The Earthquake in Italy

The stupendous disaster which has befallen the Italian kingdom has few parallels in European history in its horror, and probably none in the amount of life and property destroyed. Two-thirds of Messina is in ruins; Reggio, its opposite neighbour, has almost ceased to exist; the Lipari Islands, which are certainly in the danger zone, are reported to have disappeared altogether, with their population of 21,000; the great international highway through the Straits to the Levant and the Far East is so altered as to be unsafe for shipping until it has been completely charted afresh; and the south-western extremity of the Calabrian Peninsula is covered with ruins for about 30 miles on each coast, and has suffered very greatly over a further area of some 70 miles in length. South of Messina, and westward on the Sicilian coast, the damage appears to have been due less to the earthquake than to its natural sequel, the great tidal waves, which have swept Riposto, done great damage at Catania, and wrecked smaller craft in the neighbourhood of Syracuse; but injury which would ordinarily rank as extremely serious has been inflicted as far south as Caltanisetta and as far north in Calabria as Catanzaro. The earthquake took place in the early morning, at a time likely to ensure the greatest possible loss of life; its horrors were aggravated, as usual, by an appalling thunderstorm with torrential rain, by gas explosions, and destruction of the water supply; it was so complete as to render effective rescue work almost impossible, and the subsequent suffering seems to have been greatly aggravated by lack of provisions and by frost. The estimates of loss of life are obviously only roughly calculated on the basis of the known population, but they have gradually reached 200,000. The district affected is in an earthquake region, on the line of a geological fracture, and on the shores, according to some authorities, of a basin-shaped marine depression, which is likely to sink further still; parts of it have been sorely tried by lesser disturbances in 1905 and 1907, and the whole of Southern Italy was already passing through an economic crisis, owing to the depression in the staple industry of wine growing and the great drought of last autumn. In any case, such a disaster would make an end of the modest Budget surpluses which Italy, unlike the other great Continental nations, has been able of late years to achieve, and the ruin of a flourishing port with considerable silk industries and of a large area of fertile country must alone cut off much of the revenue of the kingdom. The taxation of the ruined area will, of course, be remitted for some years to come. Additional taxation over the rest of Italy is contemplated, together with an increase of the State railway rates and a 2 per cent. patriotic loan, and the nation is ready to acquiesce in these new and heavy sacrifices. Some French and Austrian insurance companies are heavily concerned at Messina, but it is uncertain how far their risks cover earthquake. It may be noted that the large cash reserves of the two great banks at Messina are apparently safe. Relief is pouring in from all quarters, and excellent service is being rendered by British and foreign naval and merchant ships in sheltering the fugitives and bringing relief. The King, true to the traditions of his house, has been active in participating in the work of rescue. Subscription lists have been opened in the chief Italian cities, in Continental capitals, and in the United States. In London the Lord Mayor at once announced a Mansion House Fund, and his appeal has already received a liberal response. But no response can be adequate to the magnitude of the need. The English insurance companies are not much affected, except in the way of re-insurance; but we learn that at least one building in Messina was insured against earthquakes at Lloyd's for a fairly large sum.