Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

TERRIBLE DISASTER.

We yesterday received Halifax papers, which relate the most severe and destructive storm, ever experienced in that place. It follows:

HALIFAX, SEPT. 26.

On Tuesday last, in the forenoon, the atmosphere appeared thick—the sky lowering—and every thing gave tokens of an approaching gale. The wind nearly south, about noon began to freshen into a heavy breeze, and backed towards the eastern board to about S. E. Between 4 and 5 o'clock, P. M. a smart shower of rain passed over, which seemed to have given additional force to the wind. The vessels in the harbour prepared to sustain it by striking their top-gallant-masts, yards, &c. letting go their best anchors, and exerting every means which might enable them to withstand its fury, which by this time produced a considerable swell in the road. The first ship which began to drift, notwithstanding all these necessary precautions, was the Penelope, an American vessel, acquitted but a few days before by the Admiralty—she fell athwart the bows of a Danish vessel—recently brought in for examination—the Dane's bowsprit carried away the Penelope's mizen-mast—the latter then got clear; and soon after was driven up towards the navy yard. The gale now increased to a most tremendous violence—veered from the eastward, and blew directly up the harbour—The moon which occasionally broke through the clouds, disclosed a prospect which baffles all description—ships driving before the hurricane nearly on their beam ends—others actually upset—many with their masts torn by the board—wharves and stores filled with valuable merchandize, dashed into atoms. and in short one continued scene of devastation and ruin, the whole length of the town, from the King's lumber wharf, to the navy-yard.

The brig Betsey, nearly ready to sail for London with a valuable cargo of sugars, &c. drove from the Long-Wharf, together with the ship Liberty, (a large re-taken American vessel that had just landed her cargo)—the head of the Liberty was towards the town—and in her passage up the harbour, she ran foul of and dragged many other vessels adrift, which might otherwise have sustained the tempest without much injury. The ship Matilda (belonging to Mr. J. Anderson,) and a coasting sloop were completely upset—a schooner belonging to Messrs. Pryors, drove from their wharf, and forced a passage through the next wharf, nearly 30 feet from its head: The stores occupied by Messrs. Lausons, on Austin and Kidston's wharves, were beaten down by a brig which drove from Tremain's wharf—and sugars, rice, &c. &c. to a considerable amount almost entirely destroyed:

To attempt a detail of the damage sustained would be almost impossible, at present, or even to conjecture its amount Many thousands will be expended, and much time elapse, before the front of the town, will regain its appearance anterior to this destructive tornado.

On the morning following, the harbour exhibited an appearance truly melancholy; scarcely a single vessel continued to ride, except the King's ships—the Packet and the Earl Moira. the Matilda lying nearly bottom upwards on the beach leading to the Navy Yard.—the sloop before mentioned a little distance from her—the ships Penelope, Liberty, a transport and a schooner commanded by Captain Elmslie, were driven quite up to the walls of the Dock Yard—above it, high on the beach near the Navy Hospital, lay two of the vessels lately sent in by the Prevoyante—on the Dartmouth side, at the entrance of the Narrows, a large ship laden with cocoa and tobacco, lately sent in by the Lynx, lay bilged a little further down the harbour, a Danish ship with a cargo of sugars, &c. the Ann Transport, and the brig Betsey, were stranded—The vessels are now unloading, and it is thought will be saved, as will probably nearly the whole of their respective cargoes—One brig, the William, laden with sugar and molasses, prize to the Prevoyante, went on shore near what is called the Black Rock—was entirely dashed in pieces, and the whole cargo lost—on board the latter, perished an unfortunate young gentleman, (Mr. Sutherland) belonging to the Prevoyante; but we are happy to learn, that amidst all this tumult and destruction, but few lives were lost.

By vessels arrived since the gale, from Shelburne, &c. we learn, its effects have been severely felt at that place, and in fact, quite along the coast.

His Majesty's ship Asia, which yesterday returned from a cruise, met the storm near George's-Banks—but fortunately weathered it without much damage—as did the Hind frigate and the Vixen brig, which were spoken with by Captain Murray the day following.