DROUGHT IN GREAT BRITAIN

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1641, 20 August 1887, Page 3

DROUG HT IN GREAT BRITAIN

The three kingdom? (aaya the "Home Nowb " of July 1 >t) are paßaing through a peiiod of drought of exceptional Bf verity. To Australians, who are, unfortunate'y, subject to these period Oil viii atione, it may seem a small matter that the Home people nhould suffer from a rainless atmosphere for the ehott period of five weeka which It has las'ed. But, iniffjct. tbe consequences to these islands are more serious than may at first sight be auppoeed. Already there is a posit ye difficulty In many large towns to carry on b tpo of the ordinary occupations of life The E nerald Isle is green only m nime, the countiy is threatened wiih ruined crops, and the cattle aro dying from heat acd wan* of water. In London at present, though there la no actual soarcity of w* ter, the drains o are beginning to assort themeolves, and only a timely and oopioua rainfall will mitigate the evil. The fish are dying by hundreds m the smaller rivets, and the salmon also would suffer, hut by a marvellous instinct they keep out at sea. This year's atmoaphoria conditions, m faot, have bepn qaito out of common, and never have auuaoni baen so inconsistent. January was ushered mby snowstorms, of spring thero was none, only winter m one f Tin and another, and now vre live under a aun giving forth heat of trbplo intensity. ,