The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-09-06 00:00:00

PARTHQUArR. '

(Extract from to letter dated negate, Jena h.)

We are all here in a state of great excitement add
anxiety. Last night was the most awful one I ever,passed.
We were sitting at whist as the decks chimed a quarter to
eleven: at that moment we were all sensible of the slinek
of an eartliqucke, not however violent enough to make ant
extraordinary impression, and we pursued our game.
About two minutes elapsed, when we experienced a most
awful repetition. The walls of the house were dreadfully
agitated, our candles were overturned, chain and tables
thrown from one side of the room to the other—we could
ourselves scarcely maintain our erect positions, and Were
o perfectly paralysed, that we never thofight of get•
flog ont of the houre indeed my own belief Was,
that the house must fall before we could possibly get
out of it, mid that it was therefore useless to move.
The ceiling was coining down upon us in !siege flakes.
and the fall of a large minor at the moment, which
we took to be part of the house, added to the alarm. It
was indeed appalling—never, never shall I forget It. it
passed, having lasted 40 seconds. We then went MU tie
Street, where crowds were on their knees praying most fer-
vently. A general rush was made for the square in 'whirrs
the palace is. There were found thousands collecting and
collected. Women and men just as they had jumped out
of bid, whir the addition of a blanket thrown arottod
them—mothers in the agony of grief and apprehenskes
clasping their children to their bosoms—fathers and bro-
thers endeavouring to provide them with covering—grasps
of females in every direction calling each Others' names to
be assured that all were safe. Dismay and despait were
general. No one would return home, and thousands pawed
the whole night in the square.
Three o'clock, P.M.-1 have just returned from making:
round of the town to observe the extent of damages.
venal houses are thrown entirely down • many are rent
asunder from top to bottom. The Cathedral, a splendid
edifice, has one of its wings rent from the base to ass
tower. Scarcely a house in the city is without injury
mine has every one of its principal walls split in severs)
places—dining-room in ruins—the partition of my bed►
room has fallen in, and had I been in bed I should have
been at least severely bruised. A severe shock has not been
felt here until now since the year 1805. About six years
ago, it is said, there was a slight one; but no injury was
done. It appears miraculous that only three lives have
been lost. Many who are here, and were at Caracas dun
the great earthquake there, say that this shock was mush
more severe • but the houses being better built here, tie
injury has been less.

Half-past Five.—l have ban taking another survey, aoll
was surprised to find that hundreds of families are wadies
beds and bedding into the plain, and erecting booths there
for the night. All fear another shock.
19th, 12 o'clock, noon.—The night bas passed quietly,
and the alarm is subsiding.
. .

A letter received at Washington City, dated Carthagena,
3d of July, states that prope:ty to the amount of half a
million of dollars has been destroyed by the recent earth-
quake at Bogota. The country in the neighbourhood of
Bogota had also suffered by the shock, and the supposition
was that it had extended along the northern range of the
Andes, and that Venezuela bad also suffered.