The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-17 00:00:00

riIIIER.

Kelso l5
Hendon l7
Monmouth . 17
Newmarket let October 22
West Drayton 29
,BER.

Newmarket Houghton 19
Worcester

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10
..

WEST INDIA MAIL.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
rLY3IOUTII, Dec. 17.

The Royal Mail Steam Packet Comrany'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 serons
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 indiarubber,
and 107 packages of sundries.

She has lost an 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 inst.
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-consul reports under date Saturday
afternoon Nov. 30: The last mail conveyed parti-
culars of:a terrific hurricane, 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
earthqu 'ice was experienced here, followed in
about five minutes by another shock not quite so
violent in strength and duratian, 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 after
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 are 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 Liverpool and West India Company's 'wharfs

-----
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 18zh 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
wll 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
I op .d that confidence may soon be restored, as
every one has been unnerved, and business has
been entirely suspetidtd. With even the shocks in
the last 21 hours the buildings rock to and fro,
endangering life. The destruction to property here
has been awful, and the scene we have passed
throu:di can ncv.r be forgotten.
The diiaster has not been confined to this island,
Having extended in a lesser degree to Porto Itico,
Viequis, St. Croing, Tortola, at.d other adjacent
islands. The misfortunes, have been so great that
many merchants have resolved on liquidating and
leaving for a more favoured Owe.
The La Plata ha 1 a narrow escape. She was
lying at Water Isl tud, three miles from St. Thom tv.i,
when at 2.45 a.m. of Nov. 18 a severe shock of au

earthquake took plac... 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, daNits,
and coal hulks, from alongside, and caused
the ship to swing round several times about 250
degrees. After the earthquake a strong sulpunrous
smell pervaded the ship. Cries of " Fire," and "the
ship is smoking" were raised by the terror-stricken
negroes on board coaling. Some of them succeeded
in attempting to lower a boat, and attempted to
escape in it ou shore, bius the boat was stove in and
all in her drowned. The passengers were landda
for safety at Water Island, and sent round to St.
Thomas'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 sincg :been
presented to Captain Raved by the passengers for
his conduct, and that of his crew, under the trying
circumstances they were placed in.