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-. THE BARRIER BETWEEN;

DENSE FOG AND SHIPPING

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DENSE FOG AND SHIPPING DISASTERS. As dusk was approaching on Monday the general gloom of the day was aggravated by a thick white I'll fog which invaded the metropolis, settling mainly on the S.E. and S.W. districts. The presence of the fog in the City of London necessitated the lighting of the street lamps half-an-hour before the usual time, the City being the only part of the metropolis in which the boon of artificial light is given to the public before the alloted hour for lighting the lamps on dark or foggy days. The atmosphere in the City, however, became pretty clear by seven o'clock; but the fog continued dense on the Surrey side of the river, and caused much inconvenience and delay there to the vehicular traffic, especially to that of the omnibuses and tramcars which were bringing home those who had finished the business of the day. The mildness of the earlier part of the day disappeared when the fog set in, and the temperature was much lower on Mon- day night than it was in the morning. On Tuesday morning the fog was very dense in London. The fog which prevailed on the south Irish coast since Saturday still continued on Monday, and steam- boat traffic in Cork Harbour was suspended, owing to its density. The Cunard steamer Gallia, from New York, was detained for 12 hours in endeavouring to make the harbour for the purpose of disembarking mails and cargo, and the Samaria, of the same line, from Boston, passed Rochester Point on Monday morning, but did not attempt to come near the land, The Liverpool tug Recovery, due at Cork on Saturday evening to tow the American ship Eureka to Liverpool, did not arrive until Monday morning, owing to the dense nature of the fog in the Channel. A steamship, name unknown, ran down the smack Conqueror early on Monday morning south-west of the Girdler light. The Conqueror sank, but all hands were saved and landed at Southend. The steamer proceeded to London. The fog on Monday made its presence felt in ths provinces. During the whole of the morning it wa- very dense at Liverpool, causing very much incon- verience both to pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Ob, jects could not be seen at above six yards' distance and in consequence the speed of light vehicles, trams, and omnibuses had to be reduced to walking pace. On the river there was, as usual, great inconvenience to shipping, but up to the latest reports there was only one of a slight collision between a ferry steamer and a steam-tug, neither of which sustained any note- worthy damage. The fog lifted in the town about noon. Manchester and Salford were enveloped in a fog of the densest character on Monday morning. Rail- way and vehicular traffic had to be conducted with the utmost caution; gas was necessary everywhere. Along the course of the Irwell the fog was intensely black, some of the streets being plunged in absolute darkness. There were some narrow escapes on the part of foot passengers from passing vehicles at street crossings. Owing to an engine having left the rails at Patricroft, some delay was caused to the early morning trains on the Exchange branch of the London and North-Western Manchester system. As a result of the precautions taken, however, nothing worse resulted than a slight inconvenience to passengers. At Bolton, also, the fog was dense on Monday night. At the railway station it was difficult to see at all, and about seven o'clock a marble sculptor, named James Greenwood, who was going home to Manchester, missed his footing, fell on the metals, and before he could be rescued he was caught by an incoming train and terribly injured, his right arm bsing literally torn from his shoulder. It was only by an almost miraculous accident that he was not killed outright for had he fallen on the other side the engine would have passed over his body. In the Channel at Dover there wks a dense fog on Monday night. Mist and fog which had been prevalent over the greater part of England, half of Ireland, and over Denmark, Germany, and France for the preceding day or two, prevailed generally over the English Channel on Tuesday. In some parts of the metropolis the fog was very dense, but save at the East-end and near the Thames had partially cleared at night. In the Mersey many large steamers and other vessels were detained for several hours outside the bar, and the mail boats between Dublin and Holyhead were considerably delayed. One or two serious railway accidents occurred. SERIOUS LOSS OF LIFE.—GREAT INTERRUPTION TO TRAFFIC. Wednesday's report showed that although the fog had lifted over central France, it still extended over a very considerable area along the whole coast from Spain to the south-west of Norway. The West of Ireland and Scotland remained under clear weather and mild south-westerly winds. The fog in London late on Wednesday night was rather denser and colder than it had been since Monday evening, when it first enveloped the metro- polis. Its density during Tuesday night was evidenced by the condition of trees and shrubs on Wednesday morning, the branches and the leaves of evergreens dripping with water just as if there had been a night of rain. In most parts of the metropolis great confusion and danger were caused on Wednesday in conducting traffic, and in the midst of vehicles of almost every class, pedestrians found that to cross the street was a very hazardous operation. There was some serious blocks during the day at Ludgate-circus, upon which four very busy thoroughfares converge and at Holborn- circus, at King William's statue, and at the top of Cheapside, close to the General Post-office, similar blocks occurred. Along the suburban lines of railway there were large fires burning in iron cages close to every signal-post in order to warn engine-drivers. Attendance of children at Board and other schools was very small on Wednesday, parents being afraid to allow them out in the fog. At night tne fog had cleared away considerably on the Surrey side, and was not so thick in the City as it was during the day. Over the northern area of the