Part 40 (2/2)

Feb. 28th. A tremendous hurricane, which for about half-an-hour in the afternoon raged with the greatest fury, the pressure per square foot being 30 lbs. The like not known before for many years. In 1839 it reached only 28 lbs.

Feb. A beautiful silver epergne, of Eastern design, representing a giraffe feeding under a palm tree, presented to the Rev. J. B. Bampton on his leaving Yarmouth for Dover, by the supporters and students of the Yarmouth Government School of Art and Navigation, as a token of esteem.

March 7th. At a Levee at St. James' Palace, Captains S. C. Marsh and W.

J. Foreman; Lieut. A. W. Morant and Dr. Stephenson, of the 1st Norfolk Artillery Volunteers; and Capt. J. H. Orde, Lieut. E. P. Youell, Ensign J. Tomlinson, and Hon. a.s.sistant Surgeon F. Palmer, 2nd Norfolk Rifle Volunteers, were introduced to her Majesty by the Earl of Leicester, Lord Lieutenant of the County.

March 13th. A new fis.h.i.+ng smack, ”Harriett Todd” launched. Mr. Todd lost the smack ”Viper,” and had three others damaged in the gale of the 20th Nov., 1861.

March. The brave crew of the Gorleston Lifeboat ”Ranger” awarded the sum of 233 by the owner of the brig ”Martin Luther,” for a.s.sisting his vessel into Harbour during the hurricanes of Feb. 28th.

March. Pet.i.tion sent to the House of Commons for total abolition of Church rates; also a pet.i.tion to suppress Bribery by a condign punishment upon all guilty of the practice. The latter was signed by 230 electors, and presented to the House on the 24th instant, by J. Mellor, Esq., M.P.

March. Loss of the Yarmouth fis.h.i.+ng smack ”Emerald,” and seven hands, about twenty miles east of the Leman and Owen Sands.

April 6th. Artillery and Rifle Volunteers' first demonstration on the South Denes.

April 10th. Conservative Banquet at the Theatre. The entire pit was boarded over on a level with the stage, where the tables were arranged; and a military band played in the gallery. A marquee was erected on the plain as a reception room.

April 23rd. First stone of the Gorleston Methodist New Connexion Chapel laid. Building cost 250. It was opened July 22nd.

May 17th. The barque ”Caroline” launched, after being repaired at an outlay of 5,000, from Mr. Powell's yard. The band of the Donegal Militia played ”Rule, Britannia” as she glided off the incline.

May 28th. Fearful gale and loss of life at sea; eight vessels-brigs, schooners, and a barge-lost on Scroby and in the c.o.c.kle Gat, with their crews; also 14 fis.h.i.+ng vessels and 156 men and boys, lost off Yarmouth.

The appeal to the town and nation on behalf of 50 widows and 160 orphans left dest.i.tute resulted in the handsome sum of 10,000. Her Majesty and Prince Consort headed the list with 100 each. In a former gale the north-east pinnacle of St. Peter's Church fell over the nave and crashed through the roof into the organ gallery, the organ narrowly escaping.

Damage estimated at 250.

June 5th. G. S. Harcourt, Esq., resigned the Secretarys.h.i.+p of the Sailors' Home owing to ill-health.

June 30th. The Channel Fleet of 13 vessels, under the command of Sir C.

Freemantle, anch.o.r.ed in the Roads, and comprised the ”Royal Albert,” 121 guns; ”Donegal,” 101; ”Edgar,” 91; ”Aboukir,” 91; ”Conqueror,” 101; ”Trafalgar,” 91; ”Centurion,” 91; ”Algiers,” 91; ”Mars,” 80; ”Mersey,”

40; ”Diadem,” 32; also the ”Greyhound” corvette, and ”Locust.”

July 9th. Procession through the town of the Foresters and Members of the Eastern Star Provident a.s.sociation to the Victoria Gardens, where a gala was given.

July 18th. Sir Samuel Morton Peto presented with a superb china dessert service, and an elaborately-worked plateau epergne candelabrum and other plate, value about 2,000, by 300 subscribers, as a token of regard and obligation to him in making the East Suffolk Railway.

July 24th. Prince of Wales' Own Donegal Militia, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Lord Claude E. Hamilton, left Yarmouth for Ireland, after staying twelve months.

Aug. 8th. The Norfolk Militia Artillery arrived at the Southtown Barracks, and were disbanded on the 20th. This regiment was embodied in April, 1859, and in May left for Sheerness, and thence for Woolwich.

Sept. 3rd. First prize compet.i.tion meeting of the Rifle Volunteers held.

Sept. W. Strike, Esq., Collector of Customs, promoted to the Collectors.h.i.+p at Waterford; he was succeeded by W. C. Maclean, Esq., Comptroller at Portsmouth.

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