Terrible Earthquake in the West Indies-10,000 Lives Lost

The Big Francis Jane, Thompson, arrived this morning from St. Johns, Porto [Puerto] Rico, brings to the Exchange Reading Room advices [advises] of the effects of a severe shock of an earthquake, on the 8th of February.

Extracts of a letter received by the owners of the Francis Jane, dated St. Johns February 14th and 15th, state:

'We have just received advices [advises] from the Windward. The effects of the earthquake on the 8 inst., have been awful, indeed. Point Petre, Gaudalope is totally destroyed, and t 5 [15] thousand persons supposed to have been killed.-The loss of property is immense. At Antiqua, also, there has been a great loss of property, but only five lives lost. All the mills and sugar works are more or less injured, and the greater part of the crop will be lost. Nevis, Montserrat, Barbadoes, &c., are said to have suffered much, but to what extent is not yet known.

Here, and at St. Thomas, the shock was also severe, and lasted at this place two minutes; but there was no material damage done at either place.'