Kenosha tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1855, 1855-05-31
Interesting from Japan.


We have already had intelligence of the
great earthquake which occurred in the is
land of Niphon on the esd of December,
whereby the towns Of Obosaca and Simoda
were destroyed, and Jeddo much injured,
and the Russian Frigate Diana lost. We find
in the Courier du Hare the following de-
tails ef the latter event:
AS we have already informed our read
ers, an earthquake of the most violent kind
has taken place at Japan, and among 9TH
er mls!ortunes has occasioned the loss of tie
Russian frigate Diana The American
steamer Powhattan, which was in the same
vicinity, and which saved many of the ship
wrecked Mariners has prepared an account
of its voyage from Japan TO Shanghai, from
which the NorelliSt of Marseilles, has Dor
rowcd some details of the shipwreck of the
Russian vessel
The frigate which was lost in the midst of
this shocking catastrophe, had on board the
Wee Admiral Putiatin, engaged at the time
incomple,ing the treaty between Russia and
Japan. She was at anchor in the port of ST.
moda. From the moment 0fthe first shock
of earthquake, the sea exhibited such move
ment of eddying and whiring, that in less
than thirty N lnutes the ship pirouetted round
herself more than forty times, swapping and
twisting all the chains holding her. The mo-
ton was so rapid that no one on board could
keep on his legs, and all were seized with
vertigo. When the sea retired, the frigate,
which drew twenty -one feet Of water, was
left in eight feet of water only. On its re-
turn the sea rose to the height Of five faith
oms above its ordinary level, and again re.
urlng 1t left the frigate in less than four feet
OF water, SO that the anchor stocks were Wis
ibe. The agitation of the bottom of the sea
was so great at the time that the Diana, tho
IN only #. water, was borne to a great dis.
lance. The officers believed that the por,
was about to become the mouth of subma.
rlne volcano, ready to engulff them.
When the frigate nextfound herself afloat
1t was perceived that she was filing, and
that the keel and the rudder had been tori
away. and were floating alongside. BY pass
ing sails under the ship they succeeded in
keeping her afioat; and on the next day
the sea having become calm, they brough
the frigate into deeper water. Some shocks
were again felt. but they were not at,
tended by any serious consequence.
After having repaired damages as wei
as they could, and constructed temporary
rudder, the weather being fine again, they
attempted to bring the trigate into 2 bay
less exposed, and where they might NOR,
easily completerep But when they wer,
at distance of seven miles from Simoda, {
tempest blew up. The japanese boats. tc
the number of over hundred, which were
towing the Diana, abandoned her, after hav
ing. however, taken in all her officers and
crew; and shortly after the ship was swal
lowed up in the sea.
1t must be remarked, says the Novelist
that the Diana, which was pursuing the Ma.
pollen HI, was perfectly disposed to disre.
gard the neutrality of the port where the
latter ship was lying, and to capture hei
even In those neutral waters, If she could
The French vessel, however, thanks to the
rapid maneuvres Of hercaptain, Lopez, had
set sail and departed from Simoda twelve
hours before the arrival of the Russian ship
The city of Simoda has been SO overthrown
that hardly one of its streets is distinguish
able.