THE SNOW Faoons.—The rapidity with which the thaw came on,
has, in every quarter of the country, produced the highest and most alarming floods that have occurred for a long time past. The hair. breadth 'scapes have been numerous, but we have not heard of any loss of lives.
The lady of the Bishop of Chester, and her four daughters, tra- velling in the Bishop's carriage and four, on Tuesday last week, were, by the heedlessness of the postilions, very nearly drowned in the Avon, near Kenilworth. The horses were carried off their. legs, and both they and the carriage were borne down the stream. Happily the latter kept its upright position ; and having come in contact with a post in the river, one of the wheels was locked, and its further pro- gress arrested. A number of persons from the neighbouring farm of Dialhouse immediately collected, and the ladies were got out with some difficulty. One of the serving-girls went down the stream ; but was luckily also extricated by a young farmer, named Lapwortb, who gal- lantly swam to her rescue. Except their ducking and terror, the epis- copal party suffered no damage.
At Carmarthen, on 'Wednesday, the Milford mail was placed in the same perilous position, amidst the waters of the Towey. The current of that stream proved too strong for the horses ; the leaders were borne off their feet, and in a few minutes drowned, from getting entangled in the harness ; the wheelers in a short time shared the same fate. It was two 'o'clock in the morning, and quite dark. The guard blew his horn, but no help came. At length an outside passenger ventured from the coach, and by great exertion swam ashore; where having procured lights and assistance, the Towey fishermen got three boats to the spot, and rescued the inside passengers, (of whom the Reverend Mr. Homphray, of Pem- broke, was one,) and the guard and coachman, from their perilous situa- tion. The water, by the time that the boats got to the coach, had nearly filled it, and it had remained in the midst. of the flood for no less than an hour and a half: the inside passengers were up to the chin. The coach and drowned horses were abandoned.
In the North of England, the floods have been equally great. On the same (lay in which the Milford mail was wrecked in the Towey, the post-boy of Kendal, in an attempt to cross the Kent, near Stavely, was carried down the stream, and would have been drowned had it not been for prompt assistance. In every quarter, the rivers have been swollen beyond precedent ; and the damage to property on their banks has in most instances been great.
Business was put to a complete stand at Maidstone, in conse- quence of the water having risen in the river Medway, and so overflowed as to cut off the communication with several large warehouses, counting- houses, &c. ; and planks upon trestles have been laid down for passen- gers to pass and repass by the hiidg.e.—Kentisis Gazette. Sow iw AMErtICA.—It appears by the New York papers, 'that the fall of snow in several of the States, since the winter began, has been even greater than in England. In Philadelphia and New York, the public streets have been rendered impassable. At Philadelphia, twenty thousand labourers had been employed by the corporation to shovel and level the snow in the streets of that town.
On Tuesday and 'Wednesday, the harbour of Leith exhibited a novel and interesting scene. In place of the Water of Leith, as is usual when the tide is out, seeking its way to the ocean under the vessels like a small burn almost lost in the mud, it came roaring down a mighty river, covered with large pieces of ice, and threatening destruction to every thing that stood in its course. Fortunately the flood was foreseen by the shippers in the harbour, who had their vessels all well moored ; and we are happy to add that, with the exception of a few trivial accidents, little or no damage was sustained.—Edinbargh Observer. Snuswaacx.—His lllajesty's ship Thetis sunk on the night of the 5th December, in five fathoms water, off Cape Frio. She had sailed from Rio Janeiro on the previous day. The Thetis had a million of dollars on board. We regret to say that twenty persons lost their lives by the accident ; among whom was Mr. Bingham, son of the late Captain Bingham, who was coming home as passenger in the Thetis. Admiral Baker, with the Druid, Clio, and Algerine, were watching the wreck when the last accounts left Rio, with a view, if possible, to the recovery of the sunken treasure.
InnEs.—An extensive fire took place near Puckeridge, Herts, on the 30th of last month, when a number of stacks belonging to a Mr. Cr4w- ley were burned. A labourer named Webb, who, singular to say, was one of the most active in endeavouring to extinguish the fire, has since confessed that he was the person that kindled it.
On Monday very early, or rather on Sunday night, a barn belonging to a farmer named Hanson, about six miles from Coventry, was dis. covered to be on fire. The Coventry engine was instantly sent for, and luckily succeeded in extinguishing the fire, without its extending to any other building.
A farm-yard, belonging to Colonel Hawker, at Long Parish, was nearly destroyed by fire on Monday. The fire was discovered about three o'clock in the morning ; and was not finally subdued until four in the afternoon. The damage is estimated at 8001.
FIRE AT EASTBOURNE.—A lad, only fifteen years of age, has been taken up on suspicion of setting fire to Mr. Filder's premises. The loss consisted of a barn, containing a large quantity of thrashed barley, sixteen and a half quarters of thrashed wheat, a quantity of unthrashed barley, six stacks of hay, one of wheat, one of oats, and two of straw, a hovel and ox-stall, and a considerable quantity of potatoes. A reward of GOO/, had been offered on discovery of the offender. Poisos is FRENCH COOKERY.—OR Wednesday last, one hundred and fifty soldiers of the Municipal Guard of Paris were poisoned in their barracks. They dispersed after dinner to the different theatres and posts where they were to keep guard, but were all seized about the same time with such dreadful pains as forced them to discontinue their service. Their dinner was beef el-la-mode and potatoes with oil. It is supposed that the vinegar which they used to season their potatoes had become poisonous by being kept in a copper jug.
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