THE EARTHQUAKE iN JAPAN.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3043, 16 January 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE EARTHQUAKE iN JAPAN.

The convulsion of nature in Wednesday's (October 2S) earthquake was so tremendous that even vetno reliable estirnateof the damage or loss of life is attainable. Wild statements of many thousands being Mlled nra current, but ho fur there is no evidence that the deaths number noro than three thousand. The chief fatalities areatOgaki, whero at least one thousand wore killed, chiefly by falling builds ings, At this plaeo and also at Gifu onormous conflagrations followed tho earthquake, in which many perished. The principal shock lasted less than two minutes, but it was sudden and of extreme violence. No subsequent shocks were strong enough to do datnngo nmler ordinary sircumstancos, but thoy siiiiieed to shake down walls already cracked, and added immensely to the terrors of tho night. Slighr. earthquake shooks continue at irregular intervals. The total destruction of bridges and railroads over a large area of country, and the paralysis of all ordinary occupations, prevent trast.-> worthy nows from reaching tho capital. Great Assures have appeared in the ground at many points, rendering roids impassable and travelling dangerous. One striking feature has been the subsidence of the land to some depth over great tracts of country, b'rom the towns of Ogaki, Kitagata, Ichinomiya, Biragnna, Kiyosu, Kamatsu, and other places, chiefly along the coast, has come news of their partial destruction. The great city of Nagoya suffered to a less extent, although seriously. The volcanic mountain Nakusan belched forth enormous musses of stones and continuous streams of sand and mud, and the contour of the mountain has been completely changed by the eruption. Great distress prevails in the destroyed towns, and the Government is embarrassed in its efforts by the prevailing panic and the absence of means of communication. The Bishop of Exeter, Dr. Bichersteth, with a party, were travelling in tho northern inlands. They were on their way to the district affected, and would have reached it a week later ; but a telegram received from tho Bishop announces bis safety and that of his son, the Bishop of Japan. The loss of European life is very small, but business houses have suffered great losses."