Mar.] 



CHRONICLE. 



41 



of the two former we are at present 

 in doubt. The clock-plate at St. 

 Lawrence Church steeple was 

 blown oft' last night ; and we are 

 informed that the steeple of Ash- 

 church, near Sandwich, has been 

 much injured by the lightning. 



Portsmouth. — On Wednesday 

 last, about five o'clock, a gale of 

 wind commenced here from the 

 Southward, which, by its violence, 

 approached nearly to a hurricane. 

 It acted with such irresistible 

 power upon the sea, that the tide 

 rose five feet higher than the 

 ordinary spring tides, and main- 

 tained that height three hours 

 after it should have ebbed : it 

 was high water between nine and 

 ten, and so continued until mid- 

 night ; and by passing and 

 destroying its accustomed bounds 

 (in some parts to full half a mile 

 extent) property to a vast amount 

 was destroyed. The buildings 

 between the Hound Tower and 

 the Point are either in ruins, 

 washed away, or their founda- 

 tions undermined : the water was 

 two feet above the pavement in 

 Point-street ; the damage done 

 to property in the cellars and 

 lower rooms was very great. 

 Several small buildings next the 

 harbour's mouth were washed 

 away, with the §teps at the sally- 

 ports and their platforms ; and 

 tlie Slaughter-house Wharf was 

 much damaged. The sea made 

 a complete breach through the 

 beach at Southsea, between the 

 Castle, and Lumps Fort, and in- 

 undated the Common and Old 

 Morass, where a farm house has 

 been manj' years standing, the 

 inmates of which had scarcely 

 time to save themselves. Horsey 

 Island wa» entirely overflowed, 



and 15 sheep were drovrned 

 there. All the arable land near 

 Lumps Fort was likewise inun- 

 dated, and 13 acres of wheat on 

 the fai-m of Mr. Gain, jun., were 

 instantly washed up. A build- 

 ing, about 350 yards from the 

 shore, full of seed potatoes, was 

 washed down by the violence of 

 the waves. The Haslar shore 

 presents a surprising instance of 

 the massive weight and power of 

 agitated water, where two exten- 

 sive breaches are made in that 

 solid stone sea-wall (erected for 

 the protection of the Hospital), 

 and the ponderous stones and 

 masonry work, of 70 tons weight, 

 were thrown down level with the 

 sea-shore. The water extended 

 to Haslar barracks, the mess- 

 room of which was overflowed. 

 The brig Hamsley, of and from 

 Sunderland, was the only vessel 

 lost : she drove, and by striking 

 on the elbow of the Horse, 

 bilged. The crew got into the 

 boat, and hung on to the wreck 

 until the morning, when they 

 were taken off at day-light, by a 

 pilot-boat, and landed here. The 

 Lively cutter had her bulwarks 

 washed away ; the brig Assiduous 

 parted from one of her anchors ; 

 the brig Shelelah had her boats 

 washed over her side. During 

 the gale, that pleasant new- erected 

 promenade, Kyde Pier, sustamed 

 very great injury ; thirty-six 

 arches (out of 40) were carried 

 away; 16 of them, in one body, 

 were driven over upon Hayling 

 island, and many others, in 

 detached parts, have been picked 

 up to the eastward of Southsea 

 Castle. It is with regret that we 

 must close this disastrous relation 

 by stating, t{ie drowning of thi^ 



Hon. 



