The National Register.
London, England, 1818-01-11 00:00:00

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HURRICANE IN THE WEST INDIES.

EXTRACT OP A LETTER DATED IT. PIERRE, II ARTINIQUiIt
NOTRMBICR 10.

On the 21st of October, this colony was visited by the roost
furious hurricane ever witnessed tame. The details of this
sad disaster would be equally long as painful. The loss of
nearly 1,000 lives, 2:i.000 hogsheads of sugar of the present
and next crop, incalculable losses in buildings, animals, and
the necessaries of life, have occasioned a general desolation,
independently of the great anxiety caused by 9-10t11 of the
shipping which were in the different ports of the island, be-
ing either wrecked, damaged, or missing. St. Lucie and
Dominica have equally suffered, the tempest reached also St.
Vincent and Grenada. It ravages extended to Cuadaloupe,
as well as to Porto Rico and its neighbourhood, though in a
less degree. The loss experienced by Martinique alone may
be very moderately calculated at 25,000,00 of Trans, exclu-
sively of the shipping, the works and buildings of entire
parishes were razed to the ground. It lasted 26 hours, 12 of
which with such inconceivable fury, as to produce all these
disasters, and to destroy buildings which had withstood all
former hurricanes. It will require many years before the
colony can recover itself from this heavy calamity.
DI:Mule:1 is one of the islands in the direct track of the
late hurricane in the West Indies ; hilt of the damages which
it sustained few particulars hire transpired. A letter from
Barbadoes gives the following details:—
" Barbadoes,

" Accounts have of late reached us from Dm»iniea, whence
every vessel was driven ill sea during the late hurricane, and
move of them had rrtnrned when the Robert mail boat, which
arrived here on suottay -the 2d inst., tuft that island. The
country has' suffered so materially, that unless supplied, a th.
raine is dreaded."—From another letter of the San), date, we
learn, that on the 29th of Oct. the Go•:ernor of Dominica
issued a proclamation, allowing, in cot.sequence of the plan-
tations and provisions having been destroyed by the horri.
cane of the 'lst, the importation into that island, for six
months, in vessels of all nations and descriptions, of flour,
bread, biscuits, rice, beans, pease, oats, corn, meal, live
stock, horses, mules, horned cattle, roots and frnits of all
binds, boards, planks, Ac. The proclamation Emitter per-
mits the exportation of sugar and coffee to the value of tone
third part of the imported cargo, and rum and molasses for
the remainder."

A letter pnblished in the Journal des Debate, contains
an account a the damage. sustained at Martinique by the
hurricane which has tensed such ravages in the West Indies.
It is dated St. Pierre, Oct. 29 :—the following is a summary
of its contents
" All the parishes of' the colony suffered more or less from
the dreadful storm vu the 21st of October. Every where the
provisions of the country were destroyed,. and 411 hopes of a
harvest, w hieh promised to he most abundant, are annihilat-
ed. In some parts of the island the sugar manufactories
were greatly injured ; in others, totally destrityed, the plan-
tations were generally torn up ; eirgroes and rattle perished
in considerable numbers, and every thing presented an image
of desolation. The towns were no less iiijored. The houses
and public buildings of Fort Royal were either wholly
t bled down, or unroofed. The same tool, place at St.
Pierre. in the roads, great disasters happened among the
shipping. Of the three king's ships which were there, two
made sail immediately, and st I otf from the Wand the
other (the Margaretta) was wi card on the coast ; the men
and property were saved. The hull of the vessel alone was
lost. Hitherto there is reason to dope that Guadaloupe has
escaped the hurricane. In miler to mitigate as far as possible
the calamities of this awfill visitation, the Governor genet al
of Martinique, Count de N'aiigi rand, issued a pi oclaination on
the 28th October, openiw,,7 the ports In all vessels, of what-
ever description, twinging articles of food, such as wheat.
barley, &c., and bitch articles as would be necessary for agri-
culture, and for the tcparaticn and daily consumption of the
sugar ulanufactories.
A letter dated the fob November mentions the damages
sustained in the neighbouring islands of St. Lurie, Doinitne3,
Givnada, St. Vincent, St. Thomas, awl Porto Rico. Up to
that period no intelligence had been received of the fate of
thaw vessels which had put to sea at the commencement of
the hurricane.

