The Telegram. — 1899-08-29 (Weymouth, Dorset, England)

TROPICAL WEATHER.  90 IN THE SHADE.  WATER FAMINE IN THE COUNTRY  DEATH FROM THE HEAT.  At last there seems to be some chance of cooler weather and ram. The big anti-cyclone which has been stationary all over Western Europe ittiring the past week shows some signs of breaking up. It has already split into two parts, one of which is moving northward over Scandinavia, and the other is over Spain. Between these two a cyclonic area seems to he forcing its way in over the Atlantic, which will bring with it wind, rain, and ierhaps thunder over these Islam's. Alleady there are reports of heavy 11,1111 in various district.  -- _ Friday Was the hottest day of the year. At noun in the Strand, Lendon, the thermometer registerci no lees than 128 leg. in the sun and sa leg. in the shade, as compa•ed with 118.1 e. and 82 leg. respectively un Thureday. The mercury roee rapidly after 12 o'cloek, 1141 at 2 o'clock the thermometer registered 130,1eg. in the eon and 94deg. in the shade—distinctly phenomenal. Between these two hours the intensity of the heat was extremely felt. The previous hottest day was in July, when the mercury Voile to 126.41eg. 111 the sun and 89 in the shade. inquiries made at the Meteorological Office show that this August le Quite exceptional tor its cloudless skies and brilliant sunshine. Over a dozeu cases of sunstroke were treated as the Metropolitan Hospitals before noon. The scarcity of water is beginning seriously to affect the iron and steel industries in South Wales. Several departments at the Dowlats Werke have had to close, and wherever tinplate mills are worked by water power operations have had to be entirely auspendea. In thr eoutheru part of Lincolnshire the pastures are scorched up, and large numbers of the householders iu the villages are without water. Bradford is threatened with water famine, and the supply for domestic purposes has been considerably curtailed. At KeighIcy, also, restrictions are enforced. Farmers in various parts of Berkshire and Hampshire are experiencing much incauvenience. Owing to the scarcity of water, thrashing work is seriously impeded, and new corn conies to hand in comparatively strain Quantitiee. Apart from the shortneee of the water supply for villages and farm,, rain is greatly needed for the root crow. In the Vale of Glainorgan, hay hi being carried to stock in the fields, there being less herbage than is initially found in midwinter. 111 parte id Peinbrokeehire animals have to be driven four mikes to water, and in the cast. of sheep some have been too exhausted to make the return journey. At Neeth, where the Corporation have recently expended a large Milli in completing a storage reservoir. 'se water is turned on only two hours A day. Ott the watershed horn which Neath obtains its supply, the r :nfall from May 20th to the present has been only three inches. The hop gariene in Mid and West Kent are being serienely affected by the drought, and should it continue during the next few deye the hops will rapidly deteriorate. In earne eiliegee the inhabitants are relying entirely on the fact dirroshing rain-water storage, nearly all the shallow wells fleeing given out. The prolonged drought is being severely felt in many of ties country dietricts of Essex. In a number of villages where the inhabitants depend upon wells for their water supply, the sprinFe have dried up to such an extent that the water is quite unfit for use. Farmers and others complain bitterly that their ponds have dried up, and their 11411.811 a and cattle are suffering severely in conee[pence. None of the main roads are now being watered, the District Councils having long since ceased to use water for this purpose. Reports from various quarters of the country tell the sante story, In the outlying districts of Birmingham, iron workers were unable to work before the fires, and at some factories in the Black Country work was stopped for want of water for the boilers. Over a dozen cases of sunstroke were treated at She metropolitan hospitals before noon on Friday. Two ladies were overcome in Hyde Park, and a geutletean fell unconscious near the Bank. Four omnibus drivers were completely overpowered, and several outdoor workmen had to give up their employment. Four deaths are attributed to the beat—a bootlatter, of St. George's-in-the-East ; Mr. Samuel Cutler Carley, arl out gentleman, who disappeared from his house at Fitzroy Square several weeks ago, and was found dying at Tottenham • Mrs. Thomas, wife of & Windsor publican, wh'ci was found dead in a hen-roost ; and Robert H. Shillsbier, of Plymouth, who had sunstroke while in camp with the Volunteers', and afterwards coinnittted suicide. A lady residing in Clovelly Mansions, Gray's Inn Road, witit overeonie by the heat and was conveyed in an insensible condition to her home. A Covent Garden porter was overcome in Russell Street, and in Red Lion Square a young lady mimed Violet Page, when walking through the gardens, fell unconscious on the pavement. As the down-river steamer Penelope was approaching Greenwich Pier on Thursday, a gentleman named Carey, from Clapham, was seen to stagger and fall on the deck. On the boat's reachiug the pier, Dr. Russell, who was sent for, stated that the man was dead from heart failure, death being accelerated by the heat. Brilliant sunshine prevailed in London again on Saturday, and although the temperature did not reach that recorded on Friday—the hottest day of the year—the thermometer at 2 o'clock in the afternoon regietered close on 90deg. in the shade. The weather on Sunday in London was still very hot and oppressive, but the temperature was lower than that of Friday or Satuiday ; the highest reading was 85deg. in the shade. From all parts of the country reports arrive of Wen, heath, anti cununon fires caused by the great heat, whilst in the manufacturing districts works have been stopped owing to want if water. At an inquest at Shoreditch on Saturday, concerning the death of Henry Smith, 73, a carman, late of 44, Poale Street, Hoxton, the evidence showed that death Was due to eyncope accelerated by the beat. A man fell down suddenly in Waterloo Road, London, out Saturday, and on being taken to St. Thoinas'e Hospital it was found that be was suffering from heat apoplexy. In the Walworth Road, London, on the same day Mrt. Ellen Hanle, of 54, Royal Real, Keuuington Park, an aged woman, was admitted to St. Thomas's Hospital suffering from the intense heat. At the annual inspection of the 2nd Durham Artillery Volunthers,at Sealiatn Harbour on Saturday, two of the men fainted as the result of the extreme heat which prevailed, and they had to be treated by the Ambulance Corps.