LATER DETAILS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 413, 12 May 1902, Page 2

LATER DETAILS.

(Received May 11, 4.511 p.m. ) NEW YORK, May 10, The cable line has been interrupted.

Two steamers' that were employed in the .carrying of messages have been lost.

Another steamer was unable to effect a landing. 'I he number of whites living at Saint Pierre is estimated at a thousand. Of that number probably a dozen are English.

Eighteen vessels have been destroyed. The vessels destroyed include four

American vessels.

Three hundred inhabitants living in the vicinity of San Friere took refuge at Chateau Eclair.

The British schooner Ocean, Traveller lias arrived at Dominica. The schooner left St. Vincent, owing to tne heavy fall of sand from San Fuere, but the vessel was unable to reach St. Lucia owing to the force of the currents.

The schooner arrived opposite Saint I-ierre ; the chief commune, on Tburs-

dry, morning.

Those on board the vessel saw tiie volcano-, which in its terrible course dc: troyed the town of Saint Pierre ; also the environs of the town, and the shipping in the vicinity.

The shipping destroyed by the discharge front- the volcano included the cable repairing steamer, the Grappler, a vessel of 868 tons, owned by the West India and Panama Telegraph Company.

The rruiser Suchet steamed round Saint Pierre on Thursday afternoon. Tnose on board the cruiser found the place in flames.

Efforts were made at rescue, with the result that thirty persons connected with the shipping were rescued. The Suchet’s men sought to penetrate to the town,, but all attempts had to be abandoned, being impossible. Tiie men could see heaps of bodies on the wharves-.

It is feared that the Governor and his staff, and Colonel Wire, tiie American Consul and his wife, have fallen victims to tiie catastrophe. The steamer Esk, while passing five miles off Saint Pierre on Thursday night, was covered with the falling ashes. Those on board were able to witness the awlul sight oi everything ashore being aflame.

The British steamer Roroaima was lost during the morning. Uhe steamer exploded. Parties Rom the cruiser Suonet succeeded in sa\.mg eight oi the exploded steamer’s passengers^

Another steamer, the Roddam, had a terrible experience. The vessel pas paitly burnt by the lava.

Those on board, however, managed to slip the anchor, but very, serious results had in the meantime ensued.. Seventeen persons, including .the officers, received such injuries as to cause their death.

r l iie . captain of tile steamer, who was also badly injured, was conveyed ti< the hospital at Saint Thom'as,

Out of the crew on the steamer Roddam, which numbered twenty-three ; all were killed or seriously injured ex-

cept two.

accounts oi the disaster have been received from the two uninjured mem They declare that the disaster .was like a glimpse of hell.

The men state that the awful scene ’tas one that beggared description^,

J-ive miles from the land the coast line was enveloped in an impenetrable

_ ; '] he atmosphere was one dense mass of cinders and sulphur* fti., La Farrent, the President of the French Geological Society, states that tne, chimney of Mount Pelee exploded, projecting showers of incandescent lava, which submerged everything, and then was followed by a terrible flow of lava. i

ilie population of Saint Pierre is thirty-six thousand.

The latest estimate of the number of lives lost at Martinique is between thirty-six and forty thousand.

An eruption at Saint Vincent is r also in progress.

The volcanic dust is falling at the Barbadoes, and there lies fully an inch chick.

The British cruiser Indefatigable, which is attached to the West Indian sfation, has been despatched to Saint Vincent to render any assistance that cap be given to those in danger*

THE GRIEF IN FRANCE

FLAGS AT HALF-MAST*

hREAT BRITAIN’S SYMPATHY

By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright.. ’ PARIS, May 10. Great consternation has been caused n France by the receipt of the sad lews in regard to the Martinique disrier.

Throughout France there are deep.

manifestations of mourning, flags being everywhere placed at hall-mast

Sir Edward Monson, the British Ambassador at Paris, has officially conveyed the sympathy of the people of Great Britain to France on account *.i the calamity.