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prevailed. I also intimated to your Excellency that I had given directions for the temporary detention of any vessels wishing to leave the Port during the continuance of the earthquake, and that this proceeding had had a beneficial result in allaying the prevailing panic. No occasion however existed for enforcing a compulsory detention of any vessel, so many passengers and so much cargo offered for the ship first about to quit the Port that it was the interest of the agents to detain her for some days, during which the circumstances of our position became so far modified and so much more cheering that I considered it unnecessary to keep up the embargo, and instead only required the Captain or Agent of any vessel to lodge with the Collector of Customs, (for the purpose of being posted up publicly,) a list of all passengers about to leave the Province, 48 hours before a clearance could be given.

A regulation of this nature became absolutely necessary in the circumstances of the colony, to prevent persons taking advantage of the occurrence of the earthquake to abscond without paying or making provision for their debts.

The "Subraon" for Sydney was the first vessel ready, and on the afternoon of the 26th October, she sailed from the harbour, having on board sixty-one passengers, (men, women, and children.)

Unfortunately her sailing was delayed to rather a late hour in the afternoon, and the pilot in whose charge she was, attempted to take her against a strong south-easter, through Chaffer’s Passage, during which about 8 P.M. she struck within 100 yards of the shore, upon missing stays. All lives were providentially saved, and the passengers landed about three fourths of a mile from the pilot’s residence, where many were accommodated for the night, whilst the others obtained shelter under temporary tents formed by sails erected on the beach. On the 27th and 28th the weather being moderate a good deal of the cargo was got out and saved, but the vessel itself, a fine new barque of 500 tons, is, I fear, a complete wreck.

I have suspended the Pilot from his office until a proper investigation can be made into the circumstances under which the "Subraon" was lost.

In consequence of the wreck of the "Subraon," and from a hope generally experienced that the earthquake is now nearly over, I believe that many who had intended to quit the Colony will remain. I would hope even that the injury which the Colony is likely to sustain by the impression which the occurrence of so severe an earthquake must naturally make in England, will not be so great or so permanent as was at first anticipated.

Awful as the visitation was during its continuance, and calamitous as have been the results, there are yet many circumstances of consolation and encouragement in connection with it. First, such convulsions appear to be most rare. No similar ones have taken place since the settlement was established; nor can I ascertain that the Natives or others ever remembered any of such violence and long continued duration. Secondly, the worst shocks have not been the first, and thus a timely warning has been given to quit brick or other dangerous buildings, and little loss of life has ensued. Thirdly, not a single wooden building has been destroyed, or, as far as I am aware, even injured; and thus, amidst all the alarm and apprehension which so sudden and fearful an occurrence naturally excites, places of shelter and security have existed for the whole population; and no other real injury has been sustained by a large number of the inhabitants, than has been occasioned by the breakage of fragile articles in their houses. Fourthly, there is no doubt whatever that not a single brick building in the town had been really well and properly built, so that it is impossible to say how far brick buildings, if really well and substantially put up, would have withstood the violence of the shocks experienced; even as it was, some one or two buildings of bricks have been left, comparatively speaking, uninjured. I will, however, endeavour to collect further information, and cause proper reports to be made in reference to the whole subject, and trust I shall be able, in a future despatch, to afford your Excellency further and interesting details.

It remains for me to add, that as far as I am able to judge from the information I have received from Taranaki, Wanganui, Nelson, Akaroa, Otakou, and the East Cape, that the earthquake has been much less felt at all those places than at Wellington; and at none has any damage of consequence been sustained. It must not, however, be forgotten that, from the absence of brick buildings, no common standard of comparison exists as to the strength or power of the shocks of each place, and that, therefore, it is difficult to judge of the intensity with which they may have occurred at each respectively.

I have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your Excellency’s most obedient

humble servant,
E. Eyre.

RETURN OF THE PRINCIPAL HOUSES INJURED.

WELLINGTON TERRACE.

Mr. King, Solicitor—Clay house, partly faced with brick, posts in the walls, the clay walls strengthened with slips of wood nailed across the posts about nine inches apart, the brick facing all down, and great part of the clay work fallen out, or much shattered.

Mr. Cridland—clay walls built with upright posts same as preceding with slips of wood nailed to the posts, the claying all thoroughly loosened.

Capt. Sharpe—clay with strong posts about two feet apart, 12 inch walls, very substantially built, slips of wood nailed to the posts, the clay completely shattered throughout.

Mr. Bethune—a brick house, severely cracked in several places.