The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-07 00:00:00

EARTH

'ESTERDAY.

J. R. HIND,
Mr. Bishop's Observatory, Twickenham, Oct. 6,

STOKE NEWrNGTON.-I awoke this morning be-
fore it was light, and on getting out of bed looked
at my watch, which was hanging on a stand in my
bedroom, and found that it was a little over quarter
past, 3. I got into bed almost immediately after-
wards, and had scarcely laid down when I felt the
bedstead, a heavy four-post, violently shaken. The
vindows of my bedroom also rattled, but not very
-mud). The vibrations did not last for more than
two or three seconds, but the motion was altogether
so extraordinary that I could not account for it. I
lay awake for some time afterwards, but did not
experience any return of the vibration.
BLACKHEATIL—This morning at 20 minutes past
3 o'clock, my wife and myself, both having been
awake for some time, were startled by feeling our
bed move with an undulating motion, as if caused
-by an earthquake. We instantly roused the family,
fearing an explosion of gas had taken place, but
such was not the case. One of our domestics, being
two floors above, felt the same kind of motion.
Each bed is placed north and south. There were
four very distinct shocks in the space of two seconds.
The motion was from east to west, and felt as
if four waves had succeeded each other at equal
intervals under a boat. The house is situate
on the top of the Heath, facing the Surrey Hills on
one side to the south, and London on the west.
Perhaps some others of your readers may have
noticed the motion. The air was perfectly still,
with a slight frost, the moon shining brightly at the
time.

EDGBASTON, BIRMINGHAM.—At 3.23 this morn-
ing
two shocks of earthquake were distinctly felt in
this
neighbourhood. The first shock was very
slight and did not last more than five seconds ; the
second shock was much more violent and shook the
house from its foundation, so much so that a brother,
who slept in an adjoining room, knocked at my
door immediately afterwards, exclaiming, " What is
up, there is such a dreadful rattle?" and a rattle it
seemed, though there was little real noise, but
rather a sense of sound, caused by the sensation that
everything around was violently agitated. It will
be interesting to learn whether the shock was felt
in other localities.
WOLVERHAMPTON.—A shock of an earthquake,
cr rather two shocks, closely following each other,
was felt here at 25 minutes past 3 this morning,
each lasting several seconds. The vibration in-
creased until it rattled the windows somewhat
vigorously, and then gradually died away in pul-
satiops, a complete rest being alternately followed
by a. slight tremor until it altogether subsided.
`-‘IARKET HaßsonouGu.--Will you allow me to
avail myself of your columns to record an extraor-
dinary phenomenon which was experienced at
Itheket Harborough at 3.25 this morning, and'
which was undoubtedly the shock of an earthquake.
I was awoke from a sound sleep by an indescribable
movement of the bed upon which I was resting,
accompanied by a general creaking of the furniture
of the room, more especially the vibration of a pair
of doors of a hanging press mounted upon friction
rollers ; this last mentioned noise continued three or
four seconds, as I had obtained a light before it
ceased. On comparing notes with the other mem-
bers of my household, I find the sensations expe•
xienced by myself were common to all o;" us. I
presume the shock was not merely local, therefore I
expect this account will be confirmed by others,
-which you will receive from your scientific corres-
pondents.
BURTON ON-TRENT.—The town of Burton-on-
Trent and the surrounding villages were visited
this morning, at about 20 minutes past 3 o'clock, by
a rather severe earthquake. The shock was so
violent as to awaken many sound sleepers. Beds
were shaken, and windows rattled so as to produce
in many cases the notion that thieves were enter-
ing. The vibrations continued several seconds, and
they Were accompanied by a low, distant, rumbling
sound.

HEMEL HEMPSTEAD.—A slight shock of an
earthquake was experienced here this morning at
about 25 minutes to 4 o'clock. It lasted as near as
could be calculated some 15 seconds, and made itself
felt by a kind of swaying shiver. There was no
undulatory motion that I could detect.
U.PTON-PARK, SLOUGH, BUCKS.—It may be in-
teresting to some people to know that a severe
chock of an earthquake was felt here this morning
at 3.25 a.m., waking six people in this house, and
also felt by others adjoining, and by one person
-whom I have just seen, living about two miles from
this. It Shook wardrobes and wash-hand stands in
my roam, and lasted some seconds. The undulatory
motion was from east to west.
RECTORY, AVORD3LEY, NEAR STOURBRIDGE.—
Last night I was awakened at about 3.15 by the
shock of an earthquake, which was speedily fol-
lowed by another. My bed shook violently, the
windows rattled, the furniture shivered, and the
whole house, which is usually as firm as a rock,
quivered from the bottom to the top. My man,
who sleeps in a distant part of the house, tells me
that the silver Was rattling for some time. It ap-
pared as if a sound of a heavy explosion beneath
the cellars accompaniel the second shock, but that
may have been a delusion. Though we are near
the mining districts we are not undermined, and
thvrefore an earthquake can be the only solution.
GLOUCESTER.—About three o'clock this morning
the inhabitants of this city and the neighbourhood
round were startled by the shock of an earthquake,
which, from its violence, must have been felt over a
wide area. I was awakened from sleep by a strange
vibration of the bed under me, which shook to and
fro some half-dozen times, and the tremor was ac-
companied by a low roaring sound and a rattling of
doors and casements, which imported the