the leg; foot partly cut off, jaw injured; fractured collar-bone; fracture of the bones of the left leg; concussion of the brain; fracture of the thigh, and dislocation of the small bones of the leg.

An investigation was instantly made into the cause of the disaster, which appeared to have arisen from mismanagement on the part of the Company's officers, who had removed the experienced signal-man from a station which was very badly placed, leaving it in charge of a boy, and from their having permitted an engine-fitter to take charge of the train as engine driver, in which responsible station they sometimes employ their mechanical engineers, and without taking proper care that they have received the regulations laid down for their guidance. It appeared that some of the servants on the line had never seen the regulations at all.

One of the passengers, Mr. Hind, a merchant in London, died of the effects of the injuries he had sustained. An inquest was held on the body, and a lengthened investigation took place in conclusion the jury returned a verdict "that the accident had arisen from the reckless driving of William Clare" against whom they returned a verdict of manslaughter; and they added some strong observations upon the irregular management of the Company. Clare the engine driver, and Quinlan, the stoker, were committed for trial.

24. A TROOP SHIP IN A HURRICANE.-Accounts have been received at the War Office, respecting the ship Maria Somes, of London, chartered by Government for the conveyance of troops. The account is dated Port Louis, May 8, and states that the Maria Somes, transport, Captain King, command

er, and Lieutenant Boys, agent, having on board a portion of the 90th Regiment, under the command of Captain Mann, on their return from Ceylon to England, was towed into the above harbour a complete wreck. It appears that shortly after leaving Ceylon she encountered a most terrific hurricane in lat. 15 S., long. 78 E., on the 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th of March. During the whole of this period the sea made most fearful havoc with the vessel, and continually swept the decks. Her topmasts, yards, spars, sails, and boats, were either blown or carried away, and eventually she was thrown on her beam-ends. In this perilous position she continued for a considerable time, and the crew, failing in righting her by the usual means, resolved on cutting away the mainmast. On that being accomplished, the rudder was found to have been torn away. The ship still suffering severely, and the surf making a complete breach over her decks, it was deemed indispensable, for the safety of the troops and their families, to order them below and to batten down the hatches.

For days the storm raged with apparently unabated fury, and the awful sufferings of those below may be easily conceived. The vessel rolled awfully, and their cries were heart-rending in the extreme, while the fallen spars every now and then maimed some of those on deck, including the master, agent, and chief officer. When the hurricane had somewhat moderated, no time was lost in removing the hatches, when a sergeant, seven men, one woman, and five children, were found dead on the lower decks, whether from suffocation or fright cannot be

stated. The heat is described to have been most overpowering, and it is a matter of considerable surprise that there was not even a greater sacrifice of life. The weather continued to moderate, and in a few days the vessel was towed into Port Louis. The behaviour of the men under these trying circumstances was most exemplary, and the ultimate safety of the vessel was owing to their incessant labour at the pumps, night and day, from the commencement of the hurricane to their safe arrival in harbour.

25. CHRISTENING OF THE INFANT PRINCESS. The baptism of the infant Princess, the third daughter of Her Majesty, took place at Buckingham Palace. The holy ceremony was attended by most of the Royal Family, the representatives of the Foreign Powers connected by marriage with the Royal Family, the Cabinet Ministers, the Officers of the Royal Household, the Duke of Wellington, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishops of London and Norwich, the Rev. Mr. Courtenay and the Rev. Mr. Howarth, and a brilliant train of ceremonial officers.

The baptism was performed by the Primate; the names given to the royal infant were "Heléna Augusta Victoria." The sponsors were Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, proxy for the Duchess of Orleans, His Royal Highness the Hereditary Grand Duke of Mecklenburg Strelitz, Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.

A State Banquet followed, at which an illustrious train of Princes, Ambassadors, Noblemen, and Gentlemen were present; and the festivities of the day were concluded by a brilliant evening party. 28. GOODWOOD RACES.-This VOL. LXXXVIII.

aristocratic meeting went off with great spirit. The racing list was numerous and excellent. The attendance was less numerous than on previous occasions; a circumstance attributed to the overpowering heat of the weather.

were

On Tuesday there were eight races. The Ham Stakes won by Mr. Bowes's Epirote; the Sweepstakes of 300 sovereigns each by Mr. Gully's Weatherbit.

On Wednesday there were eight races. The Goodwood Stakes of 25 sovereigns each, were won by Mr. O'Brien's Jonathan Wild.

