THE JAPANESE DISASTER.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17862, 7 September 1923, Page 9

THE JAPANESE DISASTER.

REVISED DEATH ROLL MANY FOREIGNERS KILLED. (b? cable —?axss association —coptbight.) lalClEa's TILEaSAXS.) SHANGHAI, September 3. Nagasaki reports that tho earthquake totally destroyed tho American and French Embassy buildings, and the Chinese and Netherlands Legations, and partially destroyed the Italian, Polish, and Swiss Legations", while the British and German Embassies were saved. Admiral Anderson, commander of the United States Asiatic Fleet, has arrived at Yokohama. Ho reports that several hundred foreigners are dead, including many officials. Many fatalities occurred when the American Naval Hospital and the Yokohama Club collapsed.

The total deaths are estimated at 240,000, and 450,000 injured. At tho Catholic orphanage at Yokohama ICO children and twelve sisters were crushed to death.

There were ghastly sights in tho streets, where hundreds of dead lie in grotesquo heaps, looking as if they had been gassed. Amongst those reported dead aro .Messrs Morrison and McDouglass, of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Chartered Bank, and M. Paul Desgarden, .French Consul-General at Yokohama. That the Italian Ambassador at Tokyo perished seems indicated in a report from tho French Consul at Kobe announcing that tho Italian Embassy at Tokyo, and the Consulate at Yokohama, %vere destroyed, but that the whole Italian colony in Japan is safe, inciuding tho diplomatic staff, with the exception of the Ambassador. Later reports state that the officials fear extremely high casualties in the mountain districts, whence official word is still lacking. The Japanese officials estimate that over 200 foreigners perished in Yokohama on Saturday, while relatively few foreigners were killed in 'Tokyo. Reports from Osaka state that while the earthquake was still in progress on Sunday evening the ceremony of installing the new Cabinet was carried out in tho presence of the PrinceRegent outside tho Akasaka Palace. Subsequently the first meeting of the new Cabinet was held outside the Premier's official residence and discussed relief measures. (Sydney "Sun" Service.) OSAKA, September 5. Martial law is operating throughout the earthquake zone. Troops ore concentrating on Tokyo and Yokohama from the neighbouring districts to keep order and to assist in the relief work, j Supplies are arriving in great quantities, including army supplies which are being brought back from Manchuria. Pitiable scenes are being witnessed. Crowds of people are begging food from passing relief carts. (Received September 6th, 11.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, September o. The "New York Times" estimates that according to advices from various places, proba-bly SCO foreigners were killed in the Japanese disaster. The "Chicago Tribune's" Kobe correspondent says the ex-Premier Viscount Takahashi and other leaders of the Seiyukai Party who were at first reported killed are known definitely to have escaped. The members of the Japanese Royal family killed include Prince Shimazu and Prince Kachio. Tho latter was smothered in a railway tunnel at Yokohama when the exits wero blocked. Prince Matsukata, who ivas previously reported dead, is sale.

A Shanghai message says certain unaffected elevated sections of Tokyo are now lighted by electricity after being in darkness <for three nights. NAVAL BASE DESTROYED. TOWNS OVERWHELMED. SHANGHAI, September 5. Tho destruction of Yokosuka, one of the principal naval stations and dockyards, is complete. The earthquake smashed tho subterranean oil tanks on the hillside above the naval station, and 500,000 tons of oil, sweeping through the demolished town, caught fire and became a river of flames, from which there was no escape. The burning oil spread «ver the .harbour setting lire to some vessels. The scene was a terrifying one. At the naval base, for hours, tnere were continuous explosions of ammunition, punctuated with mighty blasts as the magazines caught and blew up. The towns of Odawara, 40 miles aouth-west of Tokyo, and Koduu, are reported to have been completely destroyed.

Kamakura, near Yokohama, was wiped out by a tidal wave twelve feet high, which followed) the earthquake.

SUBMARINE UPHEAVAL. AMERICAN SHIPPING SAFE. (Received September 6th, 9.45 p.m.; PEKING, September 5. A new island has appeared forty miles south of Yokohama, where Ishima stood. The latter apparently sank, drowning its population. Tokyo University announces tho centre of tlio disturbances was in the ocean 62 miles south of Tokyo, (Received Setpember 6th, 9.4-5 p.m.) WASHINGTON, September 5. A message to tho United States Shipping Board from its Manila agent reports that all the vessels of the Government fleet in the earthquake zone are safe. It is stated that the floor of Yokohama harbour has been raised, trapping several ships inside the port. It is suggested that this may necessitate the use of Kobe as the principa 1 receiving port for relief supplies. (Received September 6th, 8.10 p.m./ SAN FRANCISCO, September 5. A radiogram from the Japanese Government announces that the steamer Taiyo Maru is safe, thus nullifying the earlier reports that she was endangered 000 miles off Yokohama.