The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-08

In the case Of Montserrat no other ex-
preston could fittlngIy be used to describe
the condition OF things than 10 say that
the place has been wiped out.
In these words. last Friday the news
papers finally described the worst effect
OF the recent hurricane in the West In
dies. There Is surely a pleasant sgnln-
canoe I'm the fact that three weeks had
passed before a news agency ventured' on
the arrival OF the mail from the West In
dies and on the authority Of letters re-
oeiyed by the Relief Committee to supple
ment its original alarmist kilograms py
this calm ratification.
This discreet and truthful journalism
recalls the case OF an Island catastrophe
Of the last century which was very oil-
ferently handled The event was the re-
ported blowing up OF the island OF Sl.
Vincent, and the Journalism was Dahlei
Defoe's. In sober fact, the island was no'
blown up, or even damaged, Dul Deioe
imposed his mastery lie upon London LOT
the very same length OF time Whch-'h
this age OF telegraphs-has been devoted
TO obtaining the truth about the Nes'
Indian hurricane
DefOes narrative appeared IN Mlst
Journal OF July >, us. In those days there
were no press agencies. Merchahliheh
sailing slowly under convoy, wouId ar
rive AT last I'm the Thames. and the sailors
would soon be spinning their yarns IN tne
dens of Redriff and Wrapping. BY this
ha LOT
city merchants, the news of an earth
quake or other event, such as this OF st.
Vincent. would break upon the coIiee-
houses, and find its way into the frying
Posts, the Intelligencers and all the rival
prints Of that e0ssipping age JAS every
one wanted news. and as news could not
be quickly checked or supplemented, there
was the strongest temptation 10 initiate "a
rumour into detailed narrative. Inc
clever journalist was he who could lie
plausibly Now Of all journalists, and
OF all liars. Defoe was the greatest. This
coffee-housc tale. OF st. Vincent going up
in dust to the skies. would hit his tatse
to a miracle. He had done things in TINS
kind before; and there need not be the
slightest delay in giving the public salts
faction-in Mist's Journal.
DefOe began his narrative with the as
surance Of an artist. Having no more
fact TO go upon then would just wet his
pen. he declared that he was overwhelmed
with reports of the event which
never happened since the creation, or,
at least, since the destruction Of the earth
by water I'm the general dluge."
"Our accounts of this come from so
many several hands. and several places,
that it would be impossible to bring all
the letters separately into this journal:
and, when we had done so. or attempted
TO do so, would have the story confus'd,
and the world not PERFECTLY Informed.
We have, therefore, though It better TO
give the substance of this amazing acct
cent In one collection. making together
as full and as distinct account of the
whole as we believe is possible to come
at by any Intelligence whatsoever and
at the close Of this account we shall
give some probable guesses at the natural
cause of so terrible an operation"
Deioe proceeds with marble gravity TO
describe the island Of st. Vincent, its
position, physical character, and people.
Next. he gently leads up TO the CatastrO-
phe by stating that, on March 2ith, a
French sloOp, which had passed the island
two days previously, arrived at Martinico.
The master Of the sloop reported that
he had purchased some fish from the saw
him I'm three canoes, and that all was
safe on the island for anything that he
perceived. However, one Of the Indians
had told them that they had been fright
ened with earthquakes for some time. on
the 9th. I'm the morning (Defoe proceeds),
all those parts Of the seas we're darkened
In a dreadful ana mysterious manner,
which no one could account for, though
it was TO be mentioned that on the 26th,
about II o'clock at night, a dreadful fash
of lightning, as II seemed was witnessed
from some neighb0rng islands, where the
effects Of the disaster were perceived long
before their cause was known.
BY dwelling on these phenomena. and
making them seem real, Defoe prepares
his readers TO accept their grand cause.
Thus he describes, with the incest as
sumption Of knowledge how fine dust
fell all about those parts, but-you are to
note-not all Of a thickness, for (hore you
have a vision of Defoe rummaging among
piles Of foreign letters "some ships had It
nine inches, others foot thick-upon
their decks: the Island Of Martinico Is
covered with it at about to 9 inches
thick; at Rlrbadocs it is frightful. even
TO ST. Christopher's it exceeded four
inches; # is fallen over the whole extent
of the Isle Of Hispaniola, and there is no
doubt but II has been seen on the Cont
nent of New Spain. about the point Of
Guiana, or the mouth Of the Oronoco, all
which will perhaps be accounted for in
some measure in the following narrative"
observe how DefOe pretends 10 sympa-
thise with his readers incredulity. and
promises him light If he will but groDe on.
The dust having continued 10 fail for