Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-16


the report of the French cable ship Pouyer-
Quertier. that soundngs now show seven
fathoms where before the outbreak there
were thirty-six fathoms Of water.
Lieut.. Mccormick Offers Assistance.
Lieut.. Benjamin B. McCormick, command
ing the United States steamer Potomac,
now in these waters has called on Governor
Llewellyn and offered him the sympathy of
the United States and any assistance which
it was in his power to render. The Poto-
mac has also landed what she can spare OF
her foodstuffs The governor EXPRESSED his
thanks and added that there was no imme
date need of help The Potomac carried
official dispatches to the Island of st. Lucia
Since midnight Tuesday the subterranean
detonations here have ceased ana the Sou
friere Wednesday relapsed. apparently,
into perfect repose, no smoke rising from
the crater and the issures emitting no va
Dor.
The sturted vegetation that formerly
adorned the slopes of the mountain has
disappeared, having given place to gray
colored lava, which greets the eye on every
side. The atmosphere is dry, but some
what agitated. Rain would be welcome,
as there is a great deal Of dust in the air,
which is very disagreeable and irritating
to throats and eyes, and is causing the
merchants to put all their dry goods un-
der cover. The inhabitants (meaning the
white population, as rule), naturally. are
volcano is permanent or whether it is the
lull which usually precedes greater par
oXysmal activity. Some people, anticipat-
ing that there is danger Of further vol
canic eruptions, are leaving the outlying
towns for this city. The negroes who have
remained on the estates are half starved,
and the Carib survivors are leaving their
caves and pillaging abandoned dwelling
houses and shops. A number of arrests
have been made in this connection.
Much Importance is attached locally to
the loss which the colony has sustained in
the injury to the peasant proprietary a
scheme for the development of which was
lately inaugurated by the imperial govern
ment, with the view of assisting the nhab-
ftantS and in order to encourage the people
to attain prosperity.
The Potomac leaves here tomorrow morn
ing for st. Pierre, Martinique. She will re-
turn here the following day, and then go
to Fort de France.
Col. Ayme's Mission.
Col. Ayme, the United States consul at
Guadeloupe, who is on board the United
States cruiser Cincinnati, recently at St.
Lucia, is going to St. Pierre Friday in order
to recover the archives of the United States
consulate and to find, If possible the bodies
of the United States consul. Mr.. Prentis.
Mrs. Prentis and their two daughters,
Marie and Christine If he succeeds the re-
mains will be taken to Fort de France for
burial, with special ceremonies and honors.
The same party will also seek the bodies
of the British consul, Mr.. Japp, and his
wife and children. The Americans will fur
ther endeavor to recover the British con-
suar archives. If the remains Of the Japp
family are found they will receive the same
burial as the bodies of the Prentiss family.
Advces received here from Fort de
France say that looting and robbery are
on the increase at st. Pierre and elsewhere,
and that the authorities cannot cope with
the conditions. especially as local political
ro1e, OF ;-f.x -. l.
practical harmonious action. There are
5000 refugees at Fort de France and rioting
is feared there
While some of the sufferers who are in
the hospital at Fort de- France may die,
most of them are apparent, improving.
Business at Fort de Ftance has been
stopped; the bank there MI not resume
operations for the present, and money is
scarce,