TOLL OF JAPANESE DISASTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18496, 5 September 1923, Page 9

TOLL OF JAPANESE DISASTER.

150,000 DEAD IN TOKIO ALONE. MORE EARTHQUAKES SHAKE CITY. DESTRUCTION OF FOREIGN EMBASSIES. BRITISH WARSHIP AIDS RELIEF WORK. All the news of the Japanese calamity received to-day deepens the impression, of widespread ruin by earthquake, fire and tidal wave, involving for the time being almost complete isolation, except by sea, of the devastated area. One message states that the loss of life in Tokio alone is estimated at 150,000, but Dr. Omori, one of the Japanese scientists at the PanPacific (Science Congress at Sydney, is of opinion, after consideration of the casualty figures of the 1855 earthquake, that this estimate is greatly ' exaggerated. Two more earthquakes shook Tokio on Monday. The French and Italian Embassies at Tokio have been destroyed, and it is reported that 40 foreigners perished at the mountain resort of Hokane. Relief Measures have been organised and the British warship Despatch has arrived at Yokohama and is assisting in the work. An American flotilla of destroyers with supplies is on its way to Yokohama,

TOKIO SHAKEN AGAIN.

RELIEF WORK IN HAND-

DEATH BY FIRE AND FLOOD.

BIftTISH AID AERIYES.

NOTABLE VICTIMS REPORTED.

CRUISER AT YOKOHAMA.

AMERICAN FLOTILLA ON WAY.

funeral pyres of bodies.

By Telegraph—Press Association—

FOREIGN EMBASSIES BURNED

A. and N.Z.

NEW YORK. Sept. 3.

6 Telegraph Press Association— (Received 9.5 p.m.) I A. and N.Z. SHANGHAI. Sept. 3. | Two new earthquakes shook Tokio to- | day. The crazed people are fleeing from { the city, choking all roads. Japanese reports from Tokio and Yokohama state that' huge pyres of the corpses of victims are being cremated at wholesale funerals. In an effort to avoid plague the bodies are thrown into the burning ruins, while a hundred priests conduct rites. Half a million if the lowest estimate of the number rendered homeless. A train on the Tokio-Sendai railway crossed a bridcre that had been damaged by the earthquake and fell into the river. Five hundred people were killed. The chief cause of the conflafrrations was the breaking of gas pipes. The firemen were helpless against ■the strong wind , and the fires raged unabated until Sunday night, when drastic demolition with bombs began to have effeot. Thousands of refugees in Yokohama Park were half drowned by a flood caused by the breaking of the city water pipes. The fire in Tokio seems to have subsided. This probably means that nothing inflammable is left. The Chinese Legation was burned. Order is being gradually restored. The inmates of the Tokio prison, including Socialists recently arrested, were released when the prison took fire. The Nagasaki wireless station announces that 350,000 houses were destroyed in Tokio, and the casualties number 130,000. . A wireless message from Osaka states that the Minister for the Navy estimates the fatalities in Tokio alone at 150,000. Eight thousand people are said to have been burned alive in the military compound in the Honjo suburb, whero they, were taking refuge after the earthquake. In other places, owing to the destruction of bridges and canals preventing their escape, thousands of people were trapped in the, blazing areas and perished. Many leaped into the water and were drowned. It is reported that Viscount Takahashi and 20 other principal members of the Seiyukai {Government Party), were killed while engaged in a conference on Saturday. About 40 foreigners also perished, at the mountain resort of Hakone. A report from Nagasaki states _ that Prince Matsukata died as the result of injuries received in the earthquake. Destruction of Embassies.

Advices from Japan state - that ;municipal relief work is proceeding in Tokio. Refugees are being supplied with provisions from the railway station, which is still intact. . '

The British cruiser Despatch -has arrived at Yokohama, and her officers are directing rescue work

Admiral Anderson, commanding the United States Asiatic fleet, sent a wireless message from Port Arthur , to ■ the effect tl'iiit be had despatched eight, destroyers to the scene of the disaster, carrying food, medical supplies, and clothing, which arti expected to arrive on Wednesday. ; The Municipal Corporations of Osaka and Kobe have votsd ICK^,OOO yen to the relief of the suffern-.s. They are also 'sending large, supplies of rioe. ,r : •

The Italian and French Embassies in Tokio are reported to have been destroyed. The Central Railway Station remains intact, but the lofty buildings opposite have been burned. The chief telephone and telegraph offices were destroyed by fire. In some suburbs hardly a single structure, is left standing. Iteuter's correspondent' reports that the state of destruction of Tokio is so complete that.it is possible the national capital will be temporarily transferred to Kyoto or Osaka. At Yokohama the fire started on the Bund, and spread to Aizaki and Benton Streets, demolishing the business districts. A wireless; operator describes Tokio and Yokohama as veritable hells'. Buildings have everywhere fallen, and others shaken by successive earthquakes slowly crumble Dead are everywhere, and the groans o the dying may be heard on all sides. ' Tens of thousands of refugees aro gathered in the parks. The Prince Regent has ordered that the palaces be thrown open for refugees. Warships Driven Ashore. Other advices state that many warships strew the shore in the vicinity of Yokohama, driven from their, anchorage by the tidal wave.-, The majority of , large steamers were saved by the prompt action of their commanders, who anticipated the tidal wave and steamed to safety. The fate of uncounted small ships is not ascertainable, as it is not known whether the tidal wave invariably swamped them or whether it was possible for any to survive. . The Japanese naval wireless service reports that the Navy Department buildings at Nagasaki are safe. ■ A wireless message, from the Korea Maru says that all lighthouses in the Bay I 0l " Tokio have been rendered useless, and navigation is dangerous. An intercepted message states that the entire island of Enoshima, off the Japanese wast, sank into the sea during the earthquake. ; - Much plundering and looting is reported in the stricken districts. Six looters were killed under martial law in |Tokio» ' / . _ .

SYMPATHY OF THE WORLD.

RESOLUTION OF LEAGUE,

ffBSSAGE FROM KING.

i- and N.Z. GENEVA. Sept. 3. The , meeting of the Assembly of the League opened with a full attendance of relegates. ;

Viscount., Ishii (Japan), presiding, reviewed the work of the League. Sir Joseph Cook, at the conclusion of Viscount,lshii's speech, mounted the platform and asked permission to address the iLssembly. He said he had just heard of the appalling catastrophe which h,id befallen Australia's neighbour in the Pacific. He was sure the Assembly would desire to express its deep sympathy, and' h«i' asked it to pass a resolution of sympathy, which was unanimously adopted. Viscount Ishii, replying, said ,ho was iiuro the Japanese people would ,be ' profoundly touched by this expression of human solidarity. ; 1 King George t has cabled to the Emperor of _ Japan expressing his horror and profound sympathy in the appalling disaster. ■ " .v:;-"';" v/-:.*

JAPAN'S NEW CABINET.

FORMED DURING FIRE.

A. and. N.Z. PEKING, Sept. S. An. intercepted wirdess message from Japan declared that the new Prime Minister, Baron Yamamoto, had been attacked on the day of lihe earthquake,, and had, therefore, gone into hiding. Despite the disorder, the new Cabinet, was formed while the buildings wcr© afire. ■ • ' ' • r>;V-ri * r > -

INVITATION TO TOKIO. PAN-PACIFIC CONGRESS. IN THREE YEARS' i TIME.A. and N.Z. SYDNEY. Sept. & The Pan-Pacific Science Congress accepted Professor Sakursi's invitation to the next congress, to meet .at Tokio ,in 3926. . . -U-.-In accepting tho invitation the greatest sympathy was expressed with Japan in regard to the"'earthquake disaster. . ; CASUALTY ESTIMATES, • EXAGGERATION PROBABLE, DR. OMOBI'S OPINION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association (Reed. .11.30 p.m.) SYDNEY. Sept. & Dr. Omori, ono of the.Japanese scientists at the Pan-Pacific Science Congress states that after consideration of th# casualty figures of the 1865 earthquake, the present estimates of casualties in the Japanese earthquake are greatly exaggerated. • ' AID FOR THE SUFFERERS. ANGLICAN CHURCH ATTITUDE • READY TO CO-OPERATE. The Anglican Bishop of Auckland, Dr. A. W. Averill, made sympathetic reference at the meeting of the Standing Com. mitteo yesterday to the Japanese earthquake. At his suggestion .. it : uas decided, to send a letter oil sympathy to; the Japanese Consul, and to inform . thel Mayor of.; Auckland that th* Anglican Church would : be very ready and ; willing to. 00-operata 1 as .regards any movement he'might think" fit to inaugurate for ; sending Jx&lg to frhflj ,sufferers* ' ■ : t