as injured to such an extent that it had to be
destroyed.

During the fierce gale which, with unparalleled severity, raged in the
Bristol Channel on the night of Thursday, the 10th September, 1903, a
vessel was driven ashore on the Gore Sands. Soon after daybreak a call
was made for the Burnham Lifeboat, but, in consequence of the heavy
seas, the crew was unable to launch her. The coxswain, therefore,
telegraphed for the Watchet Lifeboat to proceed to the rescue. Every
endeavour was made by the Postal Telegraph authorities to expeditiously
transmit the message, but the elements which had operated against the
vessel, had likewise played havoc with the telegraph wires, with the
result that the telegram sustained such delay in transmission as to
retard the launching of the Lifeboat. Fortunately, no serious
consequences followed.

As regards mail communication, the night journey by road from Bristol to
Bath and Chippenham could not be made, owing to the roads being blocked
by fallen trees.

The gale was far reaching in its effects, and carried away parts of
Weston-super-Mare Pier, landed boats on promenade, blew down walls,
chimneys, and laid low hundreds of trees, was especially "a howler," and
disastrous as regards interference with telegraphic communication. Wires
were blown down in all directions, and Bristol suffered greatly. On the
11th, at 11.0 a.m., there was no wire whatever available to South Wales,
and telegrams had to be sent by train. There was no wire available to
Scotland or to the north beyond Birmingham, or to Cork and Jersey.
Several local lines were down, such as Wedmore, Hambrook, Yatton,
Portishead, Wickwar, etc. Delay of 50 minutes occurred to Birmingham,
which office transmitted all work for the north. The delay to London was
40 minutes. Trunk telephone communication was impossible. Every wire was
interrupted, and remained so all day. In the evening there was still no
wire which could be used to Scotland, Cork, or Channel Islands. Cardiff
was reached at 3.0 p.m., on one wire.

CHAPTER XIII.

BRISTOL REJUVENATED.--VISIT OF PRINCE OF WALES IN CONNECTION WITH THE
NEW BRISTOL DOCK.--BRISTOL AND JAMAICAN MAIL SERVICE.--AMERICAN
MAILS.--BRISTOL SHIP LETTER MAILS.--THE REDLAND POST OFFICE.--THE
MEDICAL OFFICER.--BRISTOL TELEGRAPHISTS IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.--LORD
STANLEY.--MR. J. PAUL BUSH.

Bristol "lethargic" was for years the general idea of the place. Bristol
"awakening" followed, and i