greatly swollen; the waters in the lakes were consequently raised far above their usual mark; the valleys were inundated, and many persons were drowned.

In Scotland, the inundations were not less formidable. The impetuous streams of that country were greatly swollen, and did great damage. The Tay and the Earn, in Perthshire, rolled down in immense floods. The whole neighbourhood of Perth was a vast lake, the beautiful Inches were covered, and much of the fair city" laid under water. In the western counties, the Nith, the Annan, the Moffat, and the Dee, rose over the adjacent country. In every part large numbers of sheep were drowned, and the labours of the husbandman suspended.

From Ireland similar accounts have been received; floods have been prevalent in all parts of the country, putting a stop to agricultural operations, and diffusing a general gloom.

Towards the close of the year the tremendous falls of rain had somewhat abated, and the inundations in some measure subsided. There has not been so great a fall of rain within a limited period since 1834; and then it was only 16.65 inches for the year. In 1850, the amount for the year was 18.28 inches; in 1851, 20.79 inches; in November, 1852, nearly 8 inches; the estimated amount for the year being 33 17 inches. The annual average is 24 inches.

One of the most serious consequences of the long-continued wet weather is that a very large breadth of land has been excluded from cultivation altogether, and riously deteriorated; elsewhere the land has been rendered unfit for seed, and the harvest of next year

will be in a great measure dependent upon the spring sowing. Corn rose considerably in price. COLLIERY ACCIDENTS. Some terrible catastrophes have occurred this month in collieries.

On the 6th instant, a huge column of water, accumulated in an old shaft, burst into the Shortwood Colliery near Bristol. It appeared that the works had been carried on with great irregularity, and had approached the still more irregular workings of the old shaft so closely, that, upon striking the side, an orifice had been made, through which the water poured, but which had been stopped by a wooden plug. It was at some slight partition like this that the water burst in, and put the lives of near 50 people in jeopardy. The greater part, however, made their escape into higher workings, but two were drowned.

More terrible consequences ensued from an explosion of gas in the Elsecar pit, near Barnsley, and not far from the scene of the frightful accident at Rawmarsh. The Elsecar pit belongs to Earl Fitzwilliam, and had been fitted with such precautionary appliances as made it one of the best-ventilated and safest pits in that county. Unfortunately, these precautions were defeated by the carelessness of the men, 142 of whom were working in the pit at the time of the accident (the 22nd December). A part of the arrangement consists of "broad gate doors" which are the communications of one passage with another, and keep the current of pure air in one continual course throughout the pit. While the men were at dinner, one of these was left open; and the consequence was that there was a large accumula

tion of inflammable gas. One of the men, knowing that it was wrong that it should be open, suddenly shut it, and thus sent a strong current of atmospheric air and gas into the south level of the pit, where it took fire and exploded. The men working in that level were instantly entombed in

a mass of fallen coal; and the noise of the explosion was so great that it was heard for miles. By this catastrophe nine men were instantaneously killed; eleven others are named as more or less severely burnt or injured; and many others are reported to have been more slightly hurt.

1851. 1852.

19

. 372

355

22

63

Servants injured from ditto

40

17

20

64

27

53

21

61

1852.

December

6,890

7,336