FIFTH DAY OF STORM

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 140, 10 December 1929, Page 11

FIFTH DAY OF STORM

FURTHER GALES LIKELY

ROUGH VOYAGES

British Official Wireless. (Received 10th December, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, 9th December.

Tho week-end weather exceeded in. violence any experienced in England since accurate wind-speed records have been, kept. The fifth day of the storm is now taking place, and the wind reaches gale force in gusts, while exceptionally heavy seas are still running round the coasts. The cross-Channel services were resumed this morning, despite high, wind and seas. Official forecasts indicate a likelihood of further gales in the South, with generally wet weather. Over thirty Largo steamers, most of them with two anchors down, have been, sheltering off Deal, and, as already reported, numerous casualties have occurred to shipping. The lifeboats round the coast have been constantly engaged, and tho crews have displayed the utmost heroism in their struggles with mountainous seas. Some of the older members of the crews, although, exhausted by their ordeals, have refused to consider a suggestion that volunteers, plenty of whom were available, should take their places in tho lifeboats. l*iey are responsible for saving numerous lives during the week-end.

The British Royal Mail liner Arlanza, bound for Brazil, rescued the crew of the 5000-ton Italian steamer Casmona in the Bay of Biscay, and the German steamship Hanaa took off the Casmona's captain. The Arlanza lost a boat during the recue operations, but no casualties occurred. The Casmona was abandoned in a sinking condition.

Two naval seamen were washed overboard and drowned while- the destroyer Walpole was proceeding yesterday from Portsmouth to Chatham. The White Star liner Homeric, arriving at Southampton from New York yesterday twenty hours late, reported experiencing one of the roughest crossings she had had. Windows were broken on the promenade deck 60 feet above the waterline by terrific waves.

The steamer Britannic, 2500 tons, is in difficulties off the Pembrokeshire coast, and, although a trawler and tugs are standing by the steamer, they cannot get a man on to the forecastle to inak.6 fast because of the wind and sea.

On land several people have been killed by falling trees and chimneys, and heavy rains have caused a further extension of floods, particularly in the Thames Valley.