On Thursday, the Goodwood Cup, value 300 sovereigns, was won by Mr. O'Brien's Grimston.

29. ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE LOUIS PHILIPPE.-The public were again shocked by another attempt to assassinate the King of the French. According to custom, the anniversary of the third day of the Revolution of 1830 was celebrated this day, in the public gardens behind the Palace of the

Tuilleries. At half-past seven in the afternoon, during the performance of a concert, the King and the Royal Family appeared in a capacious balcony, situated near the centre of the long range of the Palace buildings, and immediately overlooking the gardens: suddenly two pistol shots were fired at the King, from the mixed crowd promenading beneath; the concert was instantly interrupted; but the King, with his usual calmness and presence of mind, directed it to proceed, and continued to walk in the balcony, as if to satisfy the agitated and indignant people that he had sustained no injury.

Meanwhile the assassin-for both shots had been fired by one individual-was promptly seized by those about him. His arms (a pistol)

I

were found upon him; and being interrogated by his captors, he made it no secret that his purpose had been to murder the King, before his people and in the midst of his family. He said that he had long meditated the assassination, and had intended to execute it on the 1st of July, when on duty as a National Guard at the Tuilleries; but had not found an opportunity. Questioned as to his motives, he disclaimed all personal or political hostility to the King; but described himself as overwhelmed by a debt of 15,000 francs, which must consign him to prison at the end of the month. He proved to be one Joseph Henri; he is a small slight man, fifty-one years of age; by trade an ironmonger. He was decently dressed, and had on his person upwards of five pounds in gold. A Cabinet Council was held at ten the same night; after which the King returned to Neuilly.

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30. PRINCE ALBERT'S VISIT TO LIVERPOOL. His Royal Highness Prince Albert performed his long promised visit to Liverpool, for the purpose of laying the first stone of the Sailor's Home. His Royal Highness arrived at the Judges' lodgings" on Thursday, and was received in state by the Mayor and Corporation, and the members for the borough. The Prince then embarked on board the Fairy, which had been sent round from Portsmouth, and viewed the splendid harbour and estuary of the Mersey; after which he opened the New Dock (to be called the Albert Dock") with great ceremony. On the following day His Royal Highness, escorted by a prodigious assemblage of the trades, proceeded to the great object of his visit the laying the first stone of the new institu

tion, the Sailor's Home; and in the evening left Liverpool for London by a special train.

AUGUST.

1. GREAT HAIL STORM. — A storm of hail, rain, thunder, and lightning, of almost unprecedented violence, broke over the metropolis about two o'clock in the afternoon. The weather had been extremely sultry, and symptoms of an approaching discharge had been manifested throughout the morning. At two o'clock peals of thunder were heard, and about twenty minutes after three the great storm burst over London with violence. The thunder was now loud and sudden, and the flashes of lightning were very vivid. The rain came down with such violence that it seemed in every part like a little mountain torrent falling from a vast height more broken than a larger waterfall, but not in drops like rain

A

pouring with a continuous and heavy weight. The wind rose, veering rapidly from south to north, and changing often, and the gusts drove along the rain like a fog. The streets were suddenly converted into brawling streams. little after four o'clock there fell a vast quantity of hail of great size. Then there was a lull, followed by a renewal of the storm, with more lightning, rain, and hail, but less violent. The thunder and lightning, however, were incessant; the thunder kept up a perpetual rumble, and the lightning, for the most part faint and vague, seemed to possess the whole atmosphere. The storm was at its greatest height after four o'clock it lasted three hours and ten minutes, terminating at half-past six o'clock.

The effects of the storm were most disastrous. The hail-large lumps of ice falling in a complete torrent-shattered to pieces an immense quantity of glass; and the amount of water was so great that all low-lying parts were flooded. Even where the drainage was good, the sewers were not capable in every case of carrying off the water which accumulated so rapidly. The roads in many places, where there was any depression, were converted for a time into large lakes; cellars, underground kitchens, and in many cases the basements of buildings, were placed under water; while, wherever skylights were broken by the hail, a stream of water flowed into the tops of the houses.

At Buckingham Palace the mischief was considerable. The glass in the roof of the picture gallery having been totally destroyed by the hail, the apartment was flooded, but the pictures were not injured. Many other rooms were similarly injured; and so much glass was broken, that the damage is estimated as high as 2,000l. Though the floors of many of the apartments resembled rivers, it does not appear that much injury has been done to the furniture and decorations.

