The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-21 00:00:00

EARTHQUAKE IN THE WEST
INDIES.

Ou the 29 h of August an earthquake was felt in
several of the West Indian islands, including St. Vin-
cent's, Grenada, Trinidad, and British Guiana. The
Trinidad paper says 3
" We would record the occurrence of one of the se-
verest earthquakes which we have ever experienced,
and, we believe, that has been felt in Trinidad since that
of 1825. About ten minutes past three o'clock in the
morning we were roused from our sleep by the violent
motion of the house in which we reside, and the loud
noise of the creaking beams. The violence of the shock
continued to increase, and terminated by a long oscilla •
tion of so alarming a nature as to lead us to expect the
immediate destruction of the house, as well as of the
whole town. Had it ended, as has been the case in for-
mer earthquakes, by a sudden jerk, nothing, we are sure,
could have prevented that catastrophe. The motion,
though very violent, was of that kind to which the build-
ings subject to it would, according to the well-known
laws of motion, have accommodated themselves without
being thrown down or disruptured. This renewed in-
stance of a merciful Providence in arresting the
awful convilsion will, we trust, be devoutly and
gratefully acknowledged by every individual in our
community. Our deepest anxiety is now felt on behalf
of our neighbours in the adjacent islands—may
Heaven have been as merciful to them ! There were
local causes sufficient, we apprehend, to have produced
the effect, and, perhaps, to have made our island the
focus of the powerful agency. The highly electrical
state of the atmosphere, the gale, the floods of rain, the
sultry weather of the preceding afternoon, and the spring
tides, may have had their separate and combined influ-
ence in its production. At the time the shock occurred
the sky was cloudless, the full moon shone in all its ef-
fulgence, and the air was cool and pleasant at 72 degrees.
It was one of the most brilliant of those nights with
which the tropics are so freely favoured. When we
looked out Venus had just risen like a blazing meteor,
and added greatly to the calm grandeur of the scene.
There was nothing at the moment to indicate the awful
visitation that had just been realised. As might be ex-
pected, the inhabitants of Port of Spain were generally
roused, and many persons were out making inquiries
after the safety of their friends and relatives. We have
not yet heard whether any damage has been sustained
by any buildings in Port of Spain."
And a British Guiana journal thus speaks of the oc-
currence:— . . _

" A strong westerly or land wind, transmitting the most
unpleasant sensations through the bones of the invalid,
prevailed until about sunset. After dark a vehement tem
pest of thunder and lightning came on. Every other mi-
nute the horizon was one blaze of blue light, of intense
brilliancy, which cast an unearthly aspect over the belated
wayfarers in the streets, anxious to gain the shelter
of the humblest home. Calms succeeded, separated from
each other by light, variable, and warm gusts of wind.
After the moon had risen, the squalid face of nature in-
dicated a distempered condition. The luxuriant boughs
of our intertropical trees drooped heavily. Had the
brute creation been awake, it was just such a season as
would have overwhelmed them with instinc-
tive dread of some unknown calamity near at hand. In
different parts of the town some watch dogs howled
mournfully. This is no overwrought description. We
detail what multitudes witnessed, who were unable to
enjoy their wonted repose during those hours of antici-
pated horror. About half-past three o'clock in the morn-
ing the earthquake occurred.
" A curious effect observable was that produced on
water set aside for domestic uses. Vats and tubs, in-
sufficiently covered over, lost so much by what was
spilled from the top during the vibrations, as to be nearly
emptied of their contents.
"This earthquake, as was to have been anticipated,
was felt with the most severity at the penal settlement,
the site of which is rocky. The concussion of the
buildings themselves and the heavy iron fastenings of
their doors and gates created a tremendous uproar, high
above which, however, rose the screams and bellowings
of the prisoners, praying to be released. One of them,
an obdurate ruffian, told the guard who opened his cell
as the day dawned, that he had never before known that
there was a God Almighty. While the fit of terror
lasted, an infant might have led him."

NOVEL MODE OF SMUGGLING.—On Saturday after-
noon, a seaman from on board the Berkshire, a ship re-
cently arrived in the St. Katherine's Dock, presented
himself at the gate for the purpose of being passed out
with his luggage and bedding, and though it is not usual
to inspect very minutely such articles the gate-keeper was
induced to examine the bed rather closely, when he
found very neatly stowed away in various parts, a large
quantity of nutmegs, tea, and other articles, besides a
very pretty workbox of Indian manufacture. The man
was immediately taken into custody on a charge of smug-
gling, as they were evidently concealed with the inten-
tion of defrauding the revenue.
METROPOLITAN DRAPERS' ASSOCIATION.—EARLY
CLOSING OF SuoPs.—A public meeting of the Chelsea
branch of this association was held in the Temperance
llall, Exeter-street, Sloane-street, on Friday evening,
the 18th. Mr. Lilwall was called upon to preside, and
. . . .

stated that the object for which they 'Met was to induce
the assistants in other trades to form similar associations.

