The Sun.
London, England, 1864-11-09 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sir,—l am instructed by the directors to transmit
to you a copy of the letter they received this morn-
ing from the Acting Superintendent of the Com-
pany at Calcutta, containing a report of the terrific
hurricane of the sth ult., and to state that this let-
ter is at your service for publication, if considered
of sufficient public interest.—l am, Sir, your obedi-
ent servant, C. W. HOWELL, Secretary.
Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Com.
pany,Offices,l22,Leadenhall•streot, E.C., Nov. 8.

"Peninsular and Oriental Seam Navigation
Company, Calcutta, Oct. 6.
" Get] tletnen,—You will, no doubt, have received
by telegram a few lines, which will have preFared
you to hear of the terrible disaster which has over-
taken us.

" N hurricane burst upon us yesterday at 10 a.m.,
beginning with rain and squalls from E. to E.S.E ,
and finishing a little to W. of S. From nooa until
4.30 p.m. it raged with appalling violence. The
whole shipping of the port, from Kidderpore.briclge
upwards, with the exception of some few sunk and
stranded on this side, have been driven from their
moorings over to the Howrah side of the river,where
they are huddled together, with masts, yards, and
hulls, locked and crossed in the most indescribable
confusion, and in all this fleet not one single topgala
lent or royal mast or yard had been struck.
" When it came on to blow no time was lost in
securing our ships by carrying extra fastenings to
the shore; but the violence of the wind rendered
this and any other precautionary measures unavail-
ing.
"I cannot pretend to do more now than give you
an outline of what occurred; the reports from the
ships' commanders, and,where necessary, from heads
of departments, will in due time furnish a full nara
rative of all that took place.
" Yesterday evening at sunset the Bengal was on
shore opposite Mr Wooley's house ; I am enabled to
atate that she is nicely bedded in soft mud and per.
fectly upright, shows no symptoms whatever of
having strained, has lost topgallant masts only, and
I have great hopes of getting her off next spring
tides, which will be very high ones.
"Both the Nubia and Nemesis at sunset were safe.
The former had her main and mizen masts blown
clean out of her, and had lost boats, but was other-
wise uninjured in hull or engines. The Nemesis had
been in collision with a large coal ship, but had
escaped with loss of topgallant masts and bowsprit
and some of her boats. This morning, however, the
Hindostan,whose stern moorings had given way, got
foul of her own landing stage, and hung across a
very strong ebb tide, laying over a great deal and
taking in water through her old top sides. About an
hour after I had ordered everything that could be
got out of her to be landed she settled down very
deep in the water, as if sinking, and, in this state
parted from her bow chain, and rolled down on to
tile Nemesis, whom she tore away from her anchors,
and drove on to the Nubia, carrying her also down
the river. A very little way beyond the sheers, the
Hindostan rolled over and went down, and the
Nubia speedily got clear, but the Nemesis fouled a
sailing ship, and hung on shore by the stern and to
the bows of the sailing ship off the King of Oude's
Palace for about two hours, but has been extricated,
and is now coming up under her own steam with
the Nubia in company. I shall add an account of
the damage to both ships if received in time for
today's post. Two things, however, are certain—
the Nubia cannot be sent to Bombay for some time
to come, and the Nemesis can only with the greatest
difficulty be got ready to take the mails of the 9th
inst., starting three or four days later than the
usual time.
" Oa shore the damage inflicted has been incredia
ble. In the Officers' Club, No. 5 Compound, scarcely
a tree is standing; even the noble avenue of maho-
gany trees is ail uprooted. The boatbuilding shed
has stood, but the roof of the coal shed next to that
has been torn off and rolled up, the iron posts
broken in pieces and uprooted. The three large
coal sheds, nearly full, have stood very well, ex.
cept at the south end, where repairs will be require! ;
but of the small experimental shed near the fllg-
stuff, not a vestige remains. The workshops and
adjacent b
compounds,
The adjoininggs are comparatively uninjured.
Nos.l 3 and 4, are fear-
ful scenes of desolation and ruin' ' . not a tree is left
standing, and the houses have very much suffered ;
none of their occupants will have an idea cf comfort
for some time to come. In No. 3 Compound, the
road to the stores and sheers wharf will be for
some days impassable from large fallen timber. All
the river moorings will have to b-a laid down afresh,
and the road along the bank will have to be ro-