The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-01-05 00:00:00

ITALY.
THE EARTHQUAKE.

The catastrophe in the South of Italy seems even by
the accounts we have as yet received to have been of a
very fatal character. The popular estimate places the
lam of human life at about 20,000 persons—the Govern.
inent computes it at a lesser estimate. The immediate
destruction of human life, however, will constitute in
the long run but a slender portion of the suffering con-
sequent upon this great calamity. Towns and villages
are destroyed or half destroyed in every direction. The
daily labour of the population is paralysed, and even in
those fertile regions the great masses of the population
only exist by hard and daily exertions. The most
ruinous violence of the earthquake seem' to have spent
itaelf mainly upon two provinees, but in a lesser degree
the area of it. action was far more extensive. Some
idea of its violence may be formed from the brief notes
of intelligent* which have as yet reached us. In Polls
there was so great a loss of life that 300 bodies have
been already dug out of therein., and the ruins have not
yet been fully explored. In Caste'Rano, which has been
levelled with the ground, 400 persons have perished.
In Lagonegro the Inhabitants had timely warning, and
made good their escape, but the town experienced three
shocks in seven hours. Almost all the buildings, inclusive
of the church and the telegraph station, were cracked.
Nothing was solid enough to rest the action of the mighty
eubterraneen agencies at work. At Potenza, the capital of
Basilicata, which is • town of 12,000 inhabitants, not
a single house is left fit for human habitation. The
Palace of the Prefecture, the Military and Civil Hos-
pital, the &wracks of the Gendarmes and of the
Reserve, the College of Jesuits, the Churches, and es-
pecially the Cathedral, are all rendered useless, and no
one can without danger cross his own doorway. They
were continuing to disinter the numerous victime, the
number of whom was unknown. The whole population
who had been in the open air were beginning to take
shelter in wooden barracks, which had been erected for
the purpose." It would be impossible, we are told by
those who have witnessed these terrible scenes, to ex.
aggerate the terror and desolation which universally
prevail. The inliebitants of the distriota which have
been so severely visited know what they have suffered,
but they know not what they may suffer next. All
that could be done at the first outbreak of such dire
calamity seems to have been done or attempted. Beds,
medicine, lint, food, nurses and wood for barracks have
been forwarded with all speed to the scenes of this dis-
aster. In one particular, however, the benevolent
action of the Government has been checked in a man-
ner which can scarcely afford matter for surprise, when
we remember what the character for peculation of the
Neapolitan officials has notoriously been, and how the
Government itself has misappropriated suoh funds.
Orders were issued from Naples that the Communial
Treasuries should be opened for the relief of the suf •
faros, but the money had disappeared. The capital
Reel( does not seem to have actually suffered any disas-
ter. There, aa elsewhere, the action of the subterranean
agencies was felt to such a degree as might have justified
apprehension even in linn and sober minds ; but not very
unnetarally, a terror seems to have seised upon the
inhabitants. They rushed out of their houses as soon
as the awful cry of "The earthquake ! the earthquake!"
was raised, and they Lilt the first shock. For nights
they encamped in the open squares. That hideous
horde of ruffians which may be found in every great
city, but which is only seen when revolution, or pesti-
lence, or when, as here, an earthquake is at work, per-
vaded the streets in all directions, but chiefly directed
their energise upon the Toledo, where the principal and
wealthiest shopkeepers carry on their business. Strange
to say, even in the midst of this agony of apprehension,
the Neapolitans thronged to the lottery-offices, eager to
secure favourable numbers, and muttering all the while
a jangle of invocations to all the saints in the Roman
Calendar, but chiefly to St. Januarius, their chosen pro-
tector. A oorrespondent from Naples informs us that
—" The blood of St. Januarius is said to have been
boiled, and a procession waa thereupon formed, in which
an image was carried." The shocks of the earthquake
were frequent at Naples, although not fAry Intense nor
of any great duration; but yet sufficiently so to inspire
the inhabitants with the belief that the end of all
things was at hand. The result MU that the Neapoli-
tans, as the best thing they could do under circum-
stances, had recourse to the lottery, and to the impos-
ture of St. Januariva's blood. It is not probable that
any actual calamity will fall upon the city, although
Resins, which is close to it, is described as in • continual
state of vibration. Vesuvius acts as • kind of safety.
valve through which the volcanio fire can expend it.
energy, and the mountain has for some time pad been
in • state of activity. This, however, may be accepted
as a favourable sign—it is not from the action, but from
the apparent inaction, of the volcano that the Neapolitan
derives apprehension of forthcoming peril. As might
be supposed, this one engrossing topic of the earthquake
has banished all thought ef minor matters from the
minds of the Neapolitans. A period of public suffering
is a harvest tirue of popularity for a despotic ruler. If
he will but do that which a man must do if he have
not lost all sense of human feeling, he will gain a cer-
tain amount of popularity, and this seems to be the
King of Naples awe just now.

AUSTRIA.
VIIIINA, Neember 24.
that Loyd Milltford de Etedoliffe does
I tO his ret at Constanthople, be-
'aratsot' for selling oft the
tnhas in that sit 7. I not
+mese picked up this piece a aim,
- soon learn from Cosmantinowe
ect His Lordship has made
r the propert7 which he has in
; and persons with whotn be is on

is slaisitimit•
not intend Wr
masa he hale inadt
goods and chattels
know where the V
but they will pro)
that part at it is
arrangement -
the Turkish

1111•Nar. n

irienn. else

moorrect.

respecting
capital; •

the most intimate terms assert that they know nothing
whatever of his plans for the future. It was stated that
the British diplomatist would most with an excellent
reception here, and such has been the case. Yesterday
be was with Count Buol, and at 12 o'clock to-day he was
with the Emperor. As this is the birthday of Her
Majesty the Empress (she is 20 years of it was ex-
pected that Lord Stratford would not have been received
at court until Saturday, but the Emperor was pleased
to make an exception in his favour. To-day sir Hamil-
ton Seymour gives a diplomatic dinner in honour of hb
distinguished colleague, who is lodine with the Emperor
and Empress to-morrow. On the following day lib
Lordship will be the guest of Count %el.

THE EAST. .•
WAINELLER, Dec. 28.—The Malta jonrnals state that
the Porte, before consenting to the cutting of the Sues
Canal, demands the evacueglon Of Perlin. The Shah of
Persia bad invited the various An baaradors to be present
at the coronation of his sod: The English Minister, it
said, hap refueed to attend, making a reaervation in
favour of the rights of another heir to the throne, now
a refugee at Bagdad.
Digo. 31.
_

"The Cydnos has arrived with amounts Tr-o-in -6On-
stantinople to the 23rd. The steamer brings 2,500,C00f.
The reoonoiliation between Redschid Pasha and M.
Thonvenel has given great matisfaetion to the Sultan,
who has Metaled his feelings to that effect to the Pasha.
The °Metal visit of the French Ambassador to the Turk.
ish Minister will take pleas very shortly. Tho divan of
Wallachia has been disonlved, and that of Moldavia Will
very shortly be so. Nabi Emin, the Cireassien thief
who bad been sent to reside at Damascus, haa fled from
that city."

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