THE RUSSIAN SCARE IN AUCKLAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3127, 26 February 1873, Page 3

THE RUSSIAN SCARE IN AUCKLAND.

On the 18th inst., the Southern Crons came out with a two column account of an imaginary attack on Auckland by a Russian ironclad, upon which its contemporaries expressed themselves as follows : Said the Herohl :—“ Considerable excitement reigned in town yesterday, especially in the early morning, through a senseless article which appeared in our morning contemporary, headed ‘War wi hj Russia.’ The hoax was written with such an air of truth, that there were not wanting many persons who, on first reading it, became thoroughly alarmed. We have been informed fn many instances of women who were seriously afflicted by the ‘ news,’ several so seriously that medical assistance had to be called in. One lady, whose husband was a passenger on board the Wonga Wonga, fearful that the supposed Russian man-of-war should overtake that vessel and land her husband at Fiji, went off into violent hysterics, ap,d was very ill for the rest ot the day. A number of other ladies, whose husbands or relatives were on board, also suffered severely in mind. Shortly after seven o’clock m,vftberaof nvn were segn rushing out ojr their houses halfdressc.d, amt with a COPY of the Cross in hand, making eager imiuires to learn if the ‘ news ’ was true. Quito a number of people assembled on the wharf at an early hour, to catch a sight of the Blanche, which they fully believed was flying Russian colours and manned by a prize crew. One well-known gentleman, on reading the tissue of untruths while sitting at breakfast, rapidly made preparations for the flight of himself, wife, and family to their farm at the Hot Springs. Horsemen came into town by dozens, from an early hour, quite spared. We arc informed that in the country districts fho greatest poa.-ible alarm was created, the sellers fully believing the story so artfully told by our contemporary. About nine o’clock a somewhat ludicrous incident occurred in Queen street. One of our well-known shopkeepers, who had opened ln'a business premises, rapidly put up the shutters again on hearing the report—which had alarmed the whole town—and immediately afterwards appeared at the door fully armed, accoutred, and ‘ ready for the fray.’ There is no doubt ror some hours at least, and in aomo quarters, the story was fully believed, and that it led to great excitement and alarm. We have no doubt that i he hoax has done a great deal of injury in this respect, and are quite sure that the unenviable notoriety which our contemporary by this means gained for a single day, will not be soon]’foi'gat{pn by the people who have suffered in consequence.” While the Stir-' remarked; -“The publication qf this little effort of the imagination seems to have excited considerable attention in Auckland. Our morning contemporary characterises the ‘account’ as weak and injudicious ; hut it may be the means of divooting more attention to Ihe defoupelvss condition of many of our seaports. If so, the ‘ weak ’ vessel may proye a powerful instrument forgopd.”