metropolis and in the West-end it was very dense; and that could also be stated of the suburban districts of Norwood, Forest- hill, and New-cross. The fog has caused the most serious incon- venience and loss on the Thames. Billingsgate market only received 500 packages of fish on Tuesday, and there was none to hand on Wednesday morning, and when the cargoes arrived they were greatly depre- ciated in value through the delay. About ten o'clock on Tuesday night the body of a man named Andgreve was found on the railway line near Dalston Junction, a train having passed over it. He had apparently wandered upon the line in the fog, not knowing where he was. Almost at the same time another man named Faulkner was discovered at the London-fields Station of the Great Eastern Railway, having had both his legs mutilated by a passing train, the accident presumably being attributable to the fog. On Tuesday afternoon the body of a man was found floating in the Regent's Canal basin, at Millwall. He has since been identified as John Foster, aged 25, mate of a sailing vessel belonging to Guernsey, lying in the East India dock, and it is supposed that in returning to his ship he got lost in the fog and walked over the side of the quay before he was aware of his mistake. The body of a young lad has since been found in the river near the same spot, and identified as George Govatt, aged 16, late of 11, Reams-street, Monier- road, Poplar. He also is believed to have accidentally walked into the river during the fog. Foggy weather was experienced on Wednesday at Windsor, and in some parts of the country between Slough and the western suburbs of the metropolis railway traffic had to be worked with caution, and fogmen were out on the Great Western line in various places. Most of the trains between London and Windsor kept their usual times. All water traffic at the entrances to the river Thames and Medway was suspended on Wednesday on account of the fog, which was the thickest ex- perienced for many years. The troopship Wye, which is under orders to convey a party of naval cadets to Gibraltar for the Channel Squadron, was de- tained in harbour through the fog. The mail service between Queenborough and Flushing, by which the Dutch and German mails are carried, was also inter- rupted, the packets not being able to leave for the Continent all day and night on Wednesday. In East Kent the fog increased in density on Tues- day night, and Wednesday morning a thick white fog enveloped the country, retarding vehicular and rail- way traffic, as well as that on the water. An extraordinary dark fog continued on Wednesday along the Sussex coast. At Eastbourne it was, if any- thing, worse than that which has prevailed during the preceding two days, and artificial light was necessary indoors, while traffic in the streets was much incon- venienced. The Channel was enshrouded in fog, and horns and whistles were continually heard. It is stated that the fog is denser in the neighbourhood than ever before experienced. The fog that had hung over the Solent for the last few days so increased in density on Wednesday that the Royal yacht Elfin, which carried the Queen's des- patches from Portsmouth to Osborne was more than an hour late on her arrival. The ordinary traffic to the Isle of Wight was suspended, and the county court had to be abandoned owing to the judge being unable to undertake' the journey. The mails to the island were carried in steam launches, but the company declined to take passengers, who were compelled to travel in open wherries. About noon the mist grew still thickcr, and even watermen refused to convey any more passsngers. The fog which set in at Southampton last Sunday night still continued very dense on Wednesday. The fog ultimately became so thick that all the mail steam- packet service was suspended. The Great Eastern express trains have been much delayed in consequence of the fog. The express from Sandringham to York, conveying Prince Albert Victor, arrived at Spalding two hours and a half late. The mist which prevailed at Sheffield on Tuesday was succeeded on Wednesday by a dense fog, and traffic was only carried on with difficulty. Shops and fac- tories were lighted as at night. On Wednesday night a platelayer named Hammond, while engaged laying fog signals on the main North- Western line at Vauxhall, Birmingham, was knocked down by a goods train and killed. In the thick fog' which prevailed he did not observe the train. At Bilston on Wednesday, during a dense fog, a woman walked into the canal, and was drowned. At Willenhall a carrier was driving to Walsall, when his horse got off the main road and fell into an open work. The cart was smashed to pieces and the horse was killed, but the man had a miraculous escape, receiving only a few bruises. The dense fog which prevailed at Derby on Tuesday and Wednesday considerably interfered with goods and passenger traffic on the Midland, the London and North-Western, and the North Stafford Railways. Owing to the dense fog prevailing on the Mersey on Tuesday evening, the Inman Line steamer City of Berlin was unable to leave for Queenstown to embark the United States mails on Wednesday. A dense fog hung over North Wales on Wednesday, causing great inconvenience to railway and vehicular traffic. In South Wales the fog was also very dense. Special means had to be adopted on the Taff and other railway lines for the regulation of the traffic. Another heavy fog visited Dublin on Wednesday morning, but not so dense as to interfere with the shipping in the Liffey. Heavy fogs prevailed in a large number of places in Ireland, and in Dublin gas had to be used. At Guernsey the fog on Wednesday remained dense. No mails had been received in the Channel Islands on Thursday morning since that made up in London on Saturday afternoon. Owing to the dense fog prevailing in the Channel and the consequent danger to navigation, the pas- senger service between Boulogne and Folkestone was suspended on Wednesday. From Boulogne it was re- ported that two vessels went ashore on Wednesday during the fog.

IA TALE OF THE SEA.

ASSIZE ARRANGEMENTS.

I ,MR. JUSTIN MCCARTHY ON

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