Glass was shivered in every direction. At the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Hall 7,000 panes; Police office, Scotland Yard 300; Cubitts' factory, Millbank, and Broadwoods' pianoforte manufactory, Horseferry Road, many thousands; St. James's Theatre 800 squares; Burford's Panorama 10,000; at the Italian Opera house a great number. The skylights in the Quadrant, Burlington Arcade, and other such places, were more or less shattered, while the win

dows of private houses at the West End shared the same fate.

Much injury was done in the western suburbs; the market gardens, of course, suffering severely.

On the river the Citizen steamer B was struck by the lightning, off the Red House at Battersea, but no one was hurt.

At Clerkenwell the flood was very great, the drains being quite inadequate to carry off the rain; some houses were even washed down.

On the Surrey side of the river the storm was very violent, more so, apparently, than elsewhere. The Surrey Theatre was so flooded, by the streams of water which flowed through the broken skylights, that the performances for the evening could not take place. Astley's was in almost as bad a predicament. Churches, chapels, manufactories, and private dwellings, were all severely damaged, where the windows were in an exposed state; thus, in Walworth Road, on the west side, there are rows of houses, hardly one of which has escaped without windows broken; while, at Kennington, Brixton, Clapham, and Vauxhall, the destruction was still

greater. For upwards of a mile and a half down the Wandsworth Road nearly every square of glass, in the south fronts of the houses, was demolished. The nurserymen in this district were great sufferers.

The lightning does not appear to have done much harm. Several persons were stunned for a time, but no one was killed.

At Bromley, Greenwich, and that vicinity, the houses and the market gardeners suffered greatly.

At Windsor and the neighbourhood the hail storm did much damage. At Ditton Park, the re

sidence of the Duke of Buccleuch, 2,000 panes were broken.

There was another storm on Sunday morning, but it was of a comparatively mild character. Again, at an early hour on Wednesday morning, another tempest of lightning and rain burst over London, and it lasted for many hours.

This great storm was felt, generally, all over the kingdom, but it was not coincident in point of time in the different districts. At Leicester the lightning struck the beautiful spire of St. George's Church, and severed it within twenty feet of the battlements, going through the roof into the gallery, and materially injuring both the clock and organ. Close to the church a small public-house was struck by the same flash.

Near Nottingham a straw stack was burnt, and three horses were killed. All the country people appear to have been much terrified, and many of them state that they passed the greater part of the night on their knees, being apprehensive that the day of judgment, with all its promised horrors, was really commencing.

In Liverpool there were three distinct storms; on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. A great many persons, several of them policemen, were struck down by the lightning.

In Cardiganshire the river Tivy burst its banks, and swept away twenty-five houses at Talsarn; four bridges were swept away; and Dr. Rogers, a county magistrate, and his servant, both on horseback, were carried away, and both men and horses drowned.

The hail-stones were of enormous size. A gentleman at Camberwell gathered 947 hail-stones; the smallest weighed more than nine

grains, and the largest 84 grains. Of the 947 there were sixty-one of the largest size. Five of them hastily selected, as far as the eye could judge nearly the same size, weighed 405 grains, which gives 81 grains as the average weight of each. Five others, apparently the smallest of the number, weighed 394 grains, which averages 78 grains each. One of the first five measured 9-10ths of an inch in length, 6-10ths of an inch in breadth, and was about 5-10ths of an inch in thickness. It had, like most of the others, the shape of a flattened pigeon's egg. A dozen had a shape approaching a flattened sphere. Hail-stones of still greater size were picked up in other places.

8. LIFE ASSURANCE.-A case of some interest to life assurers, and remarkable for having been twice before tried, was tried for the third time at the Warwick Assizes-the assignees of Scott being plaintiffs, the Imperial Life Assurance Company defendants-the amount of the policy sought to be recovered 2,000l.

At the two former trials- the one presided over by Lord Denman, and the other by Lord Chief Justice Tindal-verdicts went for the plaintiffs, but were set aside on the ground of misdirection. It appears that, in 1840, Scott applied to the Norwich Union Life Office, at Birmingham, with a view to insure his life; and he underwent a rigid examination by Dr. Ingleby, the medical referee of the office, who passed him. It so happened, however, that one of the clerks in the office where Scott banked was agent for the Imperial Life Office, and he persuaded Scott to insure in that instead of the Norwich Office. This Scott did; having undergone another ex