The Sun.
London, England, 1856-10-20 00:00:00

EARTHQUAKE AT MALTA.

MALTA. 15
On Sunday% the 12th of October, at, precisely Xll
minutes before 2 a.m., the islands of Malta and
Gozo were visited by shocks of an earthquake, so
violent in their nature, and so long in their dura-
tion, that the oldest inhabitants do not re-
member ever to have experienced anything so
severe. The first shook made itself perceptible
by a tremulous motion similar to that caused
by the passing of a heavy gun - carriage, a
thousand times repeated, accompanied by a rumb-
ling noise, as it were, of distant thunder,
which rapidly increased in violence, until every
building shook and trembled. Scarcely a minute
had elapsed when a second and still more violent
shock, accompanied by a louder noise, occurred.
The alarm occasioned wasgeneral throughout town
and country. Men, women, and children, of all
classes, suddenly aroused from their slumbers,
issued from every house, some in their night-
dresses, others enveloped in a sheet or blanket,
and others in the first articles of apparel they
could hurriedly catch up, and rushing into the streets
made the best of their way to the squares, the line
walls, and other open spaces, which soon becaamefull
of people who had quitted their dwellings, fearing
to be included in a general destruction. The sentry
at the Treasury left his post and ran to the main
guard, which he turned out, under the impression
that shells were being thrown into the town by au
enemy from some steam fleet. The two shocks,
the interval being so brief as to be incalculable,
lasted fully two minutes. In the city of Valetta
scarcely a building has escaped injury, and all
corner structures have more particularly suffered
from having no support on one side. Among those
most seriously injured are the residences of Mr.
Leonard, the agent for Lloyd's, in Strada Ponente,
corner of Strada Teatro; Mr. Davidson, the Supe-
rintendent of the Peninsularand Oriental Company,
in Strada. Mercanti, corner of Strada Santa Lucia.
Mr. Stevens, solicitor, in Strada Sant' Orsola,
corner of Strada Teatro ; Mr. Schembri, merchant,
in Strada San Cristoforo, corner of Strada Reale ;
Mr. Scerri, agent of the Grain Company, in Strada
Forni, corner of Strada San Cristoforo; Mr. Grant,
President of the Chamber of Commerce, in Strada
San Cristoforo, corner of Strada S;nt' Orsola ;
Messrs. Woodhouse and Co., wino merchants, in
Strada San Cristoforo, corner of Strada. Mantles° ;
Mr. Pullicino' architect, in Strada Sara Paolo
corner of Strada San Cristoforo; Mr. Christian',,
banker, in Strada San _Domenico, corner of Strada
Stretta, and the United States, Netherlands, and
Belgian Consulates.
The steeple of Queen Adelaide's Church, from
its height and tenuity, was naturally an object
likely to be most seriously affected by undulation,
and, in fact, five or six of the courses of stones
from the point of the spire downwards have been
so shaken and wrenched, that probably they will
have to be removed to be properly relaid. The
stone cross and ball which crown the steeple are
thrown out of their perpendicular, the former lean-
ing to the westward and the latter to the eastward ;
while the pomegranate which formed the knob of
the vase on Ponsonby's monument has been thrown
to the ground. Of the Roman Catholic churches
in Valetta those of San Giacomo, St. Orsola, and
St. Domenico appear to have suffered most ; and
many buildings are rent in such a- manner as to
render immediate repairs necessary. From all we
can learn the convulsion was most severely felt
along the north front of the island, the forts on that
coast having been much shaken, while those on
the south seaboard experienced the shocks in a
much slighter degree, and are, we are informed,'
not the least damaged. At Floriana and in each.
of the three . cities, as well as in the harboae,"
the shocks were felt with considerable vigour, and
at Senglea, Cospicua,
and Vittoriosa, many of the
buildings are inured. Persons on board ships in
the port describe the effect of the earthquake, as
felt by them, as of letting-go the ship's boats from
the davits by the run, only
much stronger. The
sea receded two feet and a half. The night had
been without a breath of air, with a sultry sensa-
tion, the sea perfectly calm, and the moon shining
in a clear blue sky with a brightness that seemed
to transform night into day, -it being within 21
hours' of full moon.
At Citta, Vecchia, in the interior of the island,
the shocks must have made themselves felt se-
verely, all the churches, monasteries, nunneries,
and hospital (the church of St. Augustine ex-
cepted) having sustained greater or less damage.
A 2'e Dior or thanksgiving was chanted in
all
the churches, to which. was added the ceremony of
the exposition of the Holy Swiament, and sermons
were delivered to crowded congregations. So im-
pressed were thenatives with the common persuasion
that a repetition of the phenomenon would occur
at the expirations of 24 hours, that few went to
their beds on the following night until after the
clock had struck 2, remaining until then from
sunset on the squares, bastions, and parade grounds,
grain fosse at Floriana, Marina, and other places
more secure than under roof. The motion of the
shocks was by no means uniform. At the out-
break it hove the ground perpendicularly up-
wards and afterwards rolled it from side to side,
appearing to be in the direction of due S.E. and
N.V. Sentries report a great red glare in
the heavens to have preceded the outbreak, and all
the market dogs joined chorus in a yell and howl
for au hour or two previous. The thermometer
stood at about 74, and the barometer at 30.21 ;
there was a slight fall in both shortly after. The

shrieks of the female part of the community were
of the most distressing kind, and those of the in-
mates of the nunnery of Santa Catarina were even
audible on the Piazza San Giorgio, some distance
therefrom.

Had the earthquake lasted other five seconds few
would have been the houses left standing, and the
loss of life would have been most dreadful.

SPORTING NOTES.

NEWMARKET AND WARWICK.

The most remarkable incidents connected with the
Cearewitch were the running of Vengeance and Pole
Star—" Palmer and Cook"—first and second, and the
circumstance of the three favourites obtaining the fors'
most positions. From the style in which the race was
run, I am inclined to believe that Vengeance, Pole Star,
and Malacca will prove the most prominent competitors
for the C.tinbridgashire also; and I shall be fully prepared
to see Vengeance do the double event. His most dame
rous opponent will, I fancy, be Malacca, who ran very
fast for the first mile and a half. No large winners by
the result of the Cesarewitch are reported ; even the
noWe owner of the horse throws in for only an insignia.
cant stake. If Vengeance had been in other hands be
would have indeed been a "hot one" for the ring.
Why, four days before the race 1,000 to 15 might have
been obtained without difficulty about him. His trial
was clumsily managed ; it took place in the broad day'
light—four o'clock on Saturday afternoon—and within
half an hour after it, so vigilant had been the touts, the
result was known not only throughout Newmarket, but
it had been sent to all parts of the kingdom.
I believe I am the only sporting writer that
selected
Vengeance and Pole Star—the first and second horses
—for the Cesarewitch, and I may take some little credit
to myself for being the first to place before the public an
account of Vengeance's trial, and of the confidence which'
in " well-informed quarters," was placed in the horse 0

SUCCESS.
Loyola—the colt by Surplice, out of Latitude--is
a fine racing-like animal, and is worthy the support
which he has received for the Derby. Still, undue ler
portance must not be attached to his Clearwell success,
for he obtained a good start, and Sydney, who Was
second, had his head turned the wrong way when the
flags were dropped. Sydney, however, won the pre°.
dergast easily enough on Friday, and proved that be
really does possess racing merit of a high order.
The minor races were in certain instances characterise,'
by some extraordinary proceedings. For a Ten Scve'
Sweepstakes, T.Y.C., three runners were brought out,
two of them—Shiner and Rohallion—being in the sauce
stable. Odds were laid on Rohallion, and on paper
he certainly looked a " good thing." Now, when the
flag was dropped Rohallion never attempted to start,
and Shiner went away with a good lead, but EardroP
caught him in the cord and beat him on the post. If
foul play was intended, and there are people who enter'
tain strong opinions on this subject, it was most signell,i
frustrated. It is said that the owner of Eardrop hs,
his suspicions excited, and that he gave orders to his
jockey to watch Rohallion, and if he saw anYthill,s
Iva wrong to come right through and, if possible l"
These instructions, it will be seen, were carried out.
The light impost which was placed on gereinf.
for the A. F. Handicap on Thursday was j 5-4
ficiently glaring to induce people to take 6 to
about her as soon as the weights were Pe
fished. She was beaten, it is true ; but the betti°4
varied ao much that the most unfavourable susPicieri°
were excited.
A foreigner remarked to me that racing men in
land seemed always to be going to either Warta
or Newmarket. ' His surprise was natural, ""t
meetings at both places are frequent and at shot
intervals. The programme of the meeting Which
will take place at Warwick to-morrow and Wednesday
promises plenty of sport, and contains the first in3P°r•
tent steeplechase event of the season. 11 be
Should Pole Star run for the Handicap I sbn
induced to let her represent my interest, but should el'
be withdrawn, I shall stand on John Osborne's beet"
Lady Tatton or Yorkshire Grey.
For the Nursery Handicap I faney Gitana and
Little
Cob, and for the Welter Cup, Poodle and Rialto. The
50/. Plate for " mixed" animals nay be won by either
Pope Joan or the Kertch Chief.
Mr. J. Stubbs, of 27, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool,
has announced his intention to bring the Aladdin case
before the Jockey Club, as he is dissatisfied with the
decision given in the matter by the stewards of Mari'
borough and Wolverhampton Races. If Mr. Stubbs ie
the owner of Aladdin, of course no one expected bidto be satisfied with the decision. The case was
investigated, and an impartial verdict was pronounced'
This attempt to open the ease again is most vexatious'
and can only be regarded as a ruse to delay a settle-
ment of bets. The stewards of the Jockey Club will,
opine, either decline to entertain the matter, or will en'
dorse the decision already given.
Oct. 20. A FRESH MAN.

WARWICK RACES.—UONDAY.
ARRlVED.—Yorkshire Grey, Gerona di Vergy, ana
John Peel.
Expected To-day.—Lady Tatton, Lord Alfred,
Sirocco, and several others.
The following have Paid Forfeit for tbeGreatWaradeic
Handicap.—Hungerford, Early Bird, Preston, Maid o',
Darwent, and Aldford.
For the Welter Cup—Hungerford and Preston, 311c1
Pole Star was entered without the owner's authority
Steeplechase—Janus.
Hurdle Race—Warbler.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE—LIVERPOOL GREAT HANDICAr--.
WARWICK HANDICAP.—YOUATT WM. GRAY'S advice for „a
the Cssarewitch was Pole Star and December, sec
and third. Such of my patrons who took the advice to ha-A for places succeeded well. At the motile"„-t
I an writing this, a message has crone to band to say
certain animal is sure to win two of the above races. a
have iaith in the communicatior,, and must recommen
my friends to go in for a stake. Vengeance cannot bes'i
the time the horse accomplished the trial in, therefore__
consider this one horse a positive certainty. Terms •le
To the end of the season, 7s. 6d. ; one week ss. ;
event, 6d. Stamped addressed envelopes require
Address, 15, Charing-cross. Stamps taken. MuDel
invested, and payment guaranteed.