The following particulars %sere received by the Leeward
Liana Mail which reached town on Thuesday
DOM, It A. Noe. a—Our accounts from the other parts
of the island are now somewhat more consolatory than our
feats had suggested, with respect to the canes and coffee, but
provisious arc every where injured, or totally destroyed;
"'flue schooner Rec., which left St. Thomas on Friday in..
form us, that the following vessels driven out of Nlartinique
bad tint i:, there un the 23d tilt. Jesit', La Bon Henri,
La Heine Ville, and American brig Forums, all dismasteit,
with list and six feet Witter in their holds, most of the men
washed rivet board, mai the hiilla not rendered sea worthy.
"The. French ship Ceres struck on Crab Island, and
to pieces, her crew consisting of firemen, drowned. Ten or
twelve sail eau ou shore at Pert() Rico, by the Masters tins_
sing $l. Thomas, and the erect perished. A small schooner
teas passed keel uppermost; and the Captain of the 800
Henri declares it impossible for any small s coil to live in
such a sea and wind. Both St. Thomas and Polio Rico have
suffered dreadfully limn the effects of the linrricane, and
:natty vessels base been lost on those islands. Its these ac.
counts also, our hopes of the return of the miitoi;iiitate ves•
sets that putt to sea on the _lst from our auchoi age arc con-
siderably di iii ; they may, however, yet be heard of
blither to leeward.
:-er. Ott. 2.3.—We have this day the paitifui
task of recording the destructive edicts of one of those awful
•tsitations of l'uovidence which ate but seldom or partially
expericiteed in this favoured colony, although of frequent re•
Goulette, ist the islands situated to the northward of let timing
this Ileum' ut the year. On Tuesday, at day West:, the ap.
pew-ince of the weather indicated an approach of the calamity
which in the cause of that day eat attended atilt such unit.
chlevotts consequences iu this potty as well us in other parts
of the colony ; the wind at this early hour set in from the
north west, accompanied by a heavy sea, and every other de-
monstration of au approaching storm. During the Imenoon
the gale continued to Mei-ease, and the agitation of the wares
press:Med the mist :Omitting appearative while the resets
In the ha.), were peeseint d, lis the (liner of the storm,
foam quittiug *lieu aneliorogi ,111,1110,11,,, wsee placed i„ it,
/melt I. i 1 the 11101111114
tillindie aft moon, the moral raged with tee.
ti:ett loos sie!etice, accompanied by falls of rain ;
aid several s essets 5%, ie. in consequence, throws on the
batch, blether with theft 4evet al s 'Ruble drogittag boats;

Vie NATIONAL 1110

some of the Utter are totally lost In Ibis bay and along the
leeward coast.
" The vessels which suffered are the schooner Ann and
Eliza, of this port, on shore, but since got elf, with loss of
masts and some other trifling damage; Schooner Relief, of
Bermuda, with a cargo of flour, corn, rice, tobacco, &c. also
on shore, partly damaged, vessel much injured, and not in a
state to be removed ; schooner Alicia, on shore; and sloop
Relief, got off with little damage ; and schooner Good Intent,
of Dernerra, likely to prove a total toss. Besides these, the
schooner Fox, and a small vessel, called the Triumph, were
thrown on shore at Calhaqua : and the sloops Messenger and
Blenheim at Berrie ; hat the three former are now oil; and
have suffered little injury.
" Of the vessels that rode out the gale, the ship Westmore.
land lost her rudder, and two or three droghing vessels cut
away their masts, to cause them to ride more easily. A young
man, named Donald M‘Donald, in the employ of James
Grant, Esq. was unfortunately lost by the upsetting of a boat,
in which lie was going off to the assistance of the sloop Re.
trieve ; and one or two negroes, who accompanied him, were
saved with great difficulty.
" As evening approached the gale gradnally subsided, the
wind becoming more southerly.
" The acconitts front all parts of the country represent the
damage sustained to have been considerable, particularly
among the plaintain walks, great part of which are destroyed
both to windward and leewai il. and the canes iii many places
are much lodged, though we still apprehend upon the vs hole
that the mischief which has befallen this island will prove
little, when compared with what has lieen sidle' ed in those to
the northward, from which we fear the most ilistressinz ac-
counts. Vessels that were at sea daring the gale, and since
come in, represent the tcuipest to have been most severe to
windward of the island, as also throughout the Grenadines in
this Government ; but from Grenada we learn that its efeets
were but partially experienced there, and that no injury of
any COIISCIIIII'IIee was sustained."
The following are from the Barbadoes papers :
"111.tiiii.tuot:s, Excellency Lord Cownber•
mere gave orders for dispatching the Duke of York to St.
Luck, with such articles as could be procured for the imme-
diate relief of the sufferers. . . .

