The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1914-01-20
EUROPEAN WINTERS.

| Nnlle the temperatures Eecoroeo a'e
not rs low as those to which some of
our northern states are accustomed
when the winter weather is unusually
rigorous, still much suffering is caused.
It is interesting in this connection TO
note some OF the winters experienced
in various countries Of Europe in the
last few hundred years.
The hardest winters mentioned in
history prior to the nineteenth century
were those of 1914, 1908 and 1908.
in which latter wears the thermometer
at the Paris observatory fell 10 90 de-
grces below zero (Fshrenheit). The win
ter Of 1776 was an exceptionally cold
one. The Tiber, the Rhine, the Seine
and even the Rhone, rapid as it is,
were almost entirely frozen over.
After 1875, we come to the winter
OF 17Ss-17s9, precursor of the Tevolu-
tion in France. This was ono of the
sevcrest and longest winters that have
ever prevailed in Europe. Ia Paris the
cold commenced on the 25th OF No
vember, and lasted, with the exception
of Christmas day, when it did not
freeze. for fifty consecutive days. The
thaw began on the 18th of January,
and the snow was found TO be twenty
six inches deep. In the great canal
at Versailles, in the ponds and in sew
cral streams, the ice was two feet
thick The water also froze in several
very deep wells, and wine became CON
gealed in cellars. At Marseilles, on
the Mediterranean. tho sides Of the
docks were covered with ice. Upon
the shores Of the Atlantic the sea was
frozen TO a distance of several miles.
The ice upon the Rhine was so thick
that loaded wagons were able TO cross
it. The Elbe was covered with ice,
and also bore up heavy carts. The
harbor at Ostend was frozen so hard
that people could cross it on horseback; ;
the sea was CONCEALED 10 a distance Of
four leagues from the exterior fortifi.
cations. and no vessel could approach
the harbor The Thames was frozen
as low as Gravesend, and during the
Christmas holidays and the early part
Of January the stream in the neigh
borbood of London was covered with
shops.
l79495.-This was a remarkably long
and severe winter throughout Europe.
In Paris there were forty-two consecu-
tive days frost, and January 25 (l79a
was the coldest day ever known, the
thermometer falling to 42.3 degrees be.
low the freezing point Of water. The
Maine. the Scheldt, the Rhine and the
Seine were so frozen over that car
riages and army corps crossed them
IN several places. The Thames was
frozen over in the beginning Of Jan.
uary, near Whitehall, in spite of the
| height Of the tide. General Pichegru.
then 10 the north of Holland, sent de-
| tschments Of cavalry and infantry
about The goth of January. with or.
ders TO the former 10 cross the Texel,
and to capture the eBemy's vessels
caught at anchor by the frost. The
French borsemep crossed the plains of
ice at full palloP, approached the yes
sells, called on them TO surrender, cap.
tured them without struggle. and
took the crews prisoners.
| isl2-13.-This winter will ever be re.
membered for the terrible disasters
which attended the retreat OF the
French army through Russia, after tho
capture and conflagration OF Moscow.
The frost set in carly all over Europe.
The retreat Of the army began on the
18th OF November; Napoleon left the
capital Of the Moscovite empire on the
10Th. and the evacuation Of the citv
was complete on the 23rd. The army
marched toward Smoleusk, the snow
falling without intermissiou. The cold
became very intense after the Eth of
November. and on the 9th the ,he-.
mometcT marked degrees CFahrcn.
heitl, On the 17t5 the temperature
fell TO 10 degrees below, according 70
Larry, who had a thermometer sus.
pended from mis- buttonhole. Tho army
corps commanded by Nev cscnpod
from the Russian troops, bv whom IL
was surrounded. according TO Arago. by
crossing the Dnioper. which was frozen
over. Tho day before some Russiau
troops, with their artillery. had crossed
the Dvina upon the ice. The cold di.
minisbcd, ard thaw began on the oath
hut did not last; so that from the 2stb
20 the 29ih, during tho fatal passsee of
the Rcrcziua. the water contained M
merous blocks OF ico without offeripr
= passage az any part 20 tho troops.
The cold soon set in again with freah
intensity; the thermometer fell again
10 II below on tho 30th OF November
TO % below on December 3rd. and "a
81 below on the 9th at Molodeczuo
the day after Napoleon left Smorqoni
and published tho bulletin (No. 29)
which Informed France OF a part Of tho