The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-14 00:00:00

AMERICAN NEWS.

EARTHQUAKE IN HAYTI.
(From the New York Enquirer.)
We gave yesterday, on the report of a Captain of a
vessel just arrived, a brief account of a frightful earth-
quake which has devastated some of the principal towns
on the Island of Hayti. We have since obtained a Port
au Prince paper, from which we translate the particulars
we publish below. To those who have listened to the
glowing description which the refugees from St. Do-
mingo were wont to give of its thriving, happy popula-
tion, its crowded citivs, and abundant cultivation, it is
painful to think of the present position of the once
Queen of the Antilles.—What abolition and les antis des
noirs have left undone, the inscrutable hand of Provi;
deuce would now seem to have almost accomplished.
(From Le Patriote of Port au-Prince, May 11.)

On Saturday, the 7th inst., at 20 minutes past seven in
the evning, we experienced some severe shocks of an
earthquake, whicli put the whole town in commotion.
At mid-day a large meteor was perceived passing to the
east. The heat was excessive, and thick clouds hung
river the neighbouring mountain, going in a direction
from the south-east to the north-east. The seamen who
were in the roads report that they • felt the shock before
they saw the houses shake, which would indicate that
the shock came from the east. Many persons, however;
think they observed that the oscillations -came from the
north and went south.

There were two very decided shocks, the first was
not as long as the second ; the latter was the most viols nt
and fisted about three minutes. All abandened .their
houses, and the streets were filled with the affrightemd
population. But a little more, and Port-au-Prince would
have been the scene of a disaster similar to that of 1770,
a fatal year which occurred to the minds of every one.
There is scarcely a single: brick or stone house which
has not suffered damage, they are all more or less da-
maged. Some, it is said, are scarcely habitable. The
facade of the Senate House, on which is sculptured the
arms of the ilepublic, surmounted by the tree of liberty.
were detached from the edifice and broken into pieces by
the fall. The interior of the building has also received
some damage.
In the night between Saturday and Sundav, two
shocks were again felt, but not so violent as the first,
one at 10 o,eloek and 'the other at 12. At 11 o'clock
in the morning of Sunday came another shock, mass at
church was interrupted, and those officiating at it ran
away and many females tainted.
Monday, at eleven o'clock in the morning, another
shock.

The weather during these three days has had a low-
ering and at times a threatening appearance. Mon :y
evening a little rain with excessive heat before and after-
wank ; night cool. 'Tuesday, a change of weather, re-
turn of the breeze and appearance of rain.
-In the evening at eight o'clock, the weather «as
stormy, and everything seemed to indicate an abundance
of rain.

The hopes we entertained yesterday have not been
realised. On Wednesday we were awoke at ati w
minutes before five in the morning by another earthquake.
During these latter days it appears to us as if the earth
on which we were walking was constantly quaking.
SAINT MAnc.—A letter from this town,. which has
been communicated to us, informs us that there too the
earthquake of Saturday last was felt with the greatest
violence ; many houses have been so much shaken that
they threaten every instant to fall down. On some
plantations in the neighbourhood of the town very great
damage has been done.
GONAIVES, MAY B.—Yesterday afternoon an earth-
quake was felt in this city, which was so violent thi.t
most of the houses in it were thrown down. At the same
time, in consequence of the shock, a fire broke out in the
apothecary's shop of Air. Invernezzes and consumed in a
few moments an entire block. The flames destroyed
everything that came in their way; there was not a drop
of water in the town.
All the houses which have not been burnt down
have been injured by the earthquakes, and this morn-
ing the shoeks occur every quarter of an hour.—
The shops of Madame John Joufferts and Al.-Dupny
• have fallen a prey to the flames. The shops of M.
Richard Dauphin and•M.•Oster, built of stone and brisk
have fallen down. Houses and shops are inaccessible,
and we write these hurried lines in the street. The
whole population has passed the night in the middle or
the streets. Of the' ur,:rchandise, which the merchants
hadbeen obliged to pile up in the public square, a great
part has been stolen. It is impossible at present to eSti-
mate the extent of the loss. The church, the prison, the
national palace, the treasury, the arsenal, and the house
which -was getting ready fur the colonel 'commanding
this district, arc now nothing more 'than a:heap of ruins.