Mr. Cooper, the district secretary, then read the report,
from which it appeared that, though one of the smallest,
this was the most flourishing district in the metropolis,
and, owing to the active exertions of the committee,
evening trade was very much diminished. Mr. St. Clair,
a member of the central committee, moved the adop-

tion of the report. In doing so he observed, that to
abridge the hours of business was not, as some imagined,
the sole object of the association ; but they had an
ulterior object in view, towards which this was but the
stepping-stone. This object was to elevate the character
of trade, and to improve the moral and intellectual wel-
fare of the shopman, to do which it was absolutely ne-
cessary to secure a portion of time from the demands of
business. The cause was daily growing in strength,
public opinion was decidedly in favour of the movement;
none opposed it on principle, but all were glad to wit-
ness the success attending the exertions of the committee.
—(Loud cheers.) In carrying out these measures, the,
committee had avoided all constraint towards employers;
they had ever used a mild, persuasive tone, and to this
might their success be attributed. There were three
ways in which the assistant might support the com-
mittee :—First, by pecuniary contributions ; secondly,
personal exertions ; and, thirdly, by acting uprightly to
their employers. In conclusion, he remarked, that if
only one hour each day was obtained by the exertions
of this association, it would amount to 300 hours per
year, or one year of ten hours per day in every twelve
years. Mr. Greenfield seconded the adoption of the re-
port, which, being put from the chair, was carried una-
nimously. Resolutions in accordance with the address
were put and agreed to, and the meeting separated.
THE MURDER AT DOVER.—Thomas Clark, the
man for whose apprehension Government has offered a
large reward, for killing a policeman at Dover, was in
Maidstone on Monday week. He then went into the
Queen Anne public-house, the landlord of which (Mr.
Felling) had lived at Canterbury ; and after ordering
some beer, went away without having it, but asked for a
pipe of tobacco, which was given to him. lie was ob-
served to look back several times on leaving the house
for the direction of the Huntsman. The landlord thought
he knew him at the time, but did not recollect, until
after ho had gone some time, that it was the man for
whom the reward had been offered. He then set out in
pursuit of him, and found that he had lit his pipe at the
Artichoke ; and traced him some distance in the direc-
tion of llollingbourne, where he lost all further traces of
him. The following is the description of him given in
the Government bills :—" He is about 27 years of age,
stands about five feet six inches high, stout built, of dark
sallow complexion, dark full eyes, straight strongly
marked eye-brows, dark bushy hair, dark full whiskers
meeting under the chin, and a rouad full face. When
last seen had on a pepper and salt blouse, blue cap with
leather peak, and boot-shoes laced up in front. Is sup-
posed to have changed his dress to a blue jacket and
trousers."

THE LATE FLEET PRlSON.—Tuesday next iS the
last day appointed by the Commissioners of Woods and
Forests for receiving tenders for the purchase of the late
Fleet Prison. Strange things have happened in the
Fleet, and it is now about to pass away to sonic better
purpose, it is hoped, than the confinement of persons for
debt. The present building is sixty years old, having
been built after the destruction of the former prison
by fire in the Gordon riots of 1780, when the mob
was polite enough to send a message of their
intention, and to defer their visit until the fol-
lowing day, on account of the lateness of the hour, which
would not suit the convenience of the prisoners. The Fleet
Prison, it would seem, has been destroyed three times
by fire—once by the followers of Nat Tyler. It is men
tioned as early as the 12th century, and in the 16th and
17th centuries it was used as a place of confinement for
persons who were persecuted by their brethren, for their
religious opinions. It was, consequently, the Star
Chamber Prison, and, on the abolition of the Star Cham-
ber, used exclusively for the confinement of persons for
debt, and for contempt of the Court of Chancery, &c.
In the former prisons great atrocities were committed on
the inmates, and several Parliamentary Committees, in
their reports, described the miseries which had been
endured. It was proved that the warden, in 1690, had
let the place for 1,5001., on the understanding that 2,000
persons were confined, and in order to reimburse the
tenant, great extortion was committed ; and, subse-
quently to that period, persons confined for debt were
ironed. Great alterations have gradually been made in
the law of debtor and creditor. Persons cannot now be
confined for years at the caprice of their creditors, and
if they remain long in prison it is the result of their own
misconduct. Among the prisoners removed to the
Queen's Prison, when the Fleet was closed last year, was
one who had been in custody upwards of thirty years.—
Sunday Times.
IMPORTANT SEIZURE OF ADULTERATING Dit DRUGS
IN A BREWERY BY THE EXCISE.—With theo lastt
i%
p
days a seizure of a most extensive and
cha-
racter has been made by the Excise o
cerjsirtan
ffi in an ale and
porter brewery of considerable standing, but in rather
an obscure district of the metropolis. From information
received, two of the surveying examiners general, and an
officer of Excise, proceeded:to the premises above alluded
to, and upon obtaining admission they. made
a most
diligent search, and the result proved that theirinfor-
mation was perfectly correct, as they found a large
uantity of the ingredients commonly used in the adul-
teration of beer, and which may almost be considered as
a substitute, though a most pernicious one, for both malt
and hops ; viz., Coculus indicus, grains of paradise, li-
quorice, &c. ; the whole numbering six descriptions of
unwholsome drugs, the whole of which were seized, and
samples taken and sealed in the presence of all parties,
besides samples of the beer. This caseLitis probable,
will be defended by counsel, and will heard at the
next sittings of the Court of Commissioners.
The number of sick in the military hospitals of
Algiers is at this moment 2,400. Diarrhcea and dysen-
tery are the prevailing maladies.