The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1839-04-03

tboL ghf," xer~ his own words, " the day nj
Judgment had arrived" The first to exPr-
rence the shock, IL is believed, were The
seam-u of the fleet (rrcenily from Mexice)
lyins in the rosdstead. The vessels boun-
ied as if they had struck on reef, whilst
frightful detonaiion reached their care,
and then a simultaneous shrek from the
shore. Within tho city, the earthquake is
represented Us composed of three shocks,
and hs duration to have extended to peri
cd Of from forty TO sixty seconds. The FIRST
two shocks were accompanied by rum
bliRg noise then came vibrating motion,
and opening of the earth next an instan-
taneous thrili-and the work Of destruction
was complete The direction of the shocks
seems to have been transverse. A rush
was mrde for The streets, where almost ev-
cry individual was seized with siupor, struck
bv the falling embefs, blinded by dust, or
choaked by un~holsone efiinvia and it is
not the deluson Of fancy To say that we
ourselves were sensible Of still offensive
smell among the ruins. Various phenom-
ena were remarked, as preceding and fol-
lowing the earthquake-sparks Of fire
thrown up through crevices in the earth, the
"Twen,y, teillions, seven hundred ihou-
sand francs, or more, will be required to re-
build Port Royal, if rebuilt il ever can be !;
ns at present il can only be termed pile Of
rent and pendent masonry. propped up by
beams of wood. dangerous 10 the passer nv.
Its population, previous TO the fatal | lth of
January, was computed at $4,000 souls.
The bulk of the survivors have fed to the
adjoining country, which has also endured
its trials. Those who remain are either
functionaries in public employment, or poor
little means. There cannot be doubt that
the City or Port, owed its destruction to the
alluvial nature of the soil on which il was
erected, since the Fort, situated ON an ad-
joining eminrnce, escaped with . slight fis-
sure ~ one of the barracks. Till more per-
r,anent provision can he made for the ciii-
zens, they are encamped under tents upon
the Savanne, one of those agreeable public
lounges which the French establish il, their
colonies, ns well as in the tnwns of the
mother country, and which must tend so
materially to the amusement and health of
the people. On the same spot divine ser
n
ering, bat it appeared To be attended by few
male des"tees. Every tongue is loud in
praise of the Governor and the heads Of de-
partments, for their incessant zeal courage,
and humanity; and they have heen molly
seconded by the military and seamen of the
fleet, upwards Of 1000 of whom landed to
dig out the sufferers.-But for them, still
greater fatality must have ensusd, for the
native laborers and slaves were either over
come with terror, or refused to give their
services; nay, il is even added that n con-
spiracy existed among the latter to fire the
town on the night of the 10Th aud Ilth I;
and that one incendiary was iakea with
combusible materials for the puposc. He
is supposed To have been crushed under the
willis IF the prison. '.' ,...2
Every high wind or brisk shower os
rain tbreaiehs to complete the annihilation
of Fort Royal. la bearing up on Thurs
day evening for ST. Pierre, under a heavy
breeze, which At one time almost bctoken-
ed n hurricane, we naturally felt for the un-
fortunates, who were again threatened with
u repetition of their calamities but up to
our departure on Saturday, no Intelligence
reached us from this quarter. The inhnb-
itanis do speak Of even fifteen shocks Of
earthquake 10 alarm them since the first,
but doubtless apprehension goes far to u
waken their fears. St. Pierre has likewise
suffered, but not 10 an extent comparable
to the capital From all accounts, there Isl
reason to believe, that the earthquake was
fully as severely felt in our own Island, as
in any of the neighboring ones and if
may be permitted to appeal to natural eau
ses, principal one is to be found in the
Soufriere, which must have acted as
safety valve for the escape Of the imprison-
ed inflamsnable matter, the more especially
MS n strong sulphuric odor wns discernible
throughout the Charib Country some days
previous TO the catastrophe. Rents 10 the
houses, the total demolition Of others, and
key-stones disIo,lged, attest, nevertheless,
the violence of the shock Mt St. Pierre,
which is built of equal soIIdiiy with PORT
Royal. .
Whether our sympathy had been SO
largely drawn upon by this last city, or that
The effects Of the eommotion were less dis
cernible, St. Lucia did not inspire CORES
ponding sentiments. Ye, undoubtedly
there are convincing proofs that the vibera-
tion was OF a severe and alarming nature /;
and several gentlemen, to whose polite at
tentions we were indebted, described il in
glowing aud forcibIe terms. .,...
NEW YORK TOWN ELECTIONS.