FIJIAN NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 144, 26 May 1883, Page 2

FIJIAN NEWS.

TERRIBLE VISIT A.TION. HUilßigA^E ANf) EARTH-. QUAKE AT SAMOA. ■" (Per " Rura at Auckland.) (UNITED PteBSSy^SSOCIATrpN) [>i:.\ " Fiji, "May 17. Murray. -formerly of Auckland, was sentenced to twelve years' penal servitude for attemptingrto, shoot v his:wife,.. Intelligence tias c' me A to hand of a" 1 most disastrous hurricane, accompanied by an* eartK^n'ake and tidal wave, which occured in'ttaat group on the 24th ult. Comparatively little damage was. done ashore m Apia, though a i'etr buildings were unroofed and •-. varaud ahs carried -away,,^ -The-, .co(K)anutB.^e.scai)^^aln\Qsii scathlessjfbut the bread-tree ; "suffered severely. It was m the harbour hovfcc ever,, that the greatest devastation was caused. Here several fine vessels rode', at anchor, and all of them were almost, if dot totally, destroyed by the gale. Selider, a German barque, recently anived, and haying on biard 500 tons of merchandise from Germany and Sydney, was driven o" a reef, and be*» came a total wreck. Brazeelera, another German barque : Venezuela, a German three. masted schooner ; and V"an ; Vax, schooner, all shared the same fate, while the Apia, a cutter sack at her anchors, and the American" "bri'gantine Sheet Anchor, with -200,000ft of timber was .completely smashed up with loss of life , her master and steward, being d rowned . An o ther sm all schooner' was ■ driven ashore, but get afloabagain with*' out substaining, much damage. The force of the wind did npt;appear,to besa very great to those on shore,-and the loss i.pf the .vessel is attributed, more to ; the mflaeQce of a tidal wavo caused by an. earthquake which occurred-.siraulta-* nebusly with the typhoon, and which is supposed to have lifted their anchors off the! Br6und7""tHu"s"leaviiag lEem subject ito tne force of the wind. Fortunately^ roost bf the inhabitant of Apia have had some seafaring experience, and. boats- were speedily manned by volunteers, and the crews of the wrecked vessels -were gallantly rescued, jafler much danger and exertion. Seven islands -had 'been thrown up; and the features of the harbor- -of -Apia so thoroughly altered that a new survey will be ae ce3sary. Neither the hull nor the cargo of the Sheet Anchor were i insured, The wreck of the Van Vax was sold by auction,* ani: bought > by* Messrs jKushelt and Co. for 1500 dols.