FOG IN LONDON.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 66

FOG IN LONDON.

■■ —— ■- ■ ——— ■ SAN FRANCISCO, December 22.

A despatch from London, dated December 23rd, states:—There is as yet no sign of a lifting of the fog which envelopes the Kingdom. The absence of wind throughout Great Britain is almost unprecedented, and meteorologists do not expect any change in conditions for another twenty-four hours. Considering the almost insuperable difficulties attending locomotion of any form, the number of fatal accidents has been remarkably small. Congestion and suspension of business are very general so far as London is conoemed. The tube railways are the only concerns benefiting, and their daily traffic is reaching record figures. Places of amusement are almost deserted, and shopkeepers are loudly lamenting the absence of the usual Christmas customers, instead of which big stores are inundated with orders by post, which, cannot be executed owing to the complete dislocation of all carrying business. The railroad traffic both for long and short distances is almost paralysed. A condition resembling chaos prevails in . the postal service. With a continued accumulation of Christmas parcels and letters traffic, it is quite impossible to preserve even a semblance of punctuality. All railway trains are many hours late, and many trains between London and suburbs occupy a couple of hours in making a ‘ distance of eight miles. Mail boats in all directions are similarly disorganised. The Oceanic and Saxonia have been unable to reach the landings at Liverpool. The Cedric and Pretoria, outward bound, are both delayed, and the Minnehaha is waiting at the Mouth of Thames, unable to proceed. Only two vessels entered the Pori of London yesterday—a condition of affairs such as has not occurred for twenty years. The mouth of the river is crammed with vessels, loaded with perishable foodstuffs of all descriptions. The streets of London present remarkable scenes. Nothing is visible excepting torches and the occasional flare of big creosote lights, which the authorities are beginning to employ to assist traffic. Phantom voices mingle with the unceasing whistling of omnibus and tramway drivers. At points like Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park Comer agglomerations of vehicles of every description are held up by policemen, and close locked for hours. Nearly everybody i suffering from headache, which doctors attribute to the fog. At Birmingham Sir Oliver Lodge is making experiments with a model electrical apparatus.