JAPANESE DISASTER.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 September 1923, Page 3

JAPANESE DISASTER.

LATEST CABLE NEWS

AUSTRALIAN AJife N.Z. CAULK ASSOCIATION. BRITAIN'S SYAIPATHY. LONDON', September 4. , Lord Curzon conveyed to the JapnJ neso Embassy, Britain’s profound sympathy and promised every relief possible. The Admiralty ordered the cruiser Dispatch, to proceed from Shanghai to Yokohama and also placed a light cruiser .squadron at Weihaiwei at Japans disposal. SYMPATHY AND HELP. (Received this day at 12 noon). PEKIN, Sept. •). Cabinet has agreed to a remission of the embargo on the export of rice, in order to facilitate supplies to Japan, and also voted two hundred thousand for the relief of distress in Japan. The Apostolic delegate of the Holy See eomumnicated with sixty Catholic Bishops in China, urging them to support the local authorities in organising aid. He also informed Yoshizawa, that he would gladly place at his disposal a large number of Catholic nursing sisters, who had seen service in the Croat War. Wellington Koo forwarded a telegram to Count Yiiuuuuoto, conveying the sympathy of the Chinese people, and fervent wishes for a speedy termination of the unprecedented catastrophe. DAMAGE TO EMBASSIES. | R KL'TKItH TKLKOHAMS.] (Received this day at I .•) p.m.) SHANGHAI, Kept. 5. Nagasaki reports that the earthquake totally destroyed the American and French Embassy buildings, Chinese and Netherlands Legations and partially destroyed the Italian. Polish and Swiss, while the British and German Embassies were saved. Tokio University announces the centre of the disturbances was in the ocean sixtv-two miles south of Tokio.

SINGAPORE BASE. SINGAPORE. Sept. 5. A preliminary vote of fifty thousand dollars was passed towards the cost of naval base lands. The total cost is not revealed. The filling of oil tanks is proceeding rapidly. MARTIAL LAW. OSAKA, Sept. 5. Martial law is operating throughout ihe earthquake zone. Troops are concentrating on Tokio and Yokohama from the neighbouring districts to keep ordor and assist in relief work. Supplies arc arriving in great quantities, which are being brought back from Manchuria. Pitiable scenes are witnessed, crowds of people begging for food from the passing relief carts.

LATEST NEWS. (Received this day at 1.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 5. One million dollars was sent to United States Red Cross on Tuesday for Japanese relief. Admiral Anderson, (Commander of the Asiatic Fleet) has arrived at Yokohama. He reports several hundred foreigners are dead, including many officials. Many fatalities occurred when the American naval hospital a,nd Yokohama Club collapsed. The total earthquake deaths are estimated at 240,000 and 450,000 injured.

TERRIFYING SCENES. (Received this day at 2.15 p.m.) KOBE, Sept. 5. The destruction of Yokohama is complete. The earthquake smashed the subterranean oil tanks on ihe hillside above the naval station and half a million tons of oil went sweeping through the demolished town, catching fire and becoming a river of flames from which there was no escape. The burning oil spread over the harbour, setting lire to some of the vessels. Tiie scene tva sferrifying at the naval base for hours. There were continuous explosions of ammunition, punctuated with mighty blasts as the magazines caught tire and !Jew no. The towns of Odawara and Kodzu arc reported to he completely destroyed. Kamakura was wiped out by a tidal upive, twelve feet high, following the earthquake. At the Catholic Orphanage at Yokohama 160 children and twelve aimers were crushed to death. There are ghastly sights in the streets, where hundreds of dead lie in grotesque heaps looking as if they had been gassed. Amongst those reported dead are Morrison McDouglns of the* Hong Kong and Shanghai Chartered Bank and Paul Disgarden, the French Consul-General r.t Kovohama.