St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-10-24
THE ENGLISH FLOODS.
Britain Has Not Been So Over
flowed in Years.

nOWeQ IN ears.
LONDON, Oct. 23.-Public interest.
both foreign and domestic, gives way in
the public interest to the extensive
floods, never equaled in England within
the present generation, and far more
widespread the Moray floods of sixty
years ago, which, however, destroyed
many lives.
The floods have come so gradually
that nearly every one has chance 10
escape, although vast plains are under
water and rivulets have swollen to
rivers. The chief anxiety felt is as to
whether the waters will altogether re-
tire from some of the regions invaded,
especially the low lands near the sea.
large sections of which have been res
eued for cultivation by the labor of cen
turtles.
There seems to be no end to the disas
tiers or to the amount of damage done
by the storms. The disasters to ship
ping form only portion of the amount
of damage done. In addition to the in
undations in the neighnorhood of the
Thames, the river Midway has been SO
swollen by the heavy rains that it has
overlooked its banks and submerged
vast tracts of country between Maid
stone and Tunbridge Wells. in Kent.
In many cases the waters are still
rising and bid fair to so continue for
some time to come. There is an enor-
nous gap in the bank of the river Par
ret. in Somersetshlre, and through this
opening the water is rushing into and
innndating the low lands around that
locality are already submerged to the
depth of four or five feet.
The river bank near this gap suddenly
collapsed with a roaring sound which
was heard for miles. People who were
wOrShlping in church at some distance
from the river were surrounded by
water and were obliged to wade home,
Buckinghamshire is suffering severely
from the foundations. The country in
the vicinity of Newp0rt-Pagnell, on the
Ouse, Buckinghamshire, is submerged,
and the inhabitants of the farms have
been compelled TO seek refuge In the
upper floors of their houses. The high
road running TO Newport-Pagnell Is sey-
eral feet under water.
A railroad cutting near ChriStchurch,
undermined by the floods, collapsed
this morning and completely blocked up
the railroad tracks. The neighborhood
all around is inundated so that it is i'm
possible to repair the damage done until
the floods have subsidized. The Thames
continues to rise, and is now five feet
above its normal high-water mark. A
portion of the royal gardens and
Queens drive at Windsor are flooded.
Many vessels of all kinds are reported
as being ashore at different points on
the coast. In the county of Somerset
10000 acres Of land have been sub
merged, while the dykes have every
where been swept away. The country
has assumpted the aspect which 1t pre-
sented in the time of Alfred the Great,
and the Island of Athelney, where the
monarch took refuge during the Danish
invasion, has again been created
Windsor castle IS looming frowningly
upon the vast eXpanse of waters which
surrounds it on all sides. The Thames
side houses are being rapidly deserted
of their occupants, who are to be seen
padding about in canoes, looking for
dry land whereupon to place their fam
lilies and such of their effects as they
have been able to save from the de-
vouring floods. Swamps surround the
town of Windsor. and the county of
Kent, the Fen districts OF Lincolnshire
aud the midland counties are deluged.