Awful Destitution!

New York, February 1.- The Red Cross line steamship Portla has arrivftd, four day overdue, from St. Johns, N. F., and Halifax, after a iierce encounter with pack iee off the Xowfoumlland coast, and with a harrowtng tale of blizzards and destitutiou in the coast seetions of that country. Hundreds of womeu aud children dying from exposure and starvatlon wlth abundance close by, and hundreds moro threatened with a like fate, are tiie brief details of the condition of affaïrs brought by the Pottia. Four days the Portla was penned in httge Arctic floes in plain sight of St. Johns, unab.'e to move. She juanaged to escape by the merest accident. Many other craft, several of thcin lief vessels, sent by the Canadian governruent to succor destitute fisliermeu, had to abandon their errands of inercy and Teturn to St. Johns, where tliey were still in the ice when the Portia struggled into clear water. Close to where the Portia lay the big steainship Virginia was locked tight. She had been sent north by the Canadian government witli food for the starving flshermen, but a Bhort distanee up the coast she found the route securely blocked and was fopeed to return to port to prevent being icobcund all winter. Bef ore lier depariure news had reached St. Johns thai unless assistanee was pronsptly dispa,tehed the unfortunate inhabitants would soon be beyond relief. Among the detained fleet at St. Johns were a dozen or more sailing vessels, loaded with codflsh for England and BrazlI.