3 quarters to 780,232 and 1,143,999 quarters. Potatoes ranged
from 105s. to 110s. per ton, at wholesale prices.

The cold weather covered the ornamental waters with ice, and gave
opportunity for the healthy and exhilarating exercises proper to
the season. Those who ventured before the ice was well formed ran
considerable risks, and many persons were immersed; but the only
disastrous accident occurred on the 20th of January, when four lads
were drowned in St. James's Park. The ice everywhere was crowded with
performers on the slide and the skate, both male and female, and with
innumerable spectators; the long-continued frost also brought forward
many splendidly-equipped sledges. The Thames was encumbered with large
masses of frozen snow or ice, which had formed on lakes and ponds
communicating with it. These masses, in their passage up and down, were
ground together by the tide, and made a loud murmuring noise,
which could be heard at a great distance. At low water these masses
became jammed together, so as to form a rough and dangerous passage from
shore to shore; while the stranded pieces formed miniature icebergs.
Within the limits of the tide the whole mass was in motion; but above
Teddington the river was frozen over, wherever any obstruction occurred
above locks and weirs, and afforded a secure passage. At Richmond there
was nearly three miles of continuous ice transit, and for some
distance above Teddington Lock and Kingston Bridge. All navigation was
necessarily suspended. In the Pool numerous accidents occurred from
ships being swept from their moorings and crushed by the ice, or driven
on shore.

On the night of the 22nd of February a very singular spectacle was got
up on the Serpentine. Late in the evening a fine "brass band," attended
by near a thousand torchbearers, suddenly marched on to the ice on the
ornamental water in Kensington Gardens, and struck up popular airs; as
by a signal, large fires were lighted on the ice, tents were erected,
and barrels of beer were broached. Suddenly, several hundred skaters,
each bearing a lighted lamp at his waist-belt, emerged from the
crowd, and shot under the bridge on to the Serpentine, and commenced
quadrilles, polkas, and divers figures; in a few minutes their erratic
motions were illuminated by red, blue, crimson, and green fires, lighted
on the banks, and by rockets and other lights. This fantastic and
beautiful exhibition was repeated on another evening.

The