AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 13949, 4 January 1909, Page 5

AFTER THE EARTHQUAKE.

THE STRICKEN TOWNS.

TRAINS ENGULFED BY TSDAL WAVE.

PLIGHT OF THE SURVIVORS. MESSINA AND REGGIO UNDER MARTIAL LAW. ESTIMATED DAMAGE SEVENTY MILLIONS. By Telegraph.—Presi Association.—Copyright. (Received January 3, 6 p.m.) Home, January 2. Two trains full of passengers were engulfed by a tidal wave as they were leaving Reggio, just after the earthquake had occurred on Mon* day last. A girl of 12, a boarder at a convent at Monteleone, repeatedly re« turned to the tottering building and rescued three nuns and four girl companions. The Duke of Aosta was exploring the ruins of Palmi, about 21 miles north of Reggio, when he stumbled against a corpse still clutching money and bank notes. He attempted to raise the moribund survivor, who died in his arms. King Victor Emmanuel has telegraphed to Signor Giolliti, the Pre* mier, to " send ships, still more ships, above all, ships laden with quicklime." Correspondents emphasise that pestilence is threatened unless the survivors are speedily removed from the scene of the disasters. Ocean liners are assisting to remove refugees. It is believed that most of those buried in the ruins are now dead, and it will be necessary to cover the ruins with quicklime to prevent pestilence. The Marquis of Semnola has not yet been rescued from the cellar of his house at Messina, which has collapsed, but possesses plenty of provisions. The newspaper Tribuna states that out of the 20,000 survivors at Messina, a fourth are the diregs of the population, requiring to be re* strained by armed force. Many suicides and cases of madness are reported. Rain is now falling in torrents. As a measure of precaution against madness, the authorities have ordered the killing of all dogs and cats, which many famished people are eating. The military overpowered 80 dangerous criminals indulging in wholesale robbery. Reggio and Messina have been placed under martial law. Troops shot two of a famished mob attempting to plunder a bank safe. It is estimated that private property to the value of £10,000,000 in Messina, £40,000,000 in Reggio, £12,000,000 worth of fortifications in the Straits of Messina, and docks and harbour works costing £9,000,000 have been ruined. The Admiralty intercepted the Australian mail steamer Ophir, and diverted her to Reggio, whence she conveyed 750 refugees and wounded to Naples. The Orient Shipping Company's Messina agent perished in the disaster. MORE SHOCKS PREDICTED. PRINCESS RESCUES CHILDREN FROM THE RUINS. (Received January 3, 6.30 p.m.) Rome, January 2. Father Albani, of the Florence Observatory, predicts a continuance of the seismic disturbance for several years. Princess Levalle was viewing the sunrise at Taormina, the popu* lar health resort in Sicily, when the earthquake occurred. She hastily returned to Messina, and found the Lusco Palace in ruins. Fancying that she heard the voices of her daughters under the ruins, she commenced scraping away with her hands and nails, and rescued two unknown children. Then her husband appeared and told her that her daughters had safely lowered themselves by a rope made of sheets tied together. They also rescued two babies, whom the Princess will adopt. RELIEF OF THE SUFFERERS. HELP FROM BRITAIN AND AMERICA. ißeceived January 4, 12.35 a.m.) Rome, January 2. King Victor Emmanuel has telegraphed to King Edward, expressing his wholehearted thanks for the splendid work being done by the officers and sailors of the British warships now in Italian waters. It is officially stated that much more than half the population on both sides of the Straits of Messina have perished. British admirals report that the topography of the straits has not altered. All Italy is co-operating with the King and Queen of Italy, the Princes, and Ministers, in the splendid arrangements they are making to afford relief. Thousands of beds have been offered to the authorities, and the Neapolitan aristocracy have lent hundreds of motor cars. Queen Helena personally attended to the wants of patients in Messina yesterday, and sewed garments for many of them. Th- "ope has contributed £4000, the College of Cardinals £800, Queen Margherita (uother of the King) £800, and Lord Rosebery £400. " „tJ x . . . Telegraph advice has been received that up to Friday the subscript tions in New York totalled £40,000, and in San a Francisco £12,000. Chicago proposes to send £20,000, and Boston £10,000. J. P. Morgan and Comoanv have given £6000; Mr. Busch, a brewer in St. Louis, £5000 T Christian Herald, New York, £4000; and the Board of Al= derme'n of New York £20,000. The Lord Mayor of London's fund now totals over £20,000. A message has been received from the Prime Minister of Canada, stating that the Governments of Ontario and Quebec had voted £5000 each. The City of Ottawa is contributing £1000.

ANOTHER VANISHED TOWN.

ONLY TWO SURVIVORS. KING'S NARROW ESCAPE. Rome, January 1. The whole town of Scylla has been wiped out by the earthquake, and of its whole population there were but two survivors. These two were priests, who were in the vault of a church, which alone of all the buildings withstood the shock King Victor Emmanuel, while revisiting Messina, after a visit to ileggio, had a narrow escape from death. * He was standing in one of the streets, when a building five storeys high suddenly toppled over, the stones falling right at his feet.

FAMISHED REFUGEES,

DOGS KILLED FOR FOOD. BED OF THE SEA RISES. Rome, January 1. The first great shock of the earthquake lasted 37 seconds. It was immediately followed by a succession, of tidal waves, four in number, which swept inland and increased the havoc wrought by the shock. A series of vibrations, not so great as the first, but still very severe, was then experienced. Captains of vessels passing through the Straits of Messina report that the bed of the sea in the strait has risen 10ft. The captain of the steamer Umine reports that he saw famished sur-

• vivors in Kcggio killing and eating dogs. Signor Fulce, a member of the Chamber of Deputies, lay injured in a ruined cellar for 15 hours, and was" then suffocated. His brother heard his cries, but was unable to relieve him.