Terrible Earthquake in Europe.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2536, 28 February 1887, Page 2

Terrible Earthquake in Europe.

Intelligence was received from .the South of Europe on Friday Inst of a most destructive earthquake, spreading death and desolation in all directions. The t firat intimation of tho camo from Nice, where two tevore shocks of earthquake- were experienced at six in the morning. They were preceded by a sound as of-distant rumbling, which seemed to grow in intensity until the earth trembled with terrible violence, the agitation increasing and culminating in a Bhofck of calamitous force,. Half naked people rushed from their liotisss into the sheets, women and infants, attended by terrified children, hurried along scrflanring in- chorus, imploring . the Dej ty to protect them. Midst a scene 6t the widest and indescribable disorder, a suddenand terrible termination was put to the earth's agitation, The ground, which had'apparently been receding from under the feet of those who were attempting to fly from the impending doom, was as by a magic Spell forced into tranquility, and the next instant the houses rocked, and fm torn as if by a mighty unseen force, and then fell to the ground, |i!ling some and injuring a great irjany of the terror strioken people. ; The shocks were felt with full violence at Monaco, where rooks were split into atoms, and huge pieces were hurlod a considerable distance with ; death-dealing force. Some splinters were shot forth with meteoric force, rapidly wrecking the houses or falling into the sea with a deafening hiss. .' ,'■';■ ;A, great sensation was caused at Monte Oarlo, where, although not felt with like force as at' oilier places, the shooka had the effect 'of' driving) jie whole populace almost frantic. /

, At Genoa the people assembled ih tbe streets and prayed, with heart: renting fervour.

Ittformfttion from Cannes, where the

Prince of Wales has been staying for Borne days, states that the shqcts were experienced there with astounding "severity, and much damage has'been done. The Prince of Wales escaped without injury, From Cervo, where there is a large penal establishment, a scene of unusual brutality and lawlessness is reported. The effect of the shock rendered the prison offioials almost stupid, and maddened convicts into \beaatlifce ferocity, and a -fetor; of the more daring, spirits,' seek'g^n'-'the/confusion .'•an''opportunity and 'possible escape, made' an upon''the officers,. The example of these ruffians, was speedily followed-, by the" re'st of the prisoners, afiil before' the' officials had time to concentrate themselves for defensive purposes they, were overpowered by the convicts and treated to the greatest brutality. Sir Charles Gavan Duffy described the panic .which reigned in the- city of Nice as something appalling. Many of the fugitives who flew to the place by rail were blocked owing to the landslips. The railway station at Nice was thronged with people waiting for tho train to start to carry tlieui away from what they considered a dosmed city, and although therailway officials again and again explained that it would be useless to attempt to run the train until the lino-bad been cleared, tho excited throngs, demanded to bo taken as far as oircumstanceß would permit. The town presented a remarkable sight at night, through the people, who would riot atop in their houses, camping in the streets. Family groups huddled together prepared themselves to pass the night,, while others hurrying through'. the :; thorough<areß, screamed and raved in a.semi-demented state. Not a few passed tho time bemoaning the loss of their friends, and making the air resound with the. names of their lost ones. Those of the better class of the inhabitants laid seige to the vessels in harbor, and vied -with each other in frantic bids for accommodation, fabulous prices being given for . ciabin accommodation, In many cases I invalids ;had':their sufferings intensified 'by the cruel inattention meted out to them, . From the district of the Riviera (jomes word ot a dreadful panic, several persons being killed and many injured. The building where the panic occurred was a favorito resort of tourists, and on this occasion the last carnival ball was being held, and the • place was crammed with American and English visitors. The dancers were just about to leave the scene when the strange and ominous rumbling was . -heard,'Whicluproved the forerunner of death tomany, The shocks wero felt with great violence at Leghorn, Marseilles, Milan, , Toulon, Avignon, and Goneva. ~ At'Savona, a town 24 miles B.W. of Genoa, a number of houses were wrecked and 11 persons killed, Northern Italy seoms to have been the contre of tho terrible visitation, and fifteen hundred persons are reported to have been killed, Any estimate must , necessarily be incomplete, as it is imi possible.to say how many bodies, may •'■ .flying beJoeath the falling buildings Which strew.the distriot. ,"■"'■ > The worst news is that of a terrible calamity whioh bas.'ocourred atßajardo „whero there is a large church. As soon as''tho 4 .'shocks wero felt tho people crowded into the building, and tho excited maBB wedged themselves in, and ■crammed- it to its vory portals. A por- ' feofb'abel endued, Some offered up ■prayer, while some chanted and others 1 wept. It was not till some time after '■■ the supreme violence of the shooks had . passed that the dreadful catastrophe • happened. Almost; without warning ; tho building collapsed, and 30Q persons ' are reported- to have been instantly killed or severely wounded. Relief trains- wi,th provisions have : been despatched to the outlying places, and medical men have been instructed ■ to make their way to remote Tillages, : with a view to relieving the sufferings i of the wounded, ~ '"'Tt'is stated thai; Rudolpho, in his table of eclipses, predicted that there would be earthquakes on the occasion of the eclipse of the sun just taken place.. ' The earthquake extended all over ■ Southern France and Central Italy, and was especially severe in Ge.ioa an<} Portq Mauriiso, Many of the residents of Nice arp cppinginthe i streets. Visitors to tjie Italian watering places fjed from the country by railway, or took refuge on shipboard. \ ■ London, February 25. 1 'The number of victims has j\o\i been'swelled to 2000 in Italy alone, At Bassana a third of the populace i were burled under the.ruiris, ~ A&leait 10,000 people have flod from Nice. The Prince of Wales leaves for England to-day;