
exception Of a collision just below London
bridge, produced by the breaking away
from its moorings of a Continental steamer,
nothing serious was reported. The cap.
talns OF. the few large vessels which arrlv-
ed In the docks and the Pool during the
morning and afternoon report that in the
North Sea and the Channel during the
night the weather experienced was very
severe. the sea, dashed by a perfect hurri-
cane OF wind, completely washing over the
decks and rendering battening down
indispensable. Evidence of the storm
was apparent in the damage sustain.
ed, and a sad list of disasters
attended with loss of life, has been
forwarded to Lloyd's. All the ports on
the east coast are full Of shipping, as are
also those in The Channel, but grave fears
are entertained respecting the safety of q
Meet OF coal briggs Oh their voyage from
the northeast to London. The trains
from the north were considerably impeded
Oy the force of the wind and the great
depth OF snow, and i'll consequence of the
iacC That telegraph posts had been blown
Gown III all parts and in some places had
fallen across the metals great care had to
DC exercised by the drivers. In the south
Oh the metropolis great destruction was
reported yesterday morning; in many
eases houses were partially unroofed and
chimney stack and Conservatives blown
down. Yesterday, q calamitous high tide
occurred on the Thames. HO0ding. in add.
tor to many other places, the l0w-lying
lei2hbOurl00ds between Blackfriars and
westminster bridges. The most heart
reading scenes were witnessed. and it was
Ill VAIN that the poor people attempted to
remove their furniture. The most damage
was done to houses ying between Upper
tfround-street and Waterloo, many OF the
buildings being flooded with 81 feet of
water. Timely precautions had been taken
Dy the occupants of Meredith s. wharf,
Blackfriars, and the numerous hoardings
placed up were probably the means of
saving the inhabitants of ~Pike-gardenS,
Noahs Ark-alley, Moss-alley, &c, which
are IN close proximity to this wharf. Dur
ing the afternoon SOuthwark-street was
flooded with fully six inches of water. The
London-bridge Terminus presented any,
thing but it's usual animated appearance.
Trains running to Brighton cid Horsham,
went only as far as Dorking, the line being
blocked below there. Up to 9 o'clock
there had been no trains between London
II Brighton, or Uice UerSd, and 80 minutes
later Superintendent Pierpoint issued a
notice that call main line trains were
suspended until further ORDERS" The at
tendance on the ice on the various pieces
OF water i'm and near London Yesterday
was very Smell compared with the two pre-
viOus days, and the task of the icemen and
police was correSpOndingly less difficult.
Skating and sliding were carried on only
in places where the snow as it fell was
swept off the frozen surface. In reference
to some alarming rumOur current in Lon
don last night it is officially stated that
only trihing damage has been lone to the
Crystal Palace by the storm, the full force
of which was experienced on the whole
garden front. There is snow inside the
building.
The Geographic department of the Post
Office announced last evening that commu
nication between London and the country
is almost entirely suspended, and it is
added, sit will be quite impossible for the
department to undertake the transmits
sion of more than "a very limited quantity
of news tonight and until communication
is restored.n
Our Law Reporter on the South East.
ern Circuit writes The Commission for
the county of Kent would, under ordinary
circumstances, have been opened yester-
day (Jan. Is, at Maidstone. Owing, how.
ever, to the inclemency of the weather,
Mr.. Justice Hawkins and Mr.. Justice
Lindley were unable to reach Maidstone,
although they succeeded in getting as far
as S~hOreham, which is abour half way.
The learned Judges, accompanied by their
marshals, left London by the 4 IL p, m.
train from Victoria no nOtica haUiur haan