The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-16 00:00:00

EARTHQUAKE IN AMERICA.

The following account of the recent shock of an earth-
quake in the northern part of the State of New York is
from the Northern Journal, published at Pulaski, Jeffer-
son county :

"A most singular occurrence happened in our village and
vicinity on Friday night, or rather Saturday morning last.
The day previous had been clear and mild, and the evening
closed in starry and cloudless. At about 10 o'clock the sky
became overcast, and unusual darkness prevailed, which
continued up to the time of the occurrence, which was
about half-past 2. The phenomenon commenced with a
heavy, distant, and rumbling sound beneath, somewhat like
distant thunder, except that it was more smothered, which
rapidly approached and increased to a climax, and then re-
ceded and died away. The roar as it approached was in.
terrupted by one grand explosion louder than the loudest
thunder, and by a series of reports less loud and less de-
fined, the whole ending with the same heavy rumbling
with which it commenced. The only intelligent description
that can be given of the sound is, that it was terrible and
appalling. Many who were awakened by it from their
sleep pronounced it unearthly. From the first a tremulous
motion was communicated to the earth, causing a rattling
of the windows, which increased with the roar to such an
extent that the buildings were violently shaken, displacing
furniture, rattling dishes, &c. The motion was sufficient
to cause the bell in the church to strike nine or ten times.
The Academy bell rang also, though lower down, and in a
position to be less affected by the vibratory motion of the
earth.

" Some who were standing in their houses at the time of
the shock say that in the height of it it was quite impos-
sible to stand unassisted. In one instance a chimney was
thrown down. In stone and brick buildings the effect was
greater and more threatening. Our villagers were every-
where aroused, and many rushed into the streets, each
supposing that his neighbour's house was being overthrown
by some violent explosion.
'ln other places, in particular directions, the shock and
reports seemed equally or more severe and terrific. Mr.
Calvin Wakefield, a candid man of undoubted veracity,
living some six miles east of this, says that the shock threw
several stones from his cellar wall.

rushed wildly to
fearful in that quarter. Neighbours
meet them, in turn, seeking some
distant neighbours,
to
protection. All concurred in be-
lieving " The whole occurrence was said to have been truly
friendly sympathy or
evil threatened their
, is asked on every hand, to be answered
" ' What was it?
as the conceits of the ques-
some dire impending
in a
`Was it an earthquake. as it a concussion of
tioned.
~, , vire,s it the bursting of some wandering aerolite
the atmosphere, produced, by some wild rushing meteor or
comet.
in our midst ?" Was it—what was it r
ht
nhqoue First,aeskau erdt.
thahe;elntlnhbeoaaiatrsboef
absence
es
is
ca,
clearly
aa
llat hgceaosn. u hand t
ea rre.
destruction.
tl iou thatsA d ways as diverse
~'lv . .
"Nearly all concur in pronouncing it an earthquake—a
or
agof
giveninai
ynnZ;
lighttbsi o n diues tioanfi d eirontflitoahensiha r tso.f;
same facts, however, would go to show there was sufficientnfiTrn:he,
disturbance or change in the atmospherefor dumb
beasts to discover that something unusual was about to oc-
cur. The dogs barked and howled in the streets for soma
time previous, and those confined manifested the greatest
Uneasiness. It is possible, however, that the muttering was
heard by them before it broke out loud enough to awaken
sleepers.
" As for theilirection in which the shock travelled, we
are convinced it was from east to west. We have heard
from different points, from reliable sources, and find that
at Remseu, Trenton, and Holland Patent nothing was ex-
perienced; Turin quite heavy, at Copenhagen quite heavy,
at Watertown slight, at Adams heavy, and, if reports are
correct, heavier than here. From these facts it would
appear evident that the course of the—whatever it was—
was from east to west, or vice versa. The precise time of
the occurrence of the phenomenon was, by Lowville time,
22 minutes to 3 o'clock ; by the time of the Principal of
the Academy, lately adjusted by the Watertown time, a
quarter past 2 o clock.
" Twice before, we are informed, have similar pheno-
mena been observable here, though never anything as
severe as this ; one fifteen years ago. We have also heard
it stated there were two or three slight shocks felt sub-
sequent to the grand shock on Friday night, at
those
in-
tervals of about five minutes. This is affirmed by
living east of this, though not discoverable in the v

DIPLOMATIC SERVICES.—From a return yesterday
issued (obtained by Mr. Oliveria,
M.P.), it appears that
the salaries of persons employed in diplomatic services
amount to 117,9551., and the allowance for house rent
is 9,9001., making 127,8551. a-year. There is, besides,
7,679/. for diplomatic services in Persia.