The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-06-08

Oar Minister in China, Governor Lowe, has
forwarded to the Secretary of State tine follow
ing translation of a report of a.terrible earth
quake, from the Chinese Gorernor-General OF
the province in which it occurred:
BRIEF ACCOUNT OF H EARTHQUAKE AT BA'
THANG IN szCHuEN.
Ihaye ascertained that Bathang lies on a
very elevated spot beyond the borders OF
the province, about 260 miles west from L
TanI, and more thau 30 post stations from tile
distTicttown OF Ta-tsien, on the high road To
Tibet. -,
About IL o'clock \. NJ; on the 1lth. OF April
1871, the earth lrembled so violently that the
government offices, temples, granarles, stone
and st%orehouses aud'fOrtihcatl0ns, with all Tie
common dwellings and the temple of Ting-lin.
we're at once overthrown and ruined; the only
exception was the hall 10 the temple grounds
! called Ta.choa, which stood unlarmed 10 Us
Isolation. h.,
| most of the inmates were crushed and killed.
under the falling timber and stone. Flames
| also suddenly burst out In four places, which
! strong winds drove about until the heavens
were darkened with smoke, and their roaring
was mingled with the lamentations OF the dis
tressed people. On ':e 18th the flames were
beaten down, but the rambling noises we're
sill heard under ground like distant thunder
and The earth rocked and rolled like q ship ID
| a storm at the mercy OF the waves. Ine mui'
tiplled miserieS Of the afflicted lnhaoltanis
were increased by a thousand tears, oat ~
about ten days matters began to grow quie'
and the motion 10 cease.
The grain collector at Bathang says that, lol
| several days before the earthquake, the water
had overlooked The dyke, but after it the eartn
| cracked IN many places, and.black, felld water
| splrted out in q furious manner. II oRe pokeo
the earth, the squirting instantly followed, 1usl
as is the case with the salt Wells and IRE wells
| lin The eastern part oil the pTovince,) and thls
explains how it happened tnat nre lolio%eu
The earthquake in Bathang.
As nearly as is ascertained. there we're de-
stroyed two largo temples, !he ot1ce3 Oh Tie
collector of graiu lax, the local magistrate,
and the colonel, the Tingdin temple, and near:
ly 700 fathoms Of wall around it., ard 35l
rooms in all inside; six smaller temples, mum,
bering 22l rooms, besides lS49 rooms and
houses of the common people. The number
of peoule, soldiers and lamas killed by the
crash was 229s, among whom were the local
magistrate and his second in office.
The earthquake extended from Batlane
eastward 10 Pung-Chahemah, westward to
Nan-tun; on the south to Lin-tsah.shlh, and on
the north to the salt wells OF A-timlsz, O CIR
cult of over 400 miles. It occurred simulta'
neously over The whole of this region. In some
places steep hills split and sunk into deer
pits; in others. hills of level spots became
PERCEPTIONS cliffs, and the roads and highways
were rendered impossible by obslructions.
The people were beggarea. an mi,s scattered an ere like like
pie of Bathang and vicinity was really one o.
the most distressing and destructive That ha:
ever happened in this country.
Tie Goyernor-General twice memorlalized
the Emperor respecting II, who granted aid to
relieve the misery, reopen the roads between
the posthouses, and rebuild and repair the
Offices and dwellings as they were lleeGeu
Many are now resuming their occupations and
The roads are everywhere passable.