Reminiscences Of Dreadful Catastrophes

We liave s-eu nothing iu this country whieh approaches the Santiago ealamity. The buruing of the liichmond Theatre, in 1811, by whioh about 120 people were oonsuraed in the flamea, is the most horrible ealamity of that kind whieh has ever happened in oor own eoupt'ry; but öouth America has feit the hand of the destróyer in other forms more lieavily. - In 1842, 10,ÜU0 people were dtfstroyed by an earthquake in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela; while death had suddenly called off thousauds of victima in the same form in Quito and othèr cities, in his raaroh over South America. DuriDg the great pre in London, in 181-2, 2,000 perished in the burning of the Londoi] Bridge. ïn Constantinople, in 1791, 30.000 hoii8es aud 50 mosquea were destroyed by fire, and in the space of 13 year-3, about tljat time, 49,000 housen were burued iu the same citv. - In the great fire in London, m 1666, which raged four days and niglits, 113.000 houses and 86 ehurches, among them 8t. Paul s Gathedral, were burned, and 436 acres of the most populous part of ..the city were laid waste by the devouring flamea. In India, in 1737, 300,000 persons were destroyed by a hurnoane, wliich caused the water to rise 40 feet higher than usual, and 20,000 vessels were cast awijy. The great earthquakö in Sicily in 1693, which leveled Cantania and 49 other towns and cities, also destroyed 100,000 people. 60,000 people were destroyed in the space of six minutes by the earthquake which engulfed the city of Lisbon in 1755, the shock w;is feit nearly all over Europe, iu the northern pait of África, and even in the West luches, aud a vaut wave froni the Gea swept over the coast of Spain, in souie places 00 feet high. Near Morocco the earth suddenly opeiied and swallowed 10,000 people and thcir herds. ' ïhis obapter of accidenta might be extended further by referencc to voloanio eruptions and plagues; butainong all the tragedies which blaoken the pages of history, nono íeave a shaiper sting or oréate a more acute pain in the public heart than the burning to dcath of 2,000 people, in one saeriiice, at Santiago.