MAIL NEWS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1051, 18 September 1883, Page 2

MAIL NEWS.

EARTHQUAKE IN ISCHIA. The town of Casamicciola, in the island of Ischia, was destroyed by an earthquake on the ’night of July 28th. It is estimated that s,OOOperaons perished. Ihe shocks began at half past nine. The majority of the upper classes were at the : theatre. 'lhe scene there was one of horror. The curtain had just risen, when a tremendous shock was felt, a fearful roar, and the grbuhd rocked like a ship in a storm. A great cry of terror arose from the audience, who were thrown in a heap, and a great number were buried beneath the timbers of the building, which fell on them. Those who could escaped from the theatre, some clambering into trees for safety, but the larger number made for the rea shore, where alarm fires were kindled. In the meantime, every building in townhad collapsed. The hotel of Piccola Sentinella sank into the earth, was buried with many of its inmates. Many Romans 1 having villas -at Eodira are known to have been lost. Corpses were plainly discernible through the ruins, but could not be extricated. In nearly every case they" were horribly mangled. The Minister for Public Works arrived in Casamicciola on July 29th to arrange measures for the relief of the sufferers- The victims were buried in the usual way, and immediately on their being recovered, in order to prevent miasma ; but as it was impossible to recover and bury all the bodies, it was ordered, considering the horrible exhalations from the decomposing remains, that uncovered corpses be left where they lay, and 1,5J0 tons of chloride of lime were poured over the ruins—converting Oasamicciola into a vast cemetery. The neighboring towns of Fara and Lucca were all greatly damaged, and the loss of life reached 2,000, divided between both places. The centre of the earthshock was similar to that of two years ago, but the radius waq larger. It was felt at sea, and according to some accounts even at Naples, the hospitals in which city were crowded with the wounded and dying, brought there by steamers from the island. This calamity infinitely exceeded the earthquake in 1881. Among the missing are an English gentleman named Somers, who resided at the Hotel Manoi, and also many English and A erican visitors, Ischia being a great resort for travellers in pursuit of ' health or pleasure. Of a Swiss family named Pascal, numbering eight, only one daughter survived. Many English and Americans arrived on Slat, in search of friends and relatives. On the night of the disaster the scene was weirdly horrible, when hundreds of half-naked men and women, wild with terror and grief, ran to and fro amongst the ruins with torches searching for missing friends. For days the stench of decaying flesh, notwithstanding the deodorising material used, was almost unbearable. Additional shocks, which added to the damage, occurred on August 4th. King Humbert visited the hospitals on the 3rd, and condoled with the sufferers. He also repaired to the scene of the earthquake, where he distributed money and provisions to those in need.

MURDER. OF CAREY. In Dublin it is said Carey himself chose to go to Natal. He would not go to Australia, because he knew many Fenians fearing arrest bad escaped to that country. When the news of the murder reached Ireland the wildest delight was manifested. Mobs entered houses and seized bedding, fur/iiture, and other articles with which to make bonfires, and effigies of the dead informer were burned and mock funerals held in various Irish towns. Eight enormous bonfires blazed around Carey's old residence; also fires in other streets, A band marched through the city playing national tunes, followed by crowds of people cheering as they marched. A slight collision occurred between the crowd and the police officials. In London the murder was almost the sole subject of conversation for a day, but not much sympathy was elicited for the informer’s fate. The Times, in an article on' the subject., thought the occurrence a public misfortune, as Carey had been an instrument for the attainment of justice. The murder was calculated to encourage acts of violence, and the joy caused in Ireland by the homicide is a proof of the many elements of danger that exist there. It is an open secret that Earl Spencer, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, is much annoyed by the murder of Carey. A despatch from Dublin, on August 16th, says the assassinated informer, Jas. Carey, early in 1882, sent two men to London to shoot William E. Forster, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, but their courage failed them.

In Dublin, on August 20th, two men were put under heavy bail for threatening the life of Francis Carey, the brother of the murdered informer. When Francis was attacked he drew a revolver, covered his assailants, and held them till they were transferred to the custody cf the police.

MISCELLANEOUS. The London Athenceum devotes fourteen columns to the publication of some new Byron correspondence, showing the relations between Lord and Lady Byron and his sister. The correspondence diaroses of the scandal circulated by Harriet Beecher Stowe. _ Miss Finney (stage name, hortesoue) has married a son of Lord Cairns. ; While thirteen men were being hauled to the surface at a mine near the town of Redruth, Cornwall, the rope attached to the cage broke, and the men were precipitated to the bottom of the shaft, and instantly killed. i Mr Bradlaugh charged Mr Newdegate with being so tipsy in the House of Commons that ho feli off his seat, and also, that during the discussion of the tion Bill he was so drunk he oouldlnotwalk from the lobby to give his vote. Mr Newdegate’s friends said he only fainted through illness. A doctor attested to that fact. ■ ■ ‘ 1 ! ' A man left Dover on a floating bicycle on July 28th for the purpose of crossing

the Channel, and arrived at Calais at fire o’clock the same afternoon.

An attempt was made on August 3rd to blow up a large linen factory at Cupar t Fife, Scotland. It was attributed to Fenianism.

Mr Labouchere says in Truth that the greater part of the Duchess of Edinburgh’s trousseau was sold in London some time ago as the property of a lady of rank.

The Queen received Mr and Mrs Gladstone on August 4th, for the first time for many years. The coldness between the Queen and the Premier it lessening. This is considered to indicate an early application to Parliament fdr a f&rtßer grant to the sons of the Prince of Wales.

The Star Music Hall, Sundf|rls£id, has been burned. Fourteen hundred were in the hallfwhen the fire originated, but all got safely out in four rainutet. ■