Winter in London.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 21 March 1891, Page 2

Winter in London.

From our latest English files we gather further particulars of the wintry weather in London in January. On the 10th of that month there were 70,000 people on_the.ice on the Serpentine, Hyde Park. This is a stream that runs through Kensington Gardens, Hyde, Green, and St James's Parks, thence into the Thames. E xcept through the Parks the water runs under ground. In some parts of the Serpentine the water is 12 feet deep. In St. James's park the whole bottom of the water bed has been concreted and it is only from 4to 5 feet deep. It is reported that the scene in Hyde park in the evening was most hilarious when Chinese lanters of all colours, and designs, and lamps of all kinds and sizes were flickering about in all directions. The ice measured 6£ inches in Hyde park and 7$ inches in St James's park. On the 16th a man drove a tandem team over the ice. The event created quite a sensation. On the 18th the Thames began to be covered with ice floes. At Maidenhead a picturesque spot up the Thames, the ice on the river was in excellent condition and over 500 skaters were enjoying themselves. As an instance of curious effect of the present cold weather on some people, a correspondent mentions that a man was driving ft good trade in January in Fleet-street, by selling penny ices.