The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-03-02
SOME COLD WINTERS OF HIS
TORY.

In the year 401 the Black Sea was
frozen over for twenty days and men
crossed from Asia Minor to the Crimea.
In 764 the Black Sea was frozen to
distance of fifty miles from shore. The
Hellespont and Dardanelles we're frozen
and the Sea of Marmora was passable
for cavalry.
In 1868 the River Thames was frozen
over for fourteen weeks. All the rivers
of the continent were frozen, and even
south of the Alps, the Pc and many
other streams were blocked with ice.
In 1894 the Cattegat was covered with
ice seven feet thick. Batteries Of artil-
cry we're moved to and fro on the
strait.
In 1923 the Baltic Sea was frozen over,
and during three months, travellers
passed from the continent to Sweden on
the ice. Heavy wagon trains we're cub
stituted for the trading vessels.
In 1888 the Thames and all other
rivers of England and Scotland froze
|
were closed to navigation early in De-
cember. The Dardanelles and Helles-
pont froze. as did many bays and inlets
OF the Mediterranean. Ice formed in
Algiers. and the Strait of Gibraltar was
almost impossible from drift ice
In 1850 the Baltic again froze over so
as to permit travel on the ice. In Ger
many deer sought the towns for refuge
from wolves. Packs Of wolves came in
to the cities and attacked the people in
| the streets.
In 1914 the cold was so severe in Hol-
land that wine was cut in blocks and
sold by weight.
In 1894 all the rivers of North Europe
were frozen before Christmas. The
Cattegat froze, together with large
part of the Baltic. The sea at Venice
froze SO that during three weeks no boats
could be used. The Tiber froze at Rome
and men crossed it on the ice. thing
never known before nor since.
In 1858 the bays ard inlets of North
Europe froze over early in December.
Charles X. of Sweden crossed the strait
to Denmark with his whole army. in
Guiding the artillery, baggage, and pro-
vision trains.
In 1648 the Thames was covered with
ice over a foot thick. Booths were
erected for fair, which was held on the
river. Coaches piled to and fro on the
ice as on dryland. All the French ports
were closed for three or four weeks, the
harbors being frozen over.
In 1851 the cold was 30 severe in East
ern Europe that packs of starving wolves
| entered Vienna and attacked men and
/ women in the streets. All the canals Of
Venice were frozen and the principal
mouth of the Nile was blocked with
floating ice for a week.
In 1740 the Thames was frozen for
eleven weeke. Forest birds almost all per-
ished, and trees we're split by the frost.
The harbor of Barcelona froze over. and
navigation was suspended in the Greek
| Archipelago on account of the danger
from floating ice.
The winter of 1928 was one of the
hardest ever known in Europe. The
Thames froze from the source to the sea
the Seine, the Rhine, the Danube, the
Pc, and the Gaudalquiver were all GOV.
cred with ice. The Baltic froze for many
miles from land, and the Skagerack and
the Cattegat were both frozen over.
| The Adriatic at Venice was frozen, 30
was the Sea Of Marmora, while the He'll
espont and the Dardanelles we're blocked
with ice and the archipelago was i'm
passable. The Tiber was lightly coated,
and the Straits of Messina were covered
with ice. Snow fell all over North
Africa. and drift ice appeared in the
Nile. This was the winter of Napoleon's
retreat from Moscow. where 100000 men
persisted mostly of cold and hunger. The
men froze to death in battalione, and no
horses we're left either for the artillery
or cavalry. Quicksilver froze this win
ter.
In 1849 the cold in Sweden. Norway.
and Russia was so severe that great
numbers of persons were frozen to death
in all those countries.
In 1868 "a severe cold wave swept
over the whole of North America. The
Thermometer went to 60 deg. below zero
in the Northwest. The Mississippi River
was blocked with ice in single night,
and in twelve hours froze from st. Paul
to Cairo.