The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-06-17 00:00:00

AWFUL DESTRUCTION OF LIFE

TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE IN THE ISLAND OF
ST. DOMINGO.

(From Le Patriote of Port au Prince of 11th May.)
On Saturday, the 7th inst., at twenty minutes past seven,
in the evening, we experienced some severe shocks of an
earthquake, which 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 over the

neighbouring mountains, going in a direction from southeast
to the northeast. 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 os-
cillations 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 violent, and
lasted about three minutes. All abandoned their houses,

and-the streets were filled-with the affrighted 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 oc-
curred 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 damaged.
Some, it is said, are scarcely habitable. The fa(lade of the
Senate House, on which is sculptured the arms of the Re-
public, surmounted by the tree of liberty, were detached
from the edifice and broken into pieces by the fall. The in-
terior of the building has also received some damage.
In the night between Saturday and Sunday, two shocks
were again felt, but not as violent as the first, one at 10
o'clock and the other at 12. At 11 o'clock in the morning
of Sunday came another shock, mass at church was inter-
rupted, and those officiating at it ran away, and many females
fainted.
Monday, at 11 o'clock in the morning, another shock.
The weather during these three days had a lowering and
at times a threatening appearance. Monday evening, a little
rain, with excessive heat before and afterwards ; night cool.
Tuesday, a change of weather, return of the breeze and ap-
pearance of rain.
In the evening at eight o'clock, the weather was stormy
and every thing seemed to indicate an abundance of rain.
The hopes entertained yesterday have not been realised.
On Wednesday we were awoke at a few 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 MARc.—A letter from this town, which has been
communicated to us, informs us thatthere 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 neighbour-
hood of the town very great damage has been done.
GONAIVES, Sth May.—Yesterday afternoon an earthquake
was felt in this city, which was so violent that most of the
houses in it were thrown down. At the same time, in con-
sequence of the shock, a fire broke out in the apothecary's
shop of Mr. Invernezzes, and consumed in a few moments
an entire block. The flames destroyed every think 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 earthquake, and this morning the shocks oc-
cur every quarter of an hour. The shops of Madame John
Joufferts and M. Dupuy have fallen a prey to the flames.
The shops of M. Richard Dauphin and M. Oster, built of
stone and brick, 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 of
the streets. Of the merchandise, which the merchants had
been obliged to pile up in the public square, a great part has
been stolen. It is impossible at present to estimate the ex-
tent of the loss. The church, the prison the national pa-
lace, the treasury, the arsenal, and the house which was get-
ting ready for the colonel commanding this district, are now
nothing more than a heap of ruins.
In short, no one has escaped the calamity. Now, while
we are writing, the fire is entirely extinguished, but the sky
looks threatening, and we are afraid of more shocks. if un-
fortunately our fears should be realized, there will be an end
of the few houses remaining standing, and Gonaives will be
no more.

The first and principal shock lasted about five minutes,
and was followed during the night by more than twenty
others, which though not so violent, were equally fearful.
It is now 8 o'clock in the morning. Not half an hour has
pas-sed since we had another violent shock. The number of
persons killed and wounded is not yet known. All the pri-
soners who were not buried under the ruins have escaped.
God grant that the capital may not have been afflicted with
a similar misfortune.

CAPE HASTEN, Wednesday, 6 o'Clock in the Evening.—
Most deplorable news is spreading throughout the city. It
has been brought by Mr. Obas, son of the general command-
ing the District of Plaisance. In consequence of the earth-
quake which was felt here on Saturday evening Cape town
has entirely disappeared, and with it two-thirds of the po-
pulation. The families which escaped this disaster have
taken refuge at La Fosette, where they are without shelter,
clothes, or provisions.
Such is the news circulating in town, and which unfortu-
nately is probably too true. It is to be hoped, however, it
will not be confirmed in its full extent.
It is said that the President of Hayti has given orders to
the physicians and officers of health attached to the hospital,
to set off this evening and give their assistance to the unfor-
tunate victims of this disaster.
Capt. Morris (of the brig Wm. Nelson, which brings the
account), states in addition, that a few hours previous to his
departure, a courier arrived with information that at Cape
Haytien a fire succeeded the earthquake, destroying the re-
maining houses, the powder magazine, and the remnant of
the inhabitants. St. Nicholas and Port Paix are said to be
in ruins, and in fact all the towns on the north side of the
island. According to a letter in the Journal of Commerce,
but one inhabitant of the Cape, a Mr. Dupuy, was saved, all
the rest being either crushed, or drowned by the sea, which
rose and submerged the city. Fearful, fearful indeed, are
the particulars of this awful visitation.
Cape Hytien, known as The Cape or Cape Francois; on
the north coast, is the capital of the Republic, and formerly
contained some 900 stone and brick houses, with a population
variously estimated at from 10 to 20,000.
It is situated on a Cape, at the edge of a plain between the
sea and the mountains. The plain is exceedingly fertile, and
intersected by broad paved roads, lined with lemon and lime
trees.
It is in lat. 19 46 N. and lon. 72 16 W.