New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-24
ST. THOMAS.
THE LATE EARTHQuAKR.


From ON Special Correspondent
KINGSTON, Dec II, 1857
Intelligence from ST. Thomas is to the 4th of
December Up 70 the I'D Of December no less than 500
shocks Of earthquakes said 20 have been felt at st.
Thomas Most Of the inhabitants slept in tents, the
hsides for about week after the 18th OF November,
during which time repeated slight shocks Of earthquake
were felt but after the first week the people becoming
used them rather less alarmed began TO take
courage and set work to examine the damage estimate
their losses and to the wreck Of their property all
of which, sorry to say are very heavy indeed and
quite the first reports set forth II is true
that the town 10 not all in ruins, many good dwelling
houses remain the hills above the town, little or
nothing the for the earthquakes sui on the level OF
the town the stores are all less dana 2ed and will
ruin many an owner repairs the expenses OF
building as the Government Inspectors nave examined
them and given orders for the removal of all dangerous
wall-work there being scarcely whole roof left
or brick arch which lie not cracked or rent.
On the 3Oth u when the La Plata retnteTed the har-
b0r two very heavy shocks took place, which more
took the revvng courage out OF thousands and at night
many went back TO their wachplaces on the hlsldesi
but Il hoped that the worst over, and that the
muchtried inhabitants OF ST. Thomas may be allowed TO
rest IN safety Many OF the inhabitants pane-strehen
by the late repeated disasters have left the island IN
dr0ghers for neighbOrng settlements Unbomded graft
tqde felt toward the generous ana e9hsSef3t9 PeO
Of Kingston, Jamaica Demerara ana the Windwa in
OF food The Governor sent on 20 sodiers 10 the Ia
Plata the Sunday she arrived las aborers VIII not
terns transfer the 75 packages of provisions from
Jamaica per La Plata, TO the steamer Conway which
pany's superintendent Mr.. Cameron, as lighters could
not he got and there was no store place available
tendent OF St Thomas reached London the night Of
the h ult and extract was published in the papers
day The excitement intense all the king
dom and had scarcely abated when the Tasmania eit on
the 18th u up which time the DourO. with the details
Of the hurricanes not known positively to have
reached Plymouth, although reports were IN CIRCULATION
thai she arrived that morning The news bad sooner
reached NewYork the losses among the shipping by
the hurricane OF the 18th Of October than on started
three wreckng steamers with divers dress. floating ap
4. and they
pumps lifting vessels, recovering cargo from The
steamers Colombian. Rhone and others 1t is quite
had arrived from Turks Island in the schooner Electric
and If busy a OF the hatchways OF the Colombian
covering about 200 packages per day. the salvage on
which Will pay him handsomely.
-Four wreckers are at work IN the harb0r, and the
steamer Darien is mOmently expected with diving ap
paratus from Liverpool Several gentlemen nom King
ston jamaica arrived by the La Plata with considerable
bank credits for the purpose OF purchasing damaged
goods II found suitable for the Jamaica market but We
believe they found 81 IhOmas iOlks not qh oAausteu
and these Specializing gentlemen are sad 10 nave leu
very little money behind them IN TACT they were INN
GeIbtruck al the prices palu Ior WEI goous Inc ~
Thomas people were thought to be mad for giving such
sums for damaged articles, but we suppose there W,s
method N their madness no DOUBT n was Iot He Pue
OF frightening the Kingston purchasers out OF the neld
No careful survey has yet been made OF Little seD% OF a
acent islands since TINS outOuts az 81 IhOnas pul e
end OF Buck Island Is altered In appearance also
Little Saga and there rent IN the iand near the west
ern entrance TO 81 IhOmas harDOf OF apo9t pIett III
depth with width at the waters edge OF 10 ieet INTO
The American frigate Monongahela high and dry a.
St CTOx having been driven by the great sea rollers
The Dock Company's divers at st. Thomas, went down
ana repaired the damages sustained by the American
steamer De Soto The ST. Thomas Dock is found today
little injured by the hurricane and rollers, and add
tOnal divers having arrived out from England, they
have been busily engaged in hanging the pumps ana
valves and confident hopes are entertained by the DOCK
Lancaster found the harbOr too dangerous with sunken
ships she would enter but proceeded To- Jamaica 70
strOyed and many Of the ships lost their papers In the
Consulate The ship book Of the American Consul was
picked up the water somewhere below the Consulate
their ledger picked up on the wharf drr and thsE
Three OF -four vessels at ST. Thomas unable 70 OBJ
tain charters. $1,000. ,....
was blown shore high and dry abreast OF the t0"a
and sold for 500 She again lifted by the earthquakes
and lodged in her natural element uni1Jnred
cannon of pounds calber was blown IRON inc
pOrthoes Of fort and has not yet been discovered
The English Church az 81. Thomas Is so seriously
injured the earthquakes be unsafe 60 enter ana
they are also AFRAID the scotch Church at present
Service Is therefore held in schOOlroOn, during "lCh
on Sunday last the people seriously frightened Dy
a heavy shock, which TOOK pace ABOUT i. H. ~, ,h
The Danish authorities arrested Capt. BaI OF the
steamer Elder, the nth ult, because nc dld not
specially report his arrival from Havana via Jamaica
on the 18th nit that OF the had died between
Havana and Jamaica OF cholera. However, by the
prompt action OF Mr.. Cameron the Company supeHl
tenden the Elder aud Capt BaX we're at once released
and Her Maesty's mails sent on to Demerara
ANOTHER EARTHQUAKE.
The excitement at ST. Thomas caused by the late earth
Onakes still continues. On Teursday, Dec IL, another
heavy shock felt The damage was slight
OUR CONSUL GENERAL ADVISES THE POSTPONE
MENT OF THE PURCHASE OF THE ISLAND.
HAVANA Dec. 22-Mr. Savage, the Consul
General Of the United States at Havana, has received
telegram from the American Consul at san
taRo dc Cuba in consequence OF which he has sent dis
patch Secretary Seward advising him TO defer the pnr
chase Of St Thomas Later dates from ST. Thomas report
that vessels from Havana quarantned there.