The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-07 00:00:00

THIRD

EDITION.

Standard-qffice, Twelve o' Clock

EARTHQUAKE AT ANTIGUA

COPY OF A LETTER FROM LIEUTENANT R. J. FAYRER, R.N

TO HIS EXCELLENCV THE GOVERNOR OF BERMUDA.
" Royal Mail Steam Ship Forth, Feb. 14, 1813,

off Bermuda

" Sir,—l think it expepient you should be in possession of
circumstances that have recenrly occurred, and the intelli-
gence conveyed to you as correctly as possible, as no doubt
there will be vague reports on foot which may tend to alarm
(and perhaps with much reason too), those who have friends
in the West India Islands. An earthquake, I fear of grey
extent, has occurred. On the Sth February, at 10.30, a.m.,
I was sitting at the table with Mr. Comrie, of the Colonial
Bank, at St. Thomas, his private house being on a declivity
half way up the highest part of the town. We were sudden-
ly surprised by a confused sound, very much resembling' the
action of a strong draught of one of the large steamer's flues
with the door shut, attended by a hissing sound. Our first
impulse was to fly to the balcony, from whence there would
have been no escape, or indeed from any part of the premises
had the house fallen. Every thing was on the move, glass
windows in our house, and those in the one above us rattling,
and plaster falling off. The streets immediately under us
presented an extraordinary scene, people rushing out of their
houses, many out of the lower windows, to escape, wringing
their hands and crying in all directions, many fainting.
This lasted full three minutes ; the shock (rather vibration)
came, not perpendicular, but horizontal ; then a perfoct calm.
All business Suspended, and frightened inhabitants hastened
return thanks to Divine Providence, at their respective places
of worship, for their escape from destruction. I cannot say
that, personally, I felt any great alarm, though much
startled at the effect, and from the motion did not con-
ceive that anything serious would occur, nor has there,
beyond much fright. A ball was to have been given that
evening, but was suspended. The ships at anchor in the
harbour felt the shock very plainly, and those who wer
below at the time came on deck to see what was the cause:
A French brig coming to St. Thomas's, off Tortola, felt
the shock so severely he thought the vessel had struck on a

The Spanish man of war corvette Cubana, came in
from the westward, and though close In to the west end of
did ❑ot feel any shock. I regret it is much
to he feared serious calamities may have occurred amongst
the islands to windward. A vessel arrived from St. Kitt's,
the Court-house and Custom-house were fallen, but no men-
tion of any loss of life. On the following day, at eight a.m.,
arrived the Royal Maii Steam-packet Thames, Capt. Philip
Haste, from whom the following particulars were gathered :
" Captain Haste says the Thames was brought up as if on
a reef of rocks, to his own dismay, and the dismay of all on
board, and continued for a short period to jump and kick, as
if beating on rocks. His attention was called by a passenger
exclaiming " Heavens! look at the land,'—all was enveloped
in a cloud of dust, the snock had passed. Many declare the
moment before they saw large houses standing (supposed the
barracks on the ridge), but after the shook no houses were to
be seen, but many soldiers running about the vicinity.
Montserrat continued, as the Thames passed, covered in a
cloud of dust. God only knows the fate of the islands to the
eastward. I sadly fear we are to hear of something dreadful.
The Actwon, Royal Mail Steam Packet, was to have sailed
for England on the day the Forth left St. Thomas's, and it
has been thought expedient to send her up. via St. Kitt's and
Nevis to Antigua, to know the result, and by so doing, carry
home from thence the real state of things. Ehe admiral was
to sail on the Bth instant from Barbadoes for Antigua and
St. Thomas's : no doubt he was at sea.
" I have the honour to be,
!' Your Excellency's obedient servant,

St. Thomas

" R. J. FAYRER, commanding the Forth."

A LATE Houa.—An intoxicated gentleman who was im-
prudently exposing himself to the nrobability of a severe cold
by lying on a turnpike road with the gate open, hearing the
village bells ring for fire, counted " 11, 1.2, 13, 14, 15,"
when he exclaimed, " D—me if it isn't later than ever I
knew it !"