In short,- no: one, has escaped the calatnay. Now,
l'-while we are ,writhigiAlie :fire '.is entirely.
.extinguished,
but the sky looks threatening, and we are afraid of
more ihOcks;--7,-If- 'unfortunately our fears should be
rre:4lli:ell, there, will be an end of the few houses re-
Gonaives will. be no more.
priOipal shock laated about five mi-
-01144 04-AN-Is folloWed, during the. 'night by more than
I Awmity!otAelpkviliTtlh; though not So itiolent,Nyere equally
- " •
afearful
fitisimm eight, (Nock in the morning. Not half an
liotirlaspassed since- we had another violent shock.
',The -inlmber of persons killed and wounded is not yet
71inowin All the prisoners who *ere not buried under
`the thins of the prison, have escaped. God grant that
the. Capital may not have been afflicted with a similar
naisfortune..''
. CAPE HAITI};`, WEDNESDAY, Six O'CLOCK TN THE
EVENING.—Most deplorable news is-spreading through-
out the city. It has been brought by Mr. Obas, son of
the General connuanding the district of Plaisance. In
consequence of tbe earthquake which was felt here on
Saturday evening, Cape Town has entirely disappeared,
and with it two-thirds of the population. The families
which escaped this disaster have 'taken refuge at La
FosSette, where they are without shelter, clothes, or
provisions-
Such is the news circulating in town, and which un-
fortunately is probably too true. It is to be hoped, how -
ever, it will not be confirmed in its full extent.
It it Said that the President of Hayti has given orders
to the phySicians and offieers of health attached to the
hospital, to set off this evening and give their assistance
to the unfortunate victims of this disaster.

The earthquake which proved so disastrous in Hayti
it appears extended to the Island of Porto Rico—as
Captain Brown, of the schooner Franklin, arrived yes-
terday from Mayaguez, reports that on the 7th inst., a
very severe shock of an earthquake was felt there ; fur
two minutes the ground moved dike the waves of the sea,
and the inhabitants fled to the sea-side to take boats
fur the shipping. There was not, however, much da-
mage done.

Captain Gould, of the brig Maria J. Estelle, arrived
last evening from Guayanilla, states that there was a
slight shock of an earthquake felt at that place on the
same day.

TIIE BOUNDARY QUESTION.
(From the Boston Atlas.)

NORTHERN EASTERN BOUNDARY.—MAINE LEGISLA-
TURE.—We have received the folloxing letter from our
obliging correspondent at Hallowell. The proceedings
of the Maine Legislature are deserving of great com-
mendation. We entertain little doubt, now, that the
Boundary Question will be
.speedily and satisfactorily
adjusted. The Board of Commissioners appointed on
the part of the State of Maine are intelligent and judi-
cious men, and we have no doubt they will do all they
can towards a pacific arrangement of the questions sub-
mitted to them :-
- ELECTION OF COMMISSIONERS.

HALLOW ELL, MAY 25.—1 am gratified to announce
to you the fact, that the Report of the Committee, re-
commending the choice of Commissioners to treat with
the General Government upon the North-Eastern Boun-
dary question, and investing them with full powers, has
pr ssed the House of Representatives, in concurrence with
the Senate, with but eleven dissenting votes. This day,
at twelve o'clock, both branches of the Legislature met
in Convention, and selected with great unanimity the,
following gentlemen to act as Commissioners, viz., Hon.
Edward Cavanagh, and Col. John Otis, of he Senate,
Judge Preble of Portland, and Hon. Edward Kent, of
Bangor. The selection is a judicious one, and
,gives
great satisfaction. The gentlemen designated are admi-
rably qualified to discharge the trust confided to them
and while, on the one hand, they will guard the rights
and honour of Maine, they will present no factious -op-
position to an honourable arrangement of the important
question in controversy. The people of this Siate are
anxious that this vexed question should be settled, and
never was a more favourable opportunity than the pre-
sent to accomplish that object.