This informal account of the situation in the earthquake zone, two months after the disaster, cannot with justice be closed without a word of appreciation, of the extremely friendly and helpful attitude of the Italian authorities. They gave every possible facility to Captain Belknap and his assistants, and the engineer who represented the Federal Department of Public Works in Messina co-operated with the American builders constantly and cordially. The Italian Navy assigned one of its brilliant young officers, Commandante Brofferio, to constant duty at the American encampment. He lived on board the supply ship Celtic until it sailed away for America and then with Captain Belknap and the other Americans moved into a group of the new cottages in the American Village. Practical, obliging, tireless and of few words, Commandante Brofferio soon became indispensable and was respected by every one. The Italian Navy also placed at the command of the American officers a torpedo boat for the purpose of conveying Captain Belknap and others back and forth across the Straits of Messina as their duties required. In every way the representatives of America, engaged in the work of Italian relief, have reason to regard the Italian federal and municipal officers, the officers of the army and navy and the heads of the Italian Red Cross and the Central National Committee with feelings of the highest esteem. REPORT OF EARTHQUAKE IN PORTUGAL BY LOUIS H. AYMÉ, American Consul-General at Lisbon. I have the honor to furnish additional details of the earthquake shock experienced here April 23 and already briefly reported by me in my No. 75 of that date. [Illustration: KING OF PORTUGAL.] It is now learned that while some slight damage in the way of fallen chimneys, cracked walls and ceilings was caused in Lisbon, very serious damage was done on the other side of the Tagus to the northeast. Four villages were completely destroyed, 37 persons were killed, a very large number wounded and some thousands made homeless. The greatest damage occurred at Benavente, about 23 miles from Lisbon. Twenty persons lost their lives at Benavente and some idea of the severity of the earth movement there may be gathered from the fact that the great church, the walls of which were more than 13 feet thick, was entirely wrecked. At Samora de Correia there were seven killed. At St. Estevao three were killed and two deaths occurred at Salvaterra de Magos. Nine hundred buildings were destroyed in this last place and some 3,000 persons made homeless. The other three villages are also heaps of ruins.