short time it
ceased almost as rapidly as it had commenced. Sad was the number of
ships which had foundered. Among those in the Downs was the
"Northumberland," not one of her company having escaped. The "Stirling
Castle" had also gone down, seventy of her men only having got on shore
in their boats or on pieces of the wreck. Of Admiral Beaumont's ship,
one man alone was saved on a piece of wreck, having been tossed about
all night till at length he was cast on shore. The "Mortar" bomb-vessel
had all her company lost. The number of sailors lost on the Goodwin
Sands during that fatal night, and on all parts of the coast, many more
being cast away in those few hours of the gale, amounted to fifteen
hundred and nineteen. Thirteen men-of-war were totally wrecked, besides
many others greatly injured. The newly-erected Eddystone Lighthouse was
also blown down and entirely destroyed, the unfortunate men who had
charge of it losing their lives. Several ships were forced from their
anchors: among them was the "Revenge," which drove over to the coast of
Holland, where she was nearly cast away. Happily, however, sail was got
on her and she arrived safely in the river Medway. Another ship, the
"Dorset," after striking three times, drove a fortnight to sea, where
she was knocking about in an almost helpless state, till she was enabled
to rig jury-masts and thus get safe back to the Nore.

In London the accidents which happened were numerous, and a large amount
of property was destroyed. The gale blew down a multitude of chimneys,
and even whole buildings; lifted the tops of houses, tore up a number of
trees in Saint James's Park, in the Inns of Court, Moorfields, and at
other places, by the roots, and broke off others in the middle. Several
people were killed in their beds, among them Dr Kidder, Bishop of Bath
and Wells, with his wife. A great number of vessels, barges, and boats
were sunk in the river Thames, and the arches of London Bridge were
stopped with the wrecks of them.

On the 12th of December the Queen published a proclamation for a general
fast, which, on Wednesday, 19th January following, was kept with great
strictness. The Order in Council also appeared in the _Gazette_ for an
advance of wages to the families of those officers and seamen who had
perished in the storm, in the same manner as if they had been killed in
battle. The House of Commons also addressed Her Majesty upon this
melancholy occasion,