The age-herald., 1902-05-10

of Martinique.
 Paris, May 9.-The commander of the French cruiser Suchet has telegraphed to the Minister of Marine, M. DeLanessan from Fort De France Island of Martini que. under date of Thursday May 8, at 10 D. m., as follows
 Have just returned from St. Pierre which has been completely destroyed by an immense mass of fire which fell on the town at about 8 oclock in the morn ing. The entire population (about 25,OOO sous), is supposed to have perished. l have brought back the few survivors, about thirty. All the shipping in the har- Dor has been destroyed by fire. The erup- tion continues"
 St. Pierre Is fortified seaport on the Island of Martinique, and is the largest town In the French West Indies. It figured prominently in the late Spanish war with America, during the search of the American fleet for Cervera.
 Ships Sent Back.
 The commander of the French cruiser suchet, recently at Fort de France, has
 II ordered to return to St. Pierre. Mar unique. with all possible speed and for ward details of the disaster to the French government. He cannot however, be heard from before twenty-four hours, and the Suchet has gone to the island of Guadeloupe in order to obtain provisions. It is feared that M l.. Mouttle, the Gov ernor of Martinique, has perished He telegraphed May that he was proceed ing to St. Pierre. Senator Knight is also supposed to have been at St. Pierre.
 Senator Knight, who is referred to In the dispatch from Paris, as having prob ably been at St. Pierre at the time of the disaster, is the president of the General Council or local legislative body of the island of Martinique.
 M Borguenot. a sugar planter of the island of Martinique, received cable ispatch this morning from Fort de France sent by the manager of the Fran case factory announcing that he had treid to reach St. Pierre but fourd the coast covered with ashes and the town enveloped in dust, and could not land.
 Cables Are Broken.
 The colonial minister, M. De Crais, re- ceived at o'clock this evening two cable messages from the secretary gen. eral of the government of Martinique, Jeg L'Hurre, sent respectively at D.. m. and 10:30 D. m. yesterday. The earlier cablegram reported that the wires were broken between Fort De France and St. Pierre, but it was added in view of re- ports that the eruption of Mount Pelee had xUipq nf a the boats available at Fort De France were dispatched to the assistance of the inhabitants of that place.
 The second dispatch confirmed the re- ports of the destruction of St. Pierre and its environs and shipping by a rain of fire and said it was supposed that the whole population had been annihilated with the exception of a few injured per- sons rescued by the cruiser Suchet.
 Immediately after the receipt of the above dispatches the flag over the colon- ial office was draped with crepe and hoisted at half mast.
 The ministers of the colonies, M. De Crais, who has been visiting the south of France, hurried back to Paris on hearing of the Martinique disaster. Before leav- ing Bordeaux he expressed the opinion that the fact that the commander of the Suchet, foreseeing the disaster, had sought refuge at various points, sheltered from the volcanic stream and there being no vessels to transport the people, the euchet was trying to procure food for them.
 Refugees at St. Thomas.
 St Thomas. D. w. l., May 9.-9:S0 a. m. -Thl Trench cruiser Suchet arrived at Pointe-a-Pitre, Island of Guadaloupe, French West Indies, Martinique, this morning, bringing several refugees. She confirmed the report that the town of St.. Pierre, Martipioue, was entirely destroy cd at s o'clock on Thursday morning by a volcanic eruptioii. It is supposed that most of the inhabitants of St. Pierre were Killed.
 The commander of the Suchet reports that at l clock on Thursday the en- Fire town of St. Pierre was wrapped in f5,mes. He endeavored to save about th.srty persons, more or less burned, from thes vessels in the harbor. His officers wer 1t ashore in small boats seeking for survivors but were unable to penetrate the town
 Tn cy saw heaps of bodies upon the whot -ves and 1t Is believed that not a single person escaped from their resi- dences in St. Pierre at the moment of the catsstr4 r4ophe.
 Colony's Governor Dead.
 The t,overnor of the colony and his utaff. col nonel and wife, were in St. Pierre