The Express.
London, England, 1864-11-21 00:00:00

THE BRAZILS.

GREAT STORM AT RIO.

(MOM 001 ows COll/SPOIEDIMMI
RIO, Oct. 24.
On the evening of the 10th inst. this city was
visited by a hurricane and thunderstorm of extra-
ordinary violence. Until now I have looked upon
accounts of hailstones of the size of hen's eggs as
myths, but on this occasion I saw and handled
enough of them to banish my incredulity in this
respect for ever. Every window in the city which
fvfol the S.W. was destroyed, the pants of glass
being taken out as cleanly as if tile work had been
done by the hand of an experienced glazier. Trees
were uprooted, and even houses were blown down,
but the worst of all that happened was the fearful
loss of life in the bay. I am sorry to say
that three officers (non-commissioned) of H.M.S.
Egmont were the first victims. Their boat
was caught in the squall and capsized imme-
diately.
The greatest exertions were made by
the officers and crew of a Brazilian corvette, the
Bahiana, which was anchored near the scene of the
disaster, but they only arrived in time to secure one
of the drowning officers, who was taken still alive on
board of the corvette, and carefully attended to
both by the doctor on board and also by the surgeon'
of his own ship, but all in vain.
Admiral Elliot and his lady were returning from
the Gloria in their launch with a boat's crew of 18
sailors, and were also placed in the most imminent
danger. They could not approach their vessel (the
Bombay), but were fortunately driven aloagaide of
a French merchant ship which had just entered the
harbour, which received them all on board. The
launch, which was full of water and hailstones,
went to the bottom as soon as the last man left it.

The commander of the Bombay and his boat's
crew, who were also returning from the shore, bad, if
possible, a still more narrow escape. Their boat
was upset about half a mile from the fort, and they
saved themselves by clinging to its bottom till
assistance was rendered them. Sergeant Apolli-
nario Joaquini de Almeida and a brave boat's crew
from the fort succeeded in rescuing them, and took
them to the fort, where every kind attention was
afforded them.

IL all nine merchant vessels were capsized at
their anchorage, and many lives were lost. The
captain of the English barque Leighton, and his
wife, had a very narrow escape, being in the cabin
of the vessel at the time. Their son, however, a
fine lad of ,twelve years of age, and some of the
sailors, perished.
The damage done to merchandise in stores and in
the custom-house is immense, and you may form
some idea of the quantity of glass destroyed when
I tell you that the gas company estimate at 20,000
the number at panes required to mend their lamps
alone.

The windows of my own room were blown in,
sashes and all, and on returning to it after the
violence of the storm bad abated, I found the entire
floor covered with hailstones to the depth of two
inches, many of the stones and pieces of rough
ice being larger than hen's eggs, as I have before
said.

The trees in the Rua Direita were as completely
stripped of their leaves as our own oaks are in win-
ter, and the marks left upon their branches were
precisely like those which would be caused by a
volley of rifle balls.
This terrible storm lasted about fifteen minutes,
and the damage which it has done is estimated at
Re. 3,000,000, or about 550,000/. Strangely
enough, it does not seem to bare extended beyond
the city and its suburbs, which is very fortunate, as
if it had been general we should have bad no coffee
crop for the coming year.
It is also strange that the barometer gave no
indications of the coming tempest.
The commander of the Bombay has sent letters
of thanks to the commanding officers of the Brazi-
lian fort and corvette Bahiana for the valuable
assistance afforded to him, and offered a large
pecuniary reward to the boat's crew which saved
his life and the lives of his companions, but this
was becomingly refused ; a few boxes of cigars. were
however accepted by the " Imperial Marinhemos,"
and it is to be hoped that they enjoyed them.
The marriage the Princess Imperial took place
on the 16th inst., and was solemnised with great
formality. The lite d'Eu and his bride left for
Petropolis immediately after the ceremony.

The seizure of the Florida at liabia hie caused
much excitement here.

The Emperor, on the occasion of the marriage of
the Princess, gave letters of emancipation to all
the slaves of which she was the owner.

We are slowly recovering from the effects of the
terrible crisis through which we have passed, and
business in all its branches is becoming more active
every day.
Since the last mail, sales of coffee reach 60,000
bags, of which 24,000 were for the United States:—
superior, 6,500 to 6,600 ; good first, 6,300 to 6,400;
stock, 70,000 bags.
Supplies are becoming more abundant, and the
prospects for the coming crop are very favourable.
Exchange, 26/ to 27d. (arm). Stock, 6 per cent.
at par.