New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-30
THE EARTHQUAKE AT ST THOMAS.
A SCIENTIFIC ACCOUNT OF THE PHENOMENA
RECEIVED AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-The Secretary Of

WASHINGTON, Dec. 29.-Ihe Secretary OF
State has received the following communication
The undersigned, Otto Frederick Raupach, Dane,
born in the West India Island OF ST. Thomas planter and
estate In SAID island, takes the liberty most sub
mssiyely to lay before your Excelency complete ana
accurate St OF all the shocks and rmbng noises which
followed the dreadful earthquake our island experienced
the 18th OF November last My intention Is not 10 give
your Exceency scientific description OF said catasro
ply but feel that perhaps the learned societies OF your
enlightened country may make use OF such minute Oh,
highly fattered by your acceptance OF T. lnclose mo
list and subscribe myself your E1cellencys most SUB
List of shecks and rumblng sounds which followed the
earthquake the West India Island OF ST Thomas en-
the 18th Of November last:
The 18th Of November was beautiful clear day with
me- blue West lhHla Shy. Inc VIM was cart ~ bo'
but very little OF IT. The ocean was quiet nearly CAM
The sun shOne bright aud warm and the barometer stood
at pa Reauueur, the shade. There not the least
of any kind that foretod this great revolution IN a-
when at just about y o'clock IN the afternoon
there heard the underground rumbhng noise, WEch
immediately followed by terrific earthquake when
seemed 10 come from south by west and pass on 10 tho
north by east The earth seemed as composed OF small
waves rising and sinking under your les 80 that yol
made step forward your foot seemed 10 meet Mgher
higher ground To stand stl in spot impossible,
and when trying to walk il If something kept yOu
back The underground sound while the first shock was
going on, for about minute and a half, was most
dreadful 10 terrified every living soul The sun seemed
TO become DIM it was as II ecpsed and this din
ness lasted that first day until sunset and continued tho
whole OF the next day, but in a smaller degree.
two days more II was as il the sun, though
apparently bright usual had lost OF IT'S warming
the ground kept on groanng and trembling When about
ten minutes after second strong shock was ielt d
reey after this second shock the ocean, which shortly
before the first shock had receded from the land several
hundred feet WIS 10 rise Ike one huge wave, anu
come in toward the harbOT 1t stood like straight
white WALL about from Is 10 20 feet high ana advances
very fast into the haTbO sweeping or upsettng the sna
vessels before IT, and raising the large men-OiW ana
its top. The appearance OF inns wave was
like a white maSOned wall, erect ana straight az II made
after rule; 10 had appearance at all OF wave IN
general II broke in the lower parts OF the town 10
the hight OF couple feet and The extent Of about
$50 feet inland according to the level OF the locality This
wavcsing repeated second time after an interval
OF about minutes, and this seemed 10 be even htto
larger than the and went little further inland After
these two waves had passed away the remained as
far as the eve could see again quite can just before
the first shock of the earthquake.
The shocks continued and were felt every few minutes
II was as the shocks Of the first day hung together
i'm one chan but from o'clock the morning OF the
10th November the shocks felt more separately
aud distinct and therefore, seemed they moro
frequent
From 2:4J o'clock p. the 18th 10 2:45 m. on the
19 there 80 shocks From 245 "a. M on the morn
ing the 10Th till midnight there 23s shocks. The
shocks became less severe from the 2ls ~ November
The writer gives the exact hour OF every one also the
hour OF every mblng noise without perceptble shock
accompanying IL.