STORMY CHRISTMAS.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17691, 17 February 1923, Page 3

STORMY CHRISTMAS.

GALES IN ENGLAND. ; SNOWSTORMS AND FLOODS. ! Christmas in England was ushered in By heavy gales which swept in from the. sea and over hill and dale in many parts of the country. In some districts there were heavy floods and ' mucii damage resulted. At' Bacup, Lancashire, a boy named Alan Heap was killed in a suow,-.oiin through, coming in contact with a live eiectric wire which had been brought down by the rough weather. An extraordinary scene of flood damage was presented at Gellifaelog /Glamorganshire). Five houses in a row of eleven called Mansell terrac e entirely collapsed, the remainder being in a shattered condition. Steelworkers ; families, wha,.rus_feed out in the nighty alarmed by ceilings and walls bursting, were given shelter in a schoolroom. The foundations of the row were undermined by a , great accumulation of water. The flood was caused by a culvert higher up not having been in a condition to carry away the surcharged water. Several farms at Troedyhiw, in tha same county, were under water, and foot traffic was impossible at certain places on the high road. Mid-Wales was jwept by a fierce gale, and, following the melting of the snows, the rivers Dovey, Severn, and others, were in flood, much country being under water. Exciting scenes were witnessed at Gaer Farm, Montgomery, at the rescue of a number of sheep surrounded by water. Huge breakers dashed over the Marine terrace at Aberystwyth, sending clouds of spray to*a great height. All the lower windows and doorways in Victoria terrace were protected wiwi heavy shutters., Tons of sand and gravel were flung on the roads and a portion of the top of the sea wall was loosened. At the harbour the sight was magnificent, the stone pier for its whole length being smothered in white foam. At Borth the sea swept over into the roadway and broke through the sea defences. Damage amounting to £4OO was done by the gale at St." Joseph's College, ' Totland Bay, Isle of Wight, when a strongly-built brickwork extension of the schoolroom nearing completion was demolished. ' At Kirkby Stephen, Westmoreland, the gale was very fierce. Motor-cars 'Were brought to a standstill and "children were blown about the street. When the White Star liner Majestic was berthing afc Southampton' on he» arrival from New York half a gale was blowing, and she dragged her attendant tugs across the dock, and came into collision with the Cunard liner Berengaria, causing slight damage to the latter's starboard quarter. The Weymouth lifeboat succeeded in reaching the Danish schooner Meta, which had been drifting helplessly in the gale, and took off the captain and crew' of six, bringing them to Weymouth. It was a perilous proceeding getting alongside, each mountainous wave carrying the vessel fifty yards apart. It was when they swung back again that the crew were able to jump v two by two into the lifeboat. Tugs from Weymouth and Portland were able afterwards to tow the Meta into Weymouth harbour. The St. Ives lifeboat went to the assistance of the Swansea steamer Eleanor, and took off the crew. The steamer had/lost her propeller. Damage was done by the gale to Sandgate Castle, near Folkestone, and there is now a breach on the southeast side measuring forty feet by thirty feet. Waves dashed over into the moat surrounding the central tower, causing a considerable displacement of soil. The whole of the south-east front of the structure is undermined. ■ \