The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-12-11
BRITAIN SWEPT BY STORMS.
An Immense Amount Of Damage and
Many Fatalities Caused.
A NUMBER OF VESSELS REPORTED LOST.
Several Underwriters at Lioyds Have Re-
tired from Business so Great Is
the Disaster--Foreign Affairs.
[By Cable to The Times.l

LONDON. Dec. 10.--The gale which set ii
last night has already done an immense
amount of damage and has been attended
with number of fatalities The storm is fully
equal in violence TO the two gales which have
recently prevailed along the English channel
and over Great Britain and Ireland. The
meteorological disturbances which have oc-
CURED during the past few months have
seldom, if ever, been paralleled in recent
years and the effects of the storms have been
so widespread and disastrous that it will take
long time for the people. especially farmers.
to recover from them. The damage to ship
ping has been extremely heavy. In fact, the
losses incurred through wrecks and other
maritime disasters have been 80 extraordi-
nariiy great that many underwriters have not
been able 10 stand the pecuniary strain.
Up 70 to-day fourteen of the underwriters
who were engaged in taking risks at Lloyds
have withdrawn from the business. They
have resigned from Lloyds. giving as their
reason their inability 10 stand the losses they
have incurred through the recent disasters
caused By the phenomenally severe gales
which have swept over the Atlantic and along
the British and Irish coasts.
GROWING IN VIOLENCE.
The gale at the present writing 03O p. Nd
shows not the least sign of abatement; on the
contrary. 1t seems 20 grow in violence as the
day grows older Reports are being received
from all parts of the country and they all
concur in stating that the present gale
Is as severe, If not seyerer than any of its pre-
decessors. From every direction kilograms are
pouring In describing the great damage
already wrought by the storm. Giant
trees that had withstood the storms
of years have been torn up by the roots
or broken in half by the force of the wind
In some instances the tops of the trees have
been whipped of and carried long distances
in the air. Houses have been unroofed
chimneys blown down. outhouses demolished
and fences destroyed A large number of
cases are reported where persons have been
very seriously injured by being struck by
falling bricks and tiles or by being caught up
by the gale and dashed against barbed wire
fences and other distractions.
ut Dorrington in Shropshire. the chimney
OF an inn was blown down. The falling
bricks crashed through the roof and fell upon
the landlord and his wife who were in a room
directly beneath the roof. The man was
killed and his wife was so badly injured that
1t is not expected she will live.
GALE IN THE CHANNEL.
In the channel the gale is blowing with
great fury and a very nasty sea is running. lt
IS very certain that disaster will oyertake
many vessels that have not been able 10 make
a harbor Of refuge.
The Downs are full of vessels of every de-
scrption that have put in for shelter and are
riding at anchor waiting for the gale 10 sub
side. The hurricane, for h. is nothing else
really has already caused the loss of num-
Der OF small coasting vessels along the south
coast of England. The life-boat crews Mt
Ramsgate and Dover have gone to the assist
ance of vessels near those places which have
been flying signals OF distress.
This storm affords another argument in
favor Of the establishment of telegraphic and
telephone communication between isolated
points and the various life-saving stations for
which an agitation is now being carried on.
1t is claimed by the supporters of this scheme
that many lives of shipwrecked people might
be saved every year were it possible to com
municate promptly with the places where
lie boats are located