The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-09-14 00:00:00

larklite..lNE IN WS WEST INDIES.

:'From the St. Thomas's Tittles of Aug. 3.
TM: LaTY Daut.---The arrival of the mail-beat yesterday
bas put tb in possession Mout tiles of papers to a late date from th,,
Windward blends. The gale of the 2fith sppears to have been
' severely felt at St. Kitt's, fit. Martin'a. Dominica, and Martinique,
but.of all the islands Guadeloupe appear. to have been the greatear
sufferer, and the dreadful havoc committed there is detailed in tit,
following extract of a letter from Basseterre, dated the ilth of July,
with which we have been favoured :
"A dreadful calamity has just fallen over out unfortunate
town and the greatest part of the colony. A hurricane more dread..
ful than any mentioned in the annals of this island, has, in a ft,
hours, changed Basseterre Into a heap of ruins. On the 2fitli of
this month, about nine o'clock in the morning, the most siniatee
warnings announced the approach of the desolating misfortune.
The barometer tell several lines below the degree of storm, the
wind blowing by squalls and whirlwinds; the overflow of the Grass
river, whose waters rose several feet above the parapet of the bridge,
poured in torrents into the streets-4 furious tide and earthquakes
—the falling of the !moan of the inhabitants and of the public
bhildings—the largest trees rooted out—presented the mostterriLle
sight, and which I- cannot think of without shuddering.
" The country has equally suffered ; the houses, works, the
trees--all are destroyed. Our unfortunate town and its vicinity (a
few days ago so flourishing) presents now only a vast ruin. A mul.
titude of people have been crushed by the falling of the houses, or
carried away by the river. We are now about clearing away the
rubbish, from which one hundred and fifty dead bodies have already
been taken nut, and among them some of the most notable peopl:
of the island. In Basseterre more than 500 houses have been UV.
roofed or entirely destroyed, and those remaining have suffered more
or less.

" The Government House, the Palace of Justice, the RWlter„
office, the Records, the Gaol, the beautiful Hospital of St. Louis,
the new Barracks, and the King's Stores, arc entirely destroyed or
materially damaged ; a pan of the walls of Fort Richepanse are
thrown down, &c.

'• Goverutlient immediately issued orders to open the harbours
of the colony."

EITDACTS Or PRIVATE LETTERS.

ST. Tito waS'S, AUG. 4.
There has been very severe weather between the 26th and 27th
ult., but we have not suffered much here. A few vessels were
driven on shore, and the wharfs sustained a good deal of injury,
but that was all. At St. Croix they have not been so fortunate, all
the estates there more or less have been injured. The damage to
property in general is estimated to be very great, and the shipping
suffered much. Several vessels with sugar on board have been lost
It is believed that the loss the planters have experienced will retaal
the present, and probably the ensuing crop. The hurricane was
felt .in its greatest fury at Basseterre, Guadeloupe, and was at.
tended there by an earthquake. It is reported that most part of the
buildings on the seashore have been destroyed ; that all the res,
eels are lost there,' and that between four and live hundred persons
.have perished. From Porto Rico we learn that the whole of the
island has suffered incalculable injury. The tine crop of coffee has
disappeared, and all the vessels round the island arc either lost of
on shore; amongst the former are three or four German vessels,
some with and sonic without cargoes. Au immense number of
houses have been destroyed.
The Sir William Congreve, with a full cargo for London, was
totally lost at Porto Rico, during the late gale.
ST. Ckorx, JuLT 29.
The St. Vincent Planter, Paaley, from St. Vincent for Lon,
don, put in here in great distress yesterday, having encountered
the gale to the windward of Nevis ; she was obliged to cut away
her mizenmast, main-topmast, and best bower anchor, with part
of a chain cable. The cargo must be much damaged, as she came
on shore almost on her beam ends.
DOMINICA, JurT 23.
We experienced a heavy gale on the 2tith inst. It commenced
about 7 a.m. at N.W. and continued to blow with increased
lence till about noon, when it began to abate, and the wind came
round to the southward. The Valiant, Martin, which was dis 4
charging bricks in Prince Rupert's, was dismasted and driven on
shore, and almost full of water. The Trial, Harvey, loading in
that bay, for Loudon, was driven on shore, and it is feared will not
be got off. The Sultan, Dalrymple, at anchor in Roseau Roads,
had completed her lading, and was to have sailed that day. She
struck and unshipped her rudder, but it is expected will be rea'y
for sea to-morrow.

ST. KIT2'S, JULT
We had a very heavy gale from the eastward on the 26th inst.
The sloop Pilgrim, with a load of sugar, was driven on shore at
Sandy Point, but has not sustained much damage. The Ever.
thorpe and ritannia lost an anchor and cable each, and the Ever.
thorpe's long boat, with five hogsheads of sugar on board, was lott,
and four of the crew drowned.

MONTSTRRAT, stair n.
' On the 26th inst. a most violent gale of wind at about S.E. was
' experienced here. It commenced at about II a. wt. and continued
' increasing until half-past two, when the Swallow, Daver,h:ll, came
on shore. The Frances, Benson, broke from her anchors and drove
out, and was seen at 11 last night, a long way to the westward.
BAIIDADOES, J LTLY V.
The wind having blown strong during the night, the sleep
1 Beautiful Maid was driven on shore in the Bay ; and the swelling
of the sea still continuing, the American brigantine, Rambler, wai
this morning cast on the reef of rocks at the mouth of the Carenage,
and bilged.