_
" BARBADOES, OCT. 29. On Monday night, between 10
and II o'clock, a violent gale clm:mewed from the west,
which agitated the sea to an alarming degree, by which the
follou ing vessels were cast on shore between Martindale's
watering place and the !vier head :—Sloops Earl Sandwich,
Forrester, Thomas Spencer, and Economy ; schooners, Met-
thew King, Eliza, Lady Nelson, Fly, Hazard, Greyhound ;
Adelphia ; and bath Crown Prince. 11 e understand
however, that several of these vessels will be gotten off and
repaired.
GRENADA Orr. ,26.—0 n the 2i st inst. we were visited
by one of the most tremendous storms ever witnessed by the
oldest inhabitants of this colo4, Many of the houses in
town have been much damaged, and much property has been
destroyed. The effects of this dreadful storm have been
felt in a calamitous degree all over the island. In the negro
houses and gardens luxuriant cane pieces have disappeared,
works and bridges destroyed; and cattle and stock of every
deseriptiou swept, away many persons lies lug lost nearly theLr
all."
Lord Combermere and smite arriveil at St. John's Anti-
gua, on the 16111 of November, in the Antelope, Admiral
Harvey. A slight shock of an earthquake bad been felt
in St. John's about teu o'clock in the night of the 14th of No-
vember.

A few days since, as Mr. W. Wright of Sheffield, seem..
panied by his wife and a young 4.1111 d, was returning home in
a gig, the horse took fright, and ram with such violence against
ltlalin Bridge, about two miles front Sheffield. that they were
all thrown out, when Mrs. W. who was far advanced in preg-
nancy, received so lm injury, that she died shortly after.
The child escaped milintt.
FIRE AT Kvur.E CART I.E.—Early on the morning of Christmas
day a lire was discovered by the houstkeeper, in the state bed-room,
called the Venetian- Chamber, an apartment highly decorated with
the florid Gothic style of architectute. The dames were then nii,ing
along the wainscot on the eastern wall ; she, with great presence of
mind, Hew to the chamber in which slept the Earl of I)elawarre,
instead of Earl Whitworth's; the cause of her selecting Lord
Delawarre was in consequence of her manes being then con-
fined on a bed of sickness. Lord D. immediately erase, summoned
the domestic establishment, and cooly directed them to take steps
methodieally, to counteract the threatened devastation. By this ju-
dicious arrangement that venerable and notigniticent pile was saved
from almost inevimble destruction. A plentiful supply of water
quickly reduced the flames, which did not extend beyond the above
apartment. Greatly to be regretted is a loss of a part of the very
fino Gobelin tapestry • also several pictures, particularly do exqui-
site portrait of I.ady Ilume, daughter of the fourth Earl of Dorset.—
The hanging 4 of the superb state-bed, and other articles, were wired.
The damage to the room does not exceed Yoh What a providential
circumstsnee it was that the family were then resident there! Had not
that been the case, this building, the work of ages, together with all
tli• pictures. st.ttues, vases, and other inestimable antiques, must have
fallen a sacrifice to the devouring clement. We add, with great
vleasure, that the alarm produced no ill ethaa on Lord Whitworth;
bn the contrary, the shock seemed to have re-animated him, Mr he
has been getting daily better ever since. The amiable Duchess of
Dorset conducted herself with thegreatest intrepidity. Great praise
is Due to Lunt Delawarre : also to every ser,ant in the household.—
Atm.
Mr. I. ANCI 14 I. V Ace DEN T,—.011 Friday morning a most me.
lancholy accident occurred at Stamford, at the newly-erected min;-
niticent hotel there,during the time Sir Rob•rt Heron was lodging
in the haus?, accompanied by ,everal of his friends on their canvass.
The party had dined at the hotel on Thursday, laid sat late, so that
some of the servants of the inn were not able to retire to rest till
about half-past two o'clock on Friday morning. At that time Sarah
Holden (a niece of Mrs. Pticst, landlady,) seventeen years old, and
a char-woman, named Mary Hilthins, 50 years of age, took up stairs
a pan of coals from the kitchen grate, and put them into the tire-
plata: of their chamber, for the purpose of warming their feet before
they got into bed. Unfortunately the Hue of the chimney had been
stopped up, and ronstamently the vapour front the hurningsoals
misted Omn"' the chamber. The unfortunate women. exhausted
by a long days labour. sat down by the tire they !:ad provided, and
were soon (as it RAP supposed) overcome by drowsiness. They slept
to wake no more fin when at eight o'clock, Mrs. Priest went up
to the chamber to call them. they were dead, caliwated by the ex-
halation from the coals. The young woman sat in the chair near
the fire-place, her head reclining on her breast : die elder sufferer
lav on the ground : both it is supposed by the medical gentleman
who was immediately called in, bad been dead for several hours.
floe di,tr,.ss occasioned in the inn by this accident can be but faintly,
deseribed. Both the lifeless persons bail been on the previous night
in perfect health and activity, and the younger was perhaps as line a
woman as ever was seen. The other was the wife of Mr. Priest's
head man on "his Ketton farm, and has lett a husband with three
intants. Outof respect to so ntelsneholy a visitation, themovassing
mStratford was suspended, and Sir K. Heron and his friends quit •
tad the town. The Careners inquest. held in the course of the day,
rctutned a ye:AU—Died plumy by suffocation.

JAN 11.

IMPROVEMENTS IN COVENT.GARDEN
THEATRE.
(IPROM THE JOURNAL 07 ACIENCE, Bcc.)
. . .

"The lighting, warming, and ventilation of this theatlive
having attracted considerable attention, we have much
pleasure in being able to tiirnisli our readers with a short ar.
count of the methods by which such important desiderata
have been so perfectly attained.
" During the last season a number of experiments were in.
stitnted by Mr. Harris with a view of introducing gas illumi-
nation : but on account of the beat and smell which it pro-
duced, the plan was postponed until the summer recess ad-
mitted of snore extended trials, which, as we need nut say,
have been perfectly successful.
'• The great central chandelier, containing eight• batswing
burners, is suspended under a funnel which terminates upon
the exterior ofthe building, so that the similar tote burned gas
or any that might escape unburned is effectually carried away.
The intense heat also occasions a considerable current of air,
which rushing upwards, tends materially to the ventilation of
the house; but besides this, ventilatots are placed in many
parts of the building, which communicating with the great
tube of the chandelier, are continually drawing foul air front
the audience part of the house. Su that the gas light chande-
lier not merely illuminates, but is also a powerful agent in the
ventilation of the theatre.

" 'fbe fresh air with which the house is supplied, is admit-
ted at any desired tenweratere,an effect attained by air pipes
and Moves placed at all the entrances, and under the different
corridores of the pit and boxes, while the influx of cold air
from the stage, which is often so annoying to the spectators
upon dry drawing up of the curtain, is prevented by similar
means ; but here in consequence of the danger which might
accrue from stoves, on account of the inflammable nature of
the machinery, the air is chiefly heated by steam, which is sup-
plied from an engine boiler securely placed in a vault near
the stage entrance.
. .

" The gas, which is supplied by the Westminster Company,
is conducted into the theatre by two threc•inch mains of
cast iron, securely cased and defended from accident, and
there are on the stage, proper register cocks, by which the
intensity of the light may be regulated in every part of the
building.
" f n ease of any failure in the supply of gas, very ingenious
means have been devised, by which the house may in a few
minutes be lighted with candles in the usual nay. We under-
stand that Mr. Riddel, M. de Chabanues, and Mr. Symmons,
are the persons whom Mr. Harris has employed in the eaa•
union of these improvements.

On Sundae the 4th inst. between eight and nine o'clock at
night a hackney coach, after setting down a family in Gower-
street, Bedford square, was returning empty along Gower,
place, where there are some new buildings ; when tee coach.
man, and horses were precipitated into one of the cel-
lars. The coach was shattered to pieces, one of the horse*
killed upon the spot, and the coachman and the other horse
escaped with many bruises.
Last week Louisa Robinson, who lived servant at the Star
Hotel, in Shire-lane, Fleet-street, after the family were in
bed, broke open several drawers and boxes, and stole 10 IL
notes, 10 Sovereigns, 2 gold and 1 silver watches, a gold chain,
and several articles of jewellery, plate, &c. to the amount of
2001. with which she decamped, and has not been heard of.
ATTEMPT .tT Salami:—On Thursday week, about eight
o'clock, the inhabitants of the Tower were alarmed by dread-
ful groans proceeding from the Tower ditch, and it was ascer-
tained that a woman was there. By the prompt aseistanee,
however, of the soldiers, and of a poor sweep reading in
Shire-lane, Temple•bar, she was got out and tekeu to at pub-
lic-house in the Tower, where the usual means recomarended
by the Humane Society were resorted to with success, ender
the direction of Dr. Hunter, oh the Tower. The account she
gave of herself was, that her name was Herbert. and that she
had foolishly throws herself from the ramparts into the ditch,
with an intent to destroy herself. It is supposed she is at
times insane.

CAI TtO TO SERI-Atm.—On Aatnrday the 4th inst,
about eight o'clock in morning. a manwho hail formerly been
in the service of a respectable smith and heil-hanger, called
at a house in the neizlibourhood of Trinity...quare, a here he
had been occasionally employed, and was admitted by the
servant, supposed that as the luck of the parlouroloor required
repair he had been sent to do the job ; when he contrived
during her absence, to steal a great coat, a hat, and two silver
spoons, with which he escaped. His MUM: is known, and
measures have been taken fur his discovery and apprehen-
sion.

DR EA OFCL EFFECTS 01, GCISPOWDER.—The following
circumstance is made piiiiiie as a caution to those persona
who are in the habit of selling gunpowder to children, the
practice of which justly deserves reprobation, settine aside
the illegality ui it, as a consult table penalty is thereby In-
curred. On Tuesday afternoon last a son of Mr. Richard
Hunt of Mousey, about eight yews of age, with some other
children, purchased sonic gunpowper at the shop of Mr. W.
Webb, and some of the family furnishing them with fire, they
(children like) retired so the back part of the premises to
amuse themselves; when the above-mentioned child kneeled
down to blow the powder, and it unfortunately exploded ie.
his face. He now lies a shocking spectacle to behold, being
dreadfully scorched from his chin to his eyebrows and tore.
head ; hopes are however indulged that he will not entirely
lose his eye sight, which is some consolation to his distressed
parents.
. . _

On Sunday the 4th inst. at Captain Coeksedge's near Bury,
a couple of woodcocks were shot by George 'Wive, Esq. of
Roughain, at one discharge of a single barrel.
Kt DNAPPERS.—A few days ago Daniel and Sarah Sulivan, the
children of a poor man residing in Bed Lion-alley, Cow-cross, the
girl about nine and the boy about seven years of age, were enticed
away by a woman, who was seen purchasing apples for them in
Smithfield, and who took them down Barbican. The poor children's
parents have made every inquiry in vain for them ; and although
a reward has been offered by the parish, they have not yet been
heard of.
The body of Mr. D. the gentle:ram who has been sometime miss:
ing from the Isle of Thanet, has at leAgth been leund in the Thames,
at Putney, at which place a Coroner's inquest was held on Wed-
nesday last. The .lure, after a most attentive and laborious
investigation, were completely satisfied that Mr. D. was drowned ac-
cidentally. It appears that the bridge is on the Putney side very
badly lighted, and there is a regular descent from the street to the
river, NI that a pencil mat with the place could scarcely fail
of stepping into the wat..r, nutted of going upon the bridge. Tie
,trie.g fight reflected from the Fulham side only makes the place t tc
more Idangerous, a, it Lzales without illuminating the oppo rte
shore. The jury gave notice to the high AA:table, that unless so tie
weans were taken to preve.ht a recurrence of such accidents, le,pl
mcatugcs would be re onkel to again. t the bridge cenirunh

I