DISASTROUS EARTHQUAKE IN JAMAICA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8334, 17 January 1907, Page 5

DISASTROUS EARTHQUAKE IN JAMAICA.

KINGSTON REPORTED TO BE DESTROYED. MUCH LOSS OF LIFE. PEOPLE CAMPING OUT. ANXIETY FELT FOR SAFETY OF ENGLISH VISITORS. Received January 16, 10.2 p.m. LONDON, January 61. There was a very severe earthquake at Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday afternoon. The city has been destroyed, and much loss of life is reported. - The shocks continued on Tuesday. Everybody is camping out, and there is much distress. For many hours all cable communication was suspended, and is still very incomplete. Great anxiety is felt for the safety of a large party of distinguished English visitors who arrived at Kingston on"Friday to'attend an important agricultural conference there on Monday, .including the Earl and Countess of Dudley, Messrs Arnold Forster, Hall Caine, Jesse Collings, Henniker-Heaton, W. Howell and Davies (member of the House of Commons), Viscount Mountmorres, Sir Alfred L. Jones (shipowner), Sir Daniell Morris, and many prominent business men interested in the West) < Indian cotton growing. A Reuter message from Saint Thomas early to-day states that details of the earthquake are meagre. It is believed that the first report that Kingston was destroyed is an exaggeraton. ALL THE BUILDINGS AND DWELLINGS DESTROYED. SOLDIERS AND PROMINENT CITIZENS KILLED. Received January 16, 10.8 p.m.-, LONDON, January 16. Mr Hamar Greenwood, member of the' House of Commons, has cabled to the Colonial Office, from Holland Bay, that all the buildings and dwellings in Kingston have been destroyed by the earthquake, and in the subsequent fire the Military Hospital was burnt. Forty soldiers are reported to have been killed and also several promi- - nent citizens. THE CITY QUIET. Received January 16, 10.8 p.m. LONDON, January 16. Sir James Ferguson, M.P. for Manchester North-East, is reported to'have been killed instantaneously. No., other English, American or Canadian visitors are, reported missing. The city is quiet. The Governor, assisted by. Sir Alfred Jones, is directing affairs. CONSTERNATION IN NEW YORK. Received Januaryl6, 10.8 p.m. \ NEW YORK, January 16. Consternation prevails in New York owing to the thousands of American visitors in Jamaica. The American Government mini mise the disaster,but have ordered the ' fleet off Cuba to investigate the '"•' truth of the earthquake. v FIRE -STILL BURNING. • Received January 16, 10.14 p.m. LONDON, January 16. Reuter's latest advices state that the fire is still burning, though confined to the docks, and is being energetically fought. ' No mention is made of the shocks continuing. It is estimated that under a hundred people have been killed. The principal hotel and other important buildings have been destroyed and many houses damaged. (Jamaica is the largest of the British West India Islands, lying 90 miles south of Cuba. Its length is 144 miles, and its greatest width 49 miles. Area, 4,207 square miles. The island is mountainous, and a range of hills, known as the Blue Mountains, runs from east to west, rising to 7,423 feet in one place. Turks and Caicos Islands, southern islands of the Bahama group (area 169 suar'e miles, population in 1901 18,923), with important salt, sponge, . and fibre industries, have been annexed to the colony, and Grand and Little Cayman (area 55 square miles, population 5,919), Pedro Cays and Morant Cays are also, dependencies. The capital of Jamaica is Kingston, population 48,500, with Spanish Town (the old capital) of next importance. The principal ports are Port Royal (harbour (of Kingston), Montego Bay, and Falmouth. Exports: Bananas, oranges, sugar, rum, coffee, cocoa, and dyewoods. Of the exports 68 per cent go to the United States and 19 per cent, to the United Kingdom; of the imports 53 per cent. , are sent by the United Kingdom and 40 per cent, by the United States. The" Government includes a Governor, a Legislative Assembly, of 29 members, five official, ten nominated by the Crown, and fourteen, elected, and a consultative Privy Council. There is an Imperial garrison of 1,790 officers and men at Kingston, and a naval dockyard and coaling station at Port Royal. Total population of Jamaica and dependencies, on March 31st, 1903, 785,434, consisting chiefly of negroes.) 'SHOCKS FELT IN NORTHERN NORWAY. ' Received January 16, 10.18 p.m. • CHRISTIANA, Jan. 16. Shocks were experienced on Monday afternoon over the greater part of Northern Norway.

CABLE NEWS.

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