No. 194.
Mr. Denby
to Mr. Bayard.
Peking, March 29, 1888 (Received May 5.)
Sir: The earthquake and volcanic phenomena of the past few years have been very remarkable, and these great disturbances continue to be produced.
From a recent report of the governor of Yunnan, which appeared in the Peking Gazette, a tremendous earthquake ha$ occurred in the south of the province.
[Page 286]In his memorial to the throne the governor states that the disturbance commenced between 5 and 6 p.m. on the 14th of January last, and continued till 4 am. on the following day. During the period there were ten or more serious shocks, which were accompanied by a noise as of thunder. In certain district cities the town walls were either thrown down or cracked, while the public offices and temples shared the same fate. At a place called Shih Ping, in the south of the city, eight or nine tenths of the private houses fell; in other parts the devastation was rather less, but still even there over a thousand rooms were left with cracked or standing walls—over 200 persons of all ages were crushed to death, and more than 300 permanently crippled. There was much loss of life or limb in the surrounding villages, it being estimated that to the east 800 were killed and about the same number wounded; to the south, 200 and 400; to the west, 300 and 500; to the north, 100 and 200; making a total of over 4,000 killed and wounded.
This does not, however, represent the entire suffering caused. Many people, rich and poor, are left without homes—all their property and provisions being buried beneath the ruins.
The earthquake was felt in other places, which caused suffering of a similar nature to that in Shih-ping.
The memorialist, in view of the unprecedented magnitude of the disaster and the vast extent of misery caused, has instructed the officials in the disturbed localities to lose no time in administering and providing for the wants of the unfortunate sufferers.
In a place called Wu Yuen Ting the district jail was thrown down, from which all the prisoners escaped.
A rescript from the Emperor shows that His Majesty is much distressed by this unfortunate and serious calamity and orders that measures be taken at once to insure relief to the sufferers.
I have, etc.,