The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-01-25
WEEK IN THE WORLD.
Great Events and Movements Which
Are Making History.

The stories of the people who were
in Kingston, Jamaica, at the time OF the
earthquake last week and who arrived
in Boston Monday corroborate the stor-
les of death, destruction and suffering
that reached this country by cable and
show that the condition of affairs in
Jamaica is appalling. The loss of life
is estimated at from 1000 to 5000 and
the city of Kingston is almost ruined.
The financial loss is vast. Interviews
with the returning tourists show that
practically all of the big brick and
stone buildings are destroyed, the only
ones that remain upright in the city
proper being the post office and treas
ury buildings and part of Point of
Parish Church. All of the principal
hotels are in ruins, Fire swept the
main portion of the city after the earth
quake, only change of wind prevent
ing it from spreading to the suburban
districts. While the stories of what
took place following the disaster are
heartrending the stories of the work of
relief that followed are interesting. The
steamship Port Kingston of the Elder
Dempster line did great work of re-
lief Immediately after the accident, as
did the launch of the wrecked Princes
sin Victoria Luise, which was lying at
Port Royal. Some people criticise the
action of the Port Kingston s captain
the day following, but officers of the
steamship Admiral Sampson say that
the captain was justified in putting the
wounded and others ON shore, as the of
ficer had given all the help his supplies
would permit The Admiral Sampson
arrived at Kingston at daylight the
morning after and did much to relieve
the suffering, luckily having on board
a big supply of medicines, bandages,
etc. It was the first relief ship to
reach the port. When the Admiral
Sampson left Kingston last week Tues
day evening the captain took along
about 100 refugees, mostly negroes and
all practically destitute. These were
left at Bowden and Port Antonio. One
of the passengers says there were seven
distinct shocks within "a hours. OF
those that returned to Bosom Monday
they knew of only one American who
was missing-A. w. Eaton of Hartford,
Conn. At the time of the earthquake
he was in tailor shop trying on suit
of clothes. The shop was RACED and it
is feared he was buried in the ruins.
A feature of the news from Kingston
Monday was the declination of Sir
James Alexander Swettenham, governor
of the island, to accept American aid
and the departure in consequence of
the United States battleships under
command of Rear Admiral Davis. Gov
ernor Swettenham objected to the pres
ence of American sailors engaged in
clearing the streets, guarding property
and succoring the wounded and sick,
and sent an insulting letter to Rear
Admiral Davis, peremptorily requesting
him to re-embark all parties which had
been landed. The friction between
the governor and the rear admiral be-
gan with the arrival of the American
war vessels when the governor objected
to the firing of salute in his honor on
the ground that the citizens might mis-
take the firing for new earthquake.
He also declared there was no necessity
for American aid-that his government
was fully able to preserve, order, tend
the wounded and succor the homeless.
Rear Admiral Davis, however, landed
parties of bluejackets, who patrolled
the streets, cleared the debris, RACED
ruins, attended many of the wounded
and won the highest praise from citi-
zens and military officers for excellent
work. Great Britain, with only the
press reports of Governor Swetten-
ham IS insulting letter to depend upon,
nevertheless officially expressed regret.
Her apology, for this is what the de-
patch amounts to, is qualified with the
words, if the letter be found to be cor
rect, but as there is no doubt either in
England or America of its accuracy the