The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-18 00:00:00

ARRIVALS THIS WERX.

Wheat. Barley. Malt. Oats. Flour.
English and Scotch. 360 770 2,690 720
Irish
Foreign 13,310 1,010 - 34480 470 ale
Maize, 3,130 qrs. 8,980 brls
, COMPARATIVE QUANTITIES AND TD.ICES OF GRAIN.

For the week ending Dee. i For tho corresponding week
14, 1867. last year.
Qrs. Aver. 1 Qrs. Aver.
Wheat 60,756-67s 3d , Wheat 71,022-60s 3d
Barley 88,470-10 s &l , Barley 72,583-45s 7d
Orts 11,382-25 s 5d , Oats

WEST INDIA MAIL.

The following appeared in our latest edition of yester-
day:--

PLYMOUTII, Dec. 17.
The Royal Mail Steam Packet Company's ship
La Plata, from the West Indies, arrived here at
10.30 a.m. to-day, with 71 passengers, including
Lady Herbert, of Lea ; $851,000 in specie, inclu-
ding $306,035 in gold bullion, $37,151 in gold coin,
$323,771 in silver bullion, $176,257 in silver coin.
Jewelry, value $3,500, pearls, $5,200, 169 Berens
of indigo, 303 cases of cigars, 102 bales of tobacco,
162 bales sarsaparilla, 29 casks of lime juice, 20 live
turtle, 191 bales of bark, 168 bales of indiarubbcr,
and 107 packages of sundries.

She has. lost au anchor and will be detained
until about three p.m. to day to procure another.
She passed the Tasmanian with the outward mail
of the 18th Nov. off St. Thomas on the 2d hut.
Pratique has been allowed.
The La Plata brings full particulars of the earth-
quakes that have occurred at St. Thomas and the
neighbourhood since the 18th November, and also
of the volcanic eruption near that place. The St.
Thomas acting- cmisul reports under date Saturday
afternoon Nov. 30:7-The last mail conveyed parti-
culars of a terrific hurricaue, which had devastated
our island on the 29th ultimo. I have now to advise
a more sad calamity, which has no parallel in the
annals of St. Thomas. On the afternoon of
the 18th instant, about three p.m., a very severe
earthquake was experienced here, followed in
about five minutes by another shock not quite so
violent in strength and duration, but which, com-
bined, destroyed a number of houses, and cracked
nearly every building in the business part of the
town. Many are so badly damaged as to render
them unsafe, and already the Government have
ordered several to be pulled down. Shortly atter
the earthquakes a fearful sea wave rolled in upon
us, appearing suddenly from the ocean like a wall,
and at one moment it was feared that the island
would be swept. Fortunately the sea broke upon
the outer bays of the island, and when
it came into the harbour only the lower
part of the town was under water, flood-
ing the stores which ' arc built near the shore,
and doing considerable damage. Many had from
four to five feet of water in them, and our main
street filled with water had the appearance of a
canal with boats and other articles floating in it.
Several people were drowned and the shipping in
the port sustained some damage. The sea rose
over 14 feet perpendicularly above its usual level,
and alarmed everyone.
The Liverpooland West India Company's wharves
a costly iron structure, which weathered the hurri-
cane, was totally demolished.
It was supposed that the sea wave was caused by
a submarine eruption about two miles outside of
the harbour. From the 18th inst. to the present
moment there have been at intervals a succession
of severe earthquake shocks, from twenty to
thirty daily, but they are gradually becoming
fewer and less violent, which makes me hope they
will soon cease. The oscillations have been, and
are, from south to north. The bulk of the inha-
bitants deserted their houses, and for safety fled to
the hills, living under tents for several days. It is
hoped that confidence may soon be restored, as
every one has been unnerved, and business bas
been entirely suspended. With even the shocks in
the last 24 hours the buildings rock to and fro,
endangering life. The destruction to property here
has been awful, and the scene we have passed
through can never be forgotten.
The disaster has not been confined to this island,
having extended in a lesser degree to Porto Rico,
Viequis, St. Croing, Tortola, and other adjacent
islands. The misfortunes have been so great that
many merchants have resolved on liquidating and
leaving for a more favoured place.
The La Plata had a narrow escape. She was
lying at Water Island, three miles from St. Thomas,
when at 2.45 a.m. of Nov. 18 a severe shock of au
earthquake took place. Captain Revell states that
the shock had not long subsided when the water
began to recede from the shores and bays, and re-
turned in about ten minutes in an enormous sea,
over 20 feet in height, which, with resistless fury,
threaten to overwhelm the ship. Fortunately where
she was lying the sea was broken by the porpoise
rocks before it reached her, but it stove in her star-
board bulwarks, carried away her boats, davits,
and coal hulks, from. alongside, and caused
the ship to swing round several times about 250
degrees. After the earthquake a strong sulphurous
smell pervaded the ship. Cries of " Fire," and "the
ship is smoking" were raised by the terror-strickeit
negroes on board coaling. Sonic of them succeeded
in attempting to lower a boat, and attempted to
escape in it on shore, but the boat wai stove in anti
all iu her drowned. The passengers were lauded
for safety at Water Island, and sent round to St.
Thotnas.s, where the La Plata subsequently had to
proceed for repairs and to coal. The negroes there
struck work, and the crew of the La Plata had to
coal her. A complimentary address has since been
preenented to Captain Revell by the passengers for
his conduct, and that of his crew, under the trying
circumstances they were placed in.

THE VICTORIA CROSS.

(From the London Gazette of last evening.)

WAR OFFICE, Dec. 17, 1867.

The Queen has been graciously pleased to signify
her intention to confer the decoration of the Victorie
Cross on the undermentioned officer and private
soldiers of her Majesty's Army, whose claims for
the same have been submitted for her 11Iajesty's
approval, for their gallant conduct at the Little
Andaman Island :

2d Battalion, 24th Regiment—Assistant-Surgeon
Campbell Millis Douglas, M.D. ; Privates Thomas
Murphy, James Cooper, David Bell, and William
Griffiths.

LONDON GAZE E rr.-LAST EVENING.

---.-_,.. A,..---- ---.

WINDSOR CASTLE, DEC. 11.
The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour of
Knighthood ou Major John Paul Thipkins, K.H., Governor
IA the Military Knights of Windsor.
The Queen was this day phased to confer the honour of
Knighthood on Lieutenant-Colonel John Henry Cooke,
Lieutenant of her Majesty's Body Guard of Yeomen of the
Guard.

FOREIGN OFFICE, DEC. 16.
The Queen has been graciously pleased to appoint Sir
Charles Lennox Wyke, K.C.8., to be her Majesty's Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the King of
Denmark. _ _ _

The Queen has boen pleased to approvo of Mr. James
Thomas Molisou as Consul for the island of Ceylon, to re-
side at Colombo, fur his Majt•sty the King of Sweden and
Norway.