Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-05-21
THE CHIOS SHOCK AT SEA.
How ships Were Affeefed-Further
Details from the Island.

Commander O'Kane, who is in COM
mand of the United States ship Gaena,
of the Mediterranean squadron, the
vessel that went to the island of Chios
Immediately after the late earthquake
there, has forwarded to the Navy De-
partment the following additional report
of the terrible calamity, and the con
sequent distress. He states that much of
the information was impaired by
Lieutenant Rittenhouse, Master Z night
and Midshipman Hall, all officers of the
Galena:
The first shock and several of the sub
sequent ones were felt on all the islands
and coasts within radius of sixty or
seventy miles. but the destructive effects
were confined to comparatively small
area There was no tidal wave. On
board ships in the harbor of Chios a
shock was first felt as if the vessels had
suddenly grounded with great force;
then there was a quick, violent trem-
bling, which continued several seconds
Kastros, the principal city, was the
greatest sufferer, though the whole island
sustained great damage to both life
and property. 1t being Sunday, many
people were in their houses or in the
cafes. Those in the fields and open
places escaped Many escaped in
the city by gaining the gardens in the
rear of the houses instead of going into
the streets The shock was so upex
pected that but few had the presence
of mind to exercise such precautions as
are used in countries subject to earth
quakes. To add to the horror. the at
mosphere became dark from dust and
smoke The people were terror stricken
Shocks continued throughout the day
and night, so frequent and violent that
the people remained in the fields and
vacant places around the town. The
shocks gradually moderated in force and
frequency.
The loss of life in the entire island was
about 5000 The city of Kastro lost
about 900, of whom over $50 were buried
in the ruins Of an old Genoese castle.
occupied by mixed population of Turks
and Hebrews. With the exception of
these. the population of the island is of
Greek descent. The loss of property was
about $13, 900, 900, to which must be add
ed the damage to the crops and CONNER
cial and business loss. The people now
use small huts and wooden cabins. The
authorities found great difficulty in or.
ganizing measures of relief, and their
efforts would have amounted to little
but for the prompt assistance that came
from abroad. and the first of all from
Smyrna. The foreign men. .of-war IN
adjacent waters proceeded at once to the
scene and rendered all possible assist
ance. Parties from the different ships
have been employed in excavating the
ruins, razing dangerous buildings, bring
ing in the wounded from the outlying
districts and distributing supplies.
The island, though classed as one of
the Grecian Archipelago, belongs geo.
graphically, as we'll as politically, to Asia
Minor, from the main land of which it
is separated only by strait from six to
eight miles in width 1t lies near the
middle of volcanic belt, but no volcan-
ic eruptions occurred. The region prin.
cipally affected by the shock is embraced
almost entirely in semi circular dis
trict, inclosed by mountain range.
The island has frequently
been visited by small earthquake
shocks, and the neighboring coasts aud
islands repeatedly devastated. Preceding
the great shock, the weather for twenty
four hours had been cloudy and ex.
tremely hot and oppressive. This was
altogether unusual for the season. The
wind was from the east and very light.
1t was exactly at 1 80 p. m, April 8.
when heavy upward shock was felt,
and at the same time a sound was
heard like the discharge of ar.
tillery. This was followed by pause of
about two seconds, and then came vio-
lent horizontal shaking east and west,
which continued from ten to thirty
seconds. 1t was accompanied by low,
rumbling sound, like distant thunder
With the commencement of the hori-
zontal motion the houses began to fall.
The first shock was followed by from
sixty to eighty others within twenty four
hours, at intervals of from five to twenty
minutes, afterward increasing to about
an hour. These were followed by other
shocks continuing up the following
night, but with less irregularity and
longer intervals. There was no impor-
tant change in the topography of the
country nor in the depth of water in the
harbor.