had been a full moon on the 16th, thus causing the spring tides to reach their maximum of the 19th, accelerated in height by the perigee of the moon on the 18th, the first effects of which were felt in the Atlantic and of the Irish and Southwest English coasts. On the 20th the storm and tidal wave were heralded on the S. and S. E. coasts by the backing of the wind to the S. E. and also freshening considerably a circumstance which of itself should have made the fishermen and boatmen more prepared. At midnight the gale arrived at Hastings and rapidly increased in violence until the time of high water, between one and two o'clock. It was neither the first nore last time that the inhabitants were warned to be on their guard when such positions of the sun and moon occurred, and it was neither the first nor the last disaster overtook them in consequence of their unpreparedness. In addition to the losses here enumerated, one of the Hastings fishing boats, in running for Rye harbour, stove in on one side by colliding with the stonework.
A Strong Gale occurred, also on the 23rd of September, which blew of two of the sweeps of Mr. Crisford's "Batchelors Bump" mill at Fairlight Down, but as there were neap tides and the moon not near her perigee, no danger resulted from the action of the sea.
Another Perigeal Tide. On the 13th of October, the full moon was eclipsed, and at her perigee position on the same day. Simultaneously an abnormal tidal wave was experienced in the Atlantic, and two days after, as the spring tide reached its maximum and a great inflow again took place all along the Hastings and St. Leonards shore. Fortunately, the accompanying gale was not so severe as the previous one in August, and the sea-front inhabitants, taught by experience, were more prepared for the intruder; and so, upon the whole, the inconvenience was greater that the damage. To describe it in the briefest of terms, washed round the Customs-house, blockaded Beach Cottages, bombarded Breeds place, gave Caroline place more than was wanted and administered to the South Colonnade and the West Marina an overdose of salt water.
Another Gale swept up Channel four days after the one on the 23rd of September, but as the tides were still low, and non-perigeal, there was no danger to property on land from inroads of the sea; but it drove ashore between Cliff End and Winchelsea, a billy-boy schooner, named John and Mary, of Sunderland, which became a wreck, when the captain's wife and his four children were drowned. It had left Caen the day before with a cargo of stone, and being overtaken by a southerly gale of hurricane strength, it could not keep to sea. Four coastguards under the direction of Lieut. Fermor, exerted themselves mos gallantly and at great personal risk to rescue those on board, but could only save the captain and mate. The drowning of the captain's wife and family was a melancholy scene.
