The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-06-05
a. OIs,GI44r.
AWFUL EXPLOSION OF THE COMMERCE.
TRADER


TRADER
Lancaster, England March 25.-About ten
minutes before three O'Clock this afternoon the
inhabitants Ofthls town were dreadfui.y alarmed
| by violent tremor of the earth, which extended
| from the southwestern direction TO the norm
ward. The first indication OF this shock, the ef
feet of which we have to detail, was a slight mo
ton of the earth, which increased for about ten
seconds and terminated by a tremendous concuS-
sion which was felt every where, but without the
least perceptbe sound. The termination of
this, which was imagined to be an earthquake,
| struck terror in every direction the aiirig 4ted
inhabitants rushed from their habl' a,ions, and
the hitherto deserted market cross was in an in.
slant thronged by groupes ofalarmed and anxi
Gus men, women and children, who crowd
ed together with that anxiety which the unex
pected calamity might be supposed TO produce
| amongst them. A. the shock passed onward il
increased, and every window, door, chimney
picture, or other suspended OF projecting orna-
mcnt was affected by its surprising power. The
windows flew ont, and the crashing oldooIS with
uncomfortable velocity, advanced the dismay :;
and, as If by one accord, number of persons
rushed in the direction OF the open plains north.
ward of the town In hi, flight a curious Incl
dent occurred, showing the force OF animal in
stnct The four horses of one of the northern
stood fast and uemblcd excessively and one OF
the leaders fell down with every appearance Of
terror; and here and there cats were seen Jump
ing and sprnging away with that extraordma-
" activity which at any other time than this,
would have caused merriment; but now every
countenance sadly expressed the expectation that
within that minute this fair town would be nclu-
ded and overwhelmed in one universal ruin
Just before the shock came to its termination, the
well tower of the castle, which is supposed 10 he
the most ancient part of that fortress, SMayed,
| and was shook IN so violent manner, thai the
easements we're thrown t. the earth. The dan
ger apprehended subsidized with the concussion
but not the fears Of the people; all considered
il as the effect of CONFUSION of nature and that
this was but the preliminary to a more hemen-
dous crash that it was a shock ofan earthquake
GO one doubted, because every thing tended To
confirm that opinion--eycn the very day "a ner.
| yous person said who calculated the CirCum-
stance Of the haziness Of the atmosphere as ON
Inous) Indicated something OF the klnd--the air
was thick and heavy, and the clouds were much
densed in the direction ofthe sea, and were seen
| to present an extreme gloom This however is
| the general appearance of he heavens in this
quarter at tins season, and would not be noticed
| bui for the circumstance TO which We aludc ::
and among the ancient proverbs attached TO the
ME {goody) Lancashire, wi its bonnie keep (cas-
fle) will tumble thro' ye EARTH like the melting
of the sDow-drop - therefore II was supposed the
fuliiment of the prophecy was at hand
| The shock was felt II appears by the accounts
| from the North at Carlisle, where the same OPT
MON as TO its cause was expressed. Near the
Sheep Fields "a range of billy Inoorland) in
! Westmoreland, about % miles from this, the
shock was very violently experienced and the
windows OF Brougham Hall the residence Mir.
Brougham, were shattered; considerable dam
! age was also done at Kendall and Lowther Cas-
tie at MiIthorpe, Bolton-on-thc-Sands, Poulton,
Sknlon. SC &c. The Ulycrstone carriers de-
scribe the shock as very dreadful; the sands
were hurled into the air in heavy showers, and
men and horses were overthrow in several pla-
ces of that dangerous tract of sand, which these
poor people cross daily with peat, turf &c. 10
earn something about rs. I'D. As we have sta
ted, every person for distance of above 100
miles considered this shock of an earthquake,
until bv the arrival OF the Ulverstone-ov Sand
coach on Saturday night, the cause ofthis alarm
ing sensation was correctly stated, aud by a
journey to Peel Castle, about 90 miles from
here, we are now enabled 10 lay before our rea-
ders the calamitous circumstances of II. dog
ger vessel, trading coastwise from the port OF
Lancaster TO Liverpool. called the Commerce,
commanded by Captain Haddock Of Lancaster,
in pursuing its voyage. laden with cloths, was
wnd-bou at Ponton for some days, and only
got out on Wednesday night last, and took in a
bout ten tons Of Gunpowder in bags and barrels
at Blactborough Mills.
The shIp proceeded on her voyage, heavily Ia
den, and was oil Peel Castle, on the Lancashire
coast, when the accident happened. The YES
sci sat deeply in the water and made but indlt-
ieren, way, whea Slorily after two o'clock in the