Local and General News

Samoa Times and South Sea Advertiser, Volume I, Issue 25, 6 April 1889, Page 2

Local and General News

News has come to hand from the lee-end of Savaii stating that the gale of the 13th and Ikh February last was very severe on that coast, the storm wave rising and breaking over the land, and sweeping away native and the foreingnors copra houses, situated on cliffs and tablelands over 15 feet above highwater mark. The foreign traders there have bad a deal of copra washed away The wave came in live rolling ground swells, taking everything before it, smashing up boats, canoes and houses. The gale of this month was not so severe in Savaii as on Upolu. The wind was puffy, but no sea to damage as before.

On Saturday about 4> o'clock p.m. the steamship Alameda arrived off the harbor. As soon as the steamer was signalled all the jnen belonging to the wrecked U. S. man-of-war Vandal iu, who expected to be shipped to Sim Francisco by this vessel were busily engaged gathering up their baggage, quite a joyous expression on their faces with the prospect of soon reaching home, but in a few minutes signals were Hying from the Alameda (which did not enter the harbor) intimating that she had only room for 30 passengers. This put a damper on the spirits of the Vandalia sailors. The Admiral shipped 1"> sick men from the hospital and 1 (> mop from barrack in charge of Ensign Ripley. Dr. Coidcro, ' who was badly wounded in the leg also went as a passenger. It appeals that the Alameda had a large number of passenger from Sydney, returning to the States, man}* of whom were on a visit to the Colonies with the Rase Ball Team. Wo believe the Alameda can only carry the men to Honolulu, when they will be tran-' shipped to San Francisco. The Alameda had also as passengers 10 j cadet* from the U. S. S. Trenton' and Vandaliu, who were shipped at I Ttituilu. H. I. G. M. S. Olga, which was | floated off the beach last week, does not appear Co have sustained mate- j rial damage (thanks to the soft j place picked out for her to bo i beaehe&QQ in the. lata gale). She j sailed for %dnev on Tuesday even- j klfcJMirttaeettuefl hy the steamship,

her ■peed tu tin- steaming power of the Olga, wliich wo Lave heard will be about 8 knot.-., and both vessels will keep each other in sight or signalling distance until their arrival in Sydney. Capt FriUe of the wrecked Adler, who lately commanded the German squadron in Samoa went by the Olga. Thirty officers and men of the Adler also went in the same vessel.

Tho .steamship Lubeek arrived in harbor from Sydney on Sunday at 4 p.m. Among her passengers were some of our old Samoan residents. Mr. and Mrs. Weber fjunr.), Mr. J. Mooney,and Mr. Docker. Tho latter gentleman went to thecolonies about three months ago in bad health. We are <. lad to find him returned considerably improved. Our old friend, Mr. John Mooney, also looks blooming.

Three of the bodies of the men who were drowned in Apia harbor during the gale have been picked up by tho natives at Lepa, thirty miles away to the eastward. Another body was picked up at Leuteranni, about seven miles from Apia. All the bodies were buried by tho natives near to where they were found. We have received information that at Falclima, on the south side of Savaii, all the houses in the village have been blown down. . The sea went quite a mile inland ; several pigs were drowned, and all the boats were lost, Strange to say, a village named Neiafu, ouly two miles away to the westward experienced very little of the gale.