EARTHQUAKE AND WHIRLWIND IN SOUTH AMERICA.

Colonist, Volume XIII, Issue 1279, 28 December 1869, Page 3

EARTHQUAKE AND WHIRLWIND IN SOUTH AMERICA.

The Panama Star and Herald of the sth September says :— "A gentleman who arrived from Valparaiso per Bcrew steamer Limena, on the 29th ult., has favored lis with some interesting notes made during the voyage, from which some idea may be formed of the extreme terror which has taken possession of all classes of the community on the coast, in dread of the fulfilment of the predictions of the German astrologer, M. Falb, that the weßt coast of South America would be destroyed about this time by some frightful convulson of nature—earthquake, tidal waves, or such like, many of the towns alon^ the coast were being deserted, the people fleeing inland for safety, regardless of the exposure and privations to which they would be subjected. The Limena left Valparaiso ou the 10th August, and arrived at Caldera on the>l2th, where upon inquiry we learnt that some very severe shocks of earthquake had been felt at Copiapo, within the few days preceding, causing much alarm. On the evening of the 14th the steamer arrived at Tocapilla; here we found the same fear prevailing, and learnt that on the night of the 13th, at half-past ten o'clock, a sever© shock was felt; most of the residents had moved to the interior. On arrival at Iquique, on the afternoon of Sunday, the 15th, the some distressing story was told of the anticipated destruction of the coast; most of the people had left, and the city was quite deserted. On the 15th at half-past eleven, a long rolling sound was heard, which lasted for some seconds, but there was no apparent motion of the earth; but at five p.m. on the 15th a severe shock was felt. We arrived at Anca on the 16th, at seven o'clock; at halfpast four a.m. a severe shock was experienced at sea, which was perceptibly felt on board the limena, and caused those who were awake to imagine the vessel had struck. On arriving at Arica we learnt that the shock had been terribly severe at half-past four o'clock a.m., at five a.m. a second shock occurred, and at nine a.m. a third* but both of the latter were much lighter than the preceding one at half-past four a.m. During the days of the lltb, 12th, and 13th, the time at which the great calamity was to occur, the people being much frightened at the prophecies of the wise ones left thy place and went back upon the hills, but during these days no troubles were felt. The whole coast is rapidly losing its inhabitants, and in consequence business of all description is at a standstill." From a report of the Governor of the department of Apaneca, Salvador, dated Aug. 6, we (Panama Star and Herald) translate the following account of a strange phenomenon which occurred near the town of Apaneca:— " About noon on the 3rd of August, the atmosphere being heavily charged with electricity, there came down from the volcano of Ahuachapan, near which the above town if situated, a dry whirlwind towards the place called Sasiniapa, about five blocks distant t* the S.W. of Ahuachapan, and increasing in its course it finally became so large as to cover a circumference of 30 yards. This phenomenon, which appeared like an enormous and blackened column of the height of 200 yards, lasted fifteen minutes in some places, raising large logs of wood and the branches of trees that came under its control, and a vapor of thick smoke arose from the earth, causing a fearful noise similar to^the oft-repeated detonations of a heavy storm. This strange phenomenon, the majestic ftp- ' pearance of which made all the inhabitant* tremble, lasted two and a half hours, and took the course of the road to Ataca, leaving behind it openings in the woods and hedges, and even in the hard earth; and was followed by a heavy rain, which did not permit us to see the end of the monster."

Belgium has declined to send a representative to the (Ecumenical Council. At Wood Green, a suburb of London, ob September 4, a man named Hinson, shot young woman named Maria Death, and beat out the brains of a man named Boyd, latelj returned from Japan, Jealousy was' the cause. Hinson was committed for trial. During the festivities at Koehigsberg, Prussia, on September 13, in honor of th« , visit of the King, a deplorable accident occurred. Owing to the crush of spectators, the railings of abridge gave m Upward* olfo^pai»i M w«Skte ■

The old manor-house of Brixton-rise, which has stood for more than 300 years, and was the residence of the lords of the manor of Lambeth, is now in course of demolition. The increased value of land for building purposes in the neighborhood is the primary cause of the removal of the venerable red-brick mansion, whic|j, after standing so many years, was still in a state of preservation. ;. DuunJG the month of August seventeen vessels, having a tonnage of 16,599, were built on the Clyde, Scotland, .r-v „ The money remitted to the Chancellor ol the Exchequer by sundry persons for conscience sake in the financial year ending 31st March, 1569, amounted to £4194. In the preceding year the amount was *4688 T 7- -n 4- 1, ■ Tbe WheeTcblai voor Israeheten, a JJutcn Jewish paper, reports that a Jewish lady in her hundredth year recently visited the Amsterdam Exhibition, accompanied by her grandson, who was himself a grandfather. She inspected a sewing machine and threaded a needle without the aid of spectacles.—Jewish CJironicle. Mes. Burton, who died recently at Eounday, near Leeds, has left some munificient bequests for charitable purposes. The.total amount of her benefactions exceeds £30,000, of which £15,000 is to be devoted to the erection of Wesley an chapels and schools in Cumberland and Scotland. The Wesleyan Home Misssion, the Bible Society, and the Leeds Infirmary each receive £2000. A giel died in London lately, through swallowing two damson-stones, which lodged together in the mucous^ membrance of the stomach, and caused inflammation. A m slee?isg lady at Hartelepool" threatens to eclipse "the fasting girl of Wales." Miss Clarke, the somenolent lady in question, arrived at Selby a few weeks ago, and on the 14th August, she fell into a profound sleep, from wbich all the efforts of the doctors have failed to arouse her, except partially, at a very few short intervals. The young lady up to the time of her strange seizure, was ra the enjoyment of good health. Pbtitcb Akthu2, after visiting Niagara Falls, has made au excursion upon United States territory to Buffalo, where he dined with ex-President Fell more. Pbopessoe Peppee, after visiting the Great Exhibition in Holland, has returned to London. During a lecture, in which he showed the great progress Germany, France, and Belgium continues to make in manufactures, Mr. Pepper said if England did not adapt herself to the demands of foreign countries, and forsake her old jog-trot' ways, she would not retain her hold on the markets of the world. Female Voters.-—The burgess roll of Liverpool has 41,196 names, of which 3500 are those of females; Manchester and Salford,4o,ooo names,;ncluding 5000 women; aud Sheffield 34,000 electors, between three and four thousand of whom belong to the fair sex. On the Continent, the municipal body of Vienna has decided that 7000 females snail be admitted to the right of an elective Jght. FaEMTYG OPEHA.TIO3TB BY STEAM. — The Farmer reports another application of steam to agricultural operations. A st'jatn-plough-ing engine has beeu used on Messrs. Howard's farm at Bedford, (Eingland) for drawing wagon-trains cf sheaves. Thus the corn is not oniy cut but carted by steam, and the consequent gain to the farmer is very considerable. He is not outy enabled to make the most of fine weather end. avoid the chances of the clouds, but he can also dispense with fi number of bis horses. What this saving amounts to wi)! be appreciated wheu the outlay on the stable is reckoned up, Iron:. £20 to £25 per horse annually for keep alous, besides the value of the animals. Tee ancient ruins in Mexico £>."e constantly being brought to light, and recently the remains of an Aztec fortress have been discovered on the summit of a mountain near Orizaba. The place is so dense with woods and undergrowth that a thorough exploration could not be made l>y the discoverers. They found four bouses, ibrea sacrificial, stonea, several pillrrs, and a kind of urn, in which were more tl?an two hundred skulls as white as marble, from which not a tooth was lacking. Several idols and stone statues were discovered. Miss Gats.; <s A. Besn no, a yotmg lady of Harris County, Georgia, who was reduced by the wa,r from wealth to poverty, has in cultivation a five-acre field of eotion, which is said to be the best in the neighborhood. She planted and worked it hersel^ with no assistance except in one ploughing. The charge of souls in the-JSorth-German army is committed to the care of 172 ministers, 113 of whom are Protestants, and 53 Koman.Catholics. TkeMw York Herald pretends to see a political move in Prince Arthur's visit to Canada. That England wishes to make him king of that Country; and finish*3 off the subject by saying:—"A kingdom on our northern border is impossible. The fate of Maximilian is worthy the attention of Prince Arthur snd his friends in England." Troops fob Cuba.—lt is once again announced that 24,003 men are to be sent from Spain to Cuba; and, indeed, that 10,000 of the most reliable troops arato be despatched forthwith. The commercial firms in Havana, have offered to provide £90,009 towards the i cost of the transport. Mb. Bbight a Scripttlrk: Keadea.—A j Kochdale correspondent sends the following to the Leeds Mercury :—" At a meeting held in Elliott-street Street School Boom, Kochdale, the Key. Mr. Lawis said that a circumstance that had come under his observation afforded him much pleasure and encouragement in his work. In the course of his visiting the sick, he had had a conversation with an invalid gii'l, who informed him that Mr. Bright, when at his Kochdale home, often came to read to her from the Bible, and show her what the Saviour so beautifully termß? tbe way of life;' 'and,' added the woman, 'be does it as well as a minister.' 'Why,'.jocularly retorted the rev. gentleman, 'ijju't he,a. minister —the greatest minister in England V " '

Garibaldi is about to publish a book in England, entitled " Eome in the 19th tury."Pbime Donne's Fngagements. — The Figaro gives uaiheprimeur ofMdme. Patti'a engagement with her brother-in-law, M. Strakosch, which is worth giving as a musical curiosity:—Madame Patti undertakes to follow M. Strakosch, in America, from September 1, 1871, to September 1, 1872, on which day she is to be restored to France. The engagement only includes eight monthsj during which period Madame Patti will sing one hundred times, at the rate of £400 per night, making a sum total ef £40,000, of which M. Strakosch deposits £20,000 in the hands of MM. de Hothschild, of Frankfort. The Swedish Nightingale is not far behind her Italian rival in her estimation of the monetary value of her talents. Mdlle. Nilsson undertakes to sing in England from September 15 to December 15 for the trifling sum of £8000—that is at the rate of three nights per week, at £215 per night! A Legal View op the Bykost Controversy.—The Law Journal takes a legal view of the questions raised, and comes to the following conclusions,—-1. That if the indictment were proved Lord Byron must be pronounced not guilty on the ground of insanity. 2. That the accuser is an interested and not a reliable witness, and that she offers no other evidence than her dressed up recollections of conversations with Lady Byron, and which is indeed no evidence at all. 3. That Lady Byron's charge is based upon the alleged confessions of Byron ; that it was natural Lady Byron should as the separated wife, be mortified and suspicious; that-she offers no evidence in support of her suspicions; and that her conduct as represented by Mrs. Stowe was not consistent with her alleged belief in the incest of her husband. The Skopzi Mania in Eussia.—All the efforts of the Eussian Government, it would seem, have proved unavailing to put a stop to extravagances of the Skopzi. On September 13, a party of 400 of these fanatics left the town of Balatschow, and proceeded to a neighboring wood to pray. The scene witnessed on their return was horrible. A madman named Wasiloff declared that he was the Son of God, and, after choosing twelve opostles from the party, called for a human sacrifice. Five victims were at once selected, placed on a number of waggons which had been piled up for the purpose, and burnt alive. A woman who had distinguished herself by the violence of her religious paroxysms seized the shaft of a cart and beat two young girls to death; while another female was first trodden under foot and then literally torn to pieces by the fanatical crowd. Other details are given of the horrors enacted, which are utterly unfit for publication. It is impossible to say what farther excesses might not have been committed if the governor of the town, being informed of the facts, had not despatched a company of soldiers and arrested the whole party, who are now in confinement, pending the inquiries of a commission seat • from St. Petersburg to report on the subject. It is to be hoped that the Government will know what to do with their prisoners. HoiiLOWAY's Ointment and Phis are the best, ' the cheapest, and the most popular remedies. At all seasons and under all circumstances they may be used ■with safety and with the certainty of doing good. Eruptions," rashes, and all descriptions of sick discuses, sores, ulcerations, and burns are presently benefittecl and ultimately cured by these healing, soothing, and purifying medicaments. The Ointment rubbed upon the abdomen, checks all tendency to irritation in the bowels, and averts dysentery and other disorders ol the intestines. Pimples, blotches, inflammations of the skin, muscular pains, neuralgic affections and enlarged glands can be effectively overcome by using Holloway'a remedies according to the " instructions" accompanying every packet. — Advt. Science and Art. —A striking instance of the immense value a small piece of steel may acquire by the great power of skilled mechanical labor is the balance-spring of a watch. From its extreme fineness and delicacy 4000 weigh not more than one ounce, and exceed in value £1000. A most interesting little work, describing the rise and progress of watchmaking, has been published by J. W. Benson, 25, Old Bond-street, and the City Steam Factory, 58 and 60, Ludgate Hill. The book, which is profusely illustrated, gives a full description of the various kinds of watches and clocks, with their prices. Mr. Benson (who holds the appointment to the Prince of Wales) has al9O published a pamphlet on Artistic Gold Jewellery, illustrated with the most beautiful designs of Bracelets, Brooches, Earrings, Lockets, &c, &c, suitable for Wedding, Birthday, and other presents. These pamphlets are sent post free for two stamps each, and they cannot be too strongly recommended to those contemplating a purchase, especially to residents in the country or abroad, who are thus enabled to select any article they may require, and have it forworded with perfect safety.— Advt.