In consequence of the continuous rain lately, the Metropolis and
various parts of the country have been subjected to severe inundations. Yesterday an unusually high tide swept both banks of the Thames, as far as Putney doing considerable damage. As usual the Surrey side suffered the most. Some of the lower streets were four feet under water; the inhabitants es- caping into waggons and boats. At Lambeth, the gardens of the Palace were flooded, and a boat was carried into the burial-ground of Lambeth Old Church. Fore Street, High Street, and Lambeth Butts, were several feet under water. The Lammas lands as far as Putney were all under water. The towing-path on the Surrey side of the Thames was covered with water to 'the depth of six feet. At Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, and all along, the river-side as far as Bankside was covered some feet deep ; and it required the
most prompt measures to prevent the tide from rushing into the furnaces of the various gas-works, iron-founderies, and breweries.
Hereford is reported as "literally devastated" yesterday, both city and county. The Wye, the Lagg, and the Frome had overflowed. The London mail-coach was swallowed up in the wreck of a bridge over the Promo : one passenger and one horse were drowned ; boats saved the rest of the pas- sengers. The mail-bags were partially rescued. Hereford was then sur- rounded by water. The property destroyed on the river-banks is consider- able. Floods are also reported at Market Harborough and Leicester, and at Newton Abbotts in Devon : at the former places, the Soar expanded into a lake ; at the latter, the Teign burst its banks, and carried off much property.
Birmingham was visited with a disastrous flood on Thursday night, and the traffic was stopped on the Bristol and Birmingham Railway.
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