Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-11-15
EARTHQUAKE AT LISBON, 1855.

From an article on Portugal in Black
woods Magazine, which comprises short
biographical sketch of the celebrated Mar
qus of Pombal, we quote IA description of
the great earthquake at Lisbon which took
place. ii may be remembered, during the
administration of that enlightened statesman:
On the morning of All Saints day, the
Is, of November, 1855, Lisbon was torn up
from the foundations by the most terrible
earthquakes on European record. As it was
n high festival, the population were crowding
10 the churches, which were lighted up in
honor of the day. About a quarter before
ten, the first shock was felt, whicl, lasted the
extraordinary length ofsx or seven minutes
after which the shock was renewed. lasting
about three minutes. The conclusions were
so violent in both instances that nearly all
the solid buildings were dashed to ground,
and the principal part Of the city almost
wholly ruined. The terror of the popula-
ton, rushing through the fallen streets, gath
cred in the churches, or attempting to escape
into the fields, may be imagined but the
whole scene of horror, death, and ruin ex-
ceeds all description. The ground split into
chasms. into which they plunged in their
fright. Crowds fled to the water, bu, the
Tagus, agiaied like the land, suddenly ros,
to an extraordinary height, burst upon the
land, and swept away all within its reach. -
1t is said to have risen to the height Of five
and twenty or thirty feet above its usual lev
81, and to have sunk again as much below it,
/ And this phenomenon occurred four times.
The despatch from the British Consul sta
ted that the especial force of the earthquake
seemed to be directly under the city; for
while Lisbon was lifted from the ground, as
if by the explosion OF IA eunpowder mine, tht
damage either above or below was no, so
considerable. One of the principal quays t.
which it is said that many people had crowd.
ed for safety, was plunged under the Tagus
and totally disappeared. Ships were carried
down by the shock on the river dashed to
pieces against each other, or flung upon the
shore.
To complete the catastrophe fires broke
out in the ruins, which spread over the face
of the city, burned for five or SIX days, and
reduced all the goods and property Of the
people to ashes. For forty days the shocks
continued with more or less violence, but
they had nothing left to destroy. The peo-
pie were thus kept in constant state of al
arm, and forced to encamp in the omen fields,
though it was now winter. The Royal fam
| ily were encamped IN the gardens Of the
palace; and as if all the elements of society
had been shaken together. Lisbon and its
vicinity became the place of gathering for
bandui from all quarters of the kingdom.
A number of Spanish deseriers made their
way to the city, and robberies and murders
of the most desperate kind were constantly
perpetrated.
During this awful period, the whole weight
of the government fell upon the shoulders of
the Minister; and he bore il well. He adop-
ted the most active measures for provision
ing the city, and for REFRESHING plumber and
violence. 1t was estimated that the loss Of
property would amount to Ct 100000 and
that no less than eighty thousand lives we're
lost. Some conception of the native NOR
tality may be formed from that the English,
of the comparatively small numbers of whom
resident at that time in Lisbon, no less than
twenty-eight men and fifty women were
among The sufferers. The Royal Family
were at the palace of Bclem when the ire
mendous calamity occurred. Pombal IN.
stanty FASTENED there. lie found every one
in CONSERVATION. 'What is to be DONE ex-
claimed the King, as he entered, to meet
this infection of divine Justice 2 The calm
and resolne answer of Pombal was Bury
the dead, and feed the living This sem
teace is still recorded with honor in the menu
DRY of Portugal.'-N Y. Sun.