ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 711, 6 January 1877, Page 2

ITEMS BY THE MAIL.

THE INDIAN TIDAL WAVE.

Calcutta, November 23. — Threa ol a ?. d l f ? attia V Sundeep, and Dakia bhahabozhare, and numerous smaller islands, included m the Baokereunce Norhkelly and Chittagong districts, were entirely aubmerged by the Btorm-wave of October 31st, as was also the main land for five or six miles. These islands' are all m or near the estuary of the liver Megna. The largest, Dakin iShahafozhare, was 500 square miles m extent. Ifc had a 'population of about 240.00 U. Hattiah and Sundeep together had about 100,000. Up to eleven o'clock on the night of the 31st there were no signs o£ danger, but before midnight a wave had swept over the country to the depth ia many places of twenty feet, surprising the people m their beds. Dense groves of coooauat *nd palm trees around the villages enabled many to save themselves by climbing the branches. Some took refuge on the tops of their houses, but the water burst the houses asunder, and swept them out to sea. . Some were carried across the channel 10 miles to Cbittagong District, but the vast majority were never heard of again. There is scarcely a household m the islands and on the adjacent coast but lost many members. There is much distress among the survivors, which Government is relieving. It is believed that not one-ttird of the population survived. The stench frcm putrefying bodies is insufferable, and a generai outbreak of cholera is expected.

THE RUSSIAN NAVY. December I.— The dispatch to the •' News " reports that the commander of the Black Sea fleet, addressing his ipcn, concluded with the following words :— '•This year you are destined to fight against the enemies of our religion. Re. member that the sai ors of the Black fciea gained glory at Sevastopol." £ S. I>. The Rothschilds are said .to have pro" TntHßdrto— aovatßjr Russia, moaey. The loan will not be made public. 1 Jttussia'fl conditions are said on 'Change to bo so favourable that the Rothscihildacan easily dispose of the loans privately. THE LAST INDIAN FIGHT. •PARTICULAKS OE GBNEBAC MOKEKZIE 1 S ATTACK OS CHEyiNKB VIISLMJES. New York, November 29. —A despatch dated m the field, N0v.25, viafoit Fetter■man, givts the following additional particu'ars of Q-eneral McKenzie'si fighi on the 25; h: The hoatiies had been haying a war dance all night and were not taken by surprise by theataek which was made at sunrise. The village was located m a canon running nearly north and south. It contained 200 lodges with, perhaps 500 warriors. General McKerzie's , fighting force numfeerod nearly 1,000. Most of the enlisted Indians behaved well at the start, but after the first heat of charge very many of them relapsed into apparent indifference to everything but plundering the abandoned lodges of the Ghgyennes, and trying to run off horses. About twenty Indians that can be oounted were killed, and doubtless many more have fallen .behind the rocks. About five or six of our horses have been kißed.

THE BROOKLYN THEATREICATAS. TBOPHE. We publish the following additional particulars : . New York, December fr—Tlle firwin the Brooklyn Theatre last night wae v^w tended by an appalling loss of life. It m thought that not less than 300 persons were killed m the rush to the doors or burned to death. The fire bt»ke out during the (performance of the last scene and m five minutes more the audience would, have been dismissed. Tlie house was about two thirds filled, those beiow sitting well forward towards tba stage, for those m the family-oincie, dress circle, and galleries, there^was no way of esoape Washington Street. Tie panic* Btriofiten people, rushed pell-mell towards and down-fcbe stairways. Tie main exit became immediately choked up, and a scene of terror, confusion and distress ensued which beggars description. Just above the landing place on tbe stairway a woman m the crush, had her foot knooked between the bannisters and fell. The crowd behind, forced forward by terrified people still further behind, fell over her and piled on top of eaoh other four or five deep. The police from the station house next door were promptly on the scene but owing to the manner m which the people were piled up on the tbp of each other and massed together, they could extricate comparatively few, and theee were all bruised, bleeding and maimed The firemen got to work on the ruins* and shortly after daylight this morning ■they succeeded m getting as far as the wall of the dress-circle where they found a great number of bodies, and immediately began the work of removal.

The origin of the fire was that the drop was ignited from the botder light by the some means inexplicable, as one was guarded from the other. The stace carpenter, Weaver, and two supers endeavouring to extinguish the flames but the difficulty was to reach the part on fire. The stage carpenter, vrlth the supernumeraries, attempted to effect their object by lowering the drop, and m doiDg so, added fuel to the flames. Some persons assert; that no one m the upper gallery escaped. The last man that left the stairs before they fel] says that behind him was a helpless, halfsuiffooated crowd. The actors theiaselvos had a great difficulty fn effecting their escape. Going to the back of fltha sttte their advance was cut off by flames that played around the usual place of Tgrets,

and struggled from beyond to buißt open the do ti. Miss Claxton and another lady Mr Mathews and another geutlemun auoceeded m entering the dark underground passage-way to the box-office, and ■avud themselvos with difficulty. Stuart Campbell* reporter on tha "Commercial Advertiser," la among the viotoms. Kate Chxton, at a preliminary inquiry of the Fire Marshal, said: "at the beginning of the last aot, just as the ourtain went up, I heaid a tumbling noise on the stage, and two minutes after saw flames. The fire Beemed to be all on the stage. Mrs Warren, myself, Mr Stadley, and Mr Murdock, were on the stage at the time. We four remained there, and endeavoured, as best we could, to quiet the audience, and prevent a panic- I said to the people, 'Be quiet ; we are between you and the fire.^The front •door is open, and the passages are clear.' Not one of the audience jumped on the stage. The flames were then coming -down'on us. I ran out, and jumped^over •several people. Mr Murdock, after ■endeavouring to balm the fears of the rpanio'Strioken people, went to his dressing-room to get his and •must have been suffocated." New Yokk, Deoember 6, 4.30 p.m. •One hundred and aeventy-fiv« bodies 'have been taken from the ruins of the theatre. The rains are still burning, making the work of removing the bodies very diffioult. Flags ■are at half-mast throughout the oity. The theatres are draped iv mourning.

Wagon loads of rough boxes are , m front of the tiheafcre, aad •corpses are placed m them and covered •and carried to the morgue. The scene X iwmore terrible every minute. Men

,2nd women are, crowding around the atation-fiouse and theatre entrance, snaking inquiries for missing friends. The bodies present every form of contortion. Arms and legs are bent, and twisted m •every way hands are' -clenched and Teach out as if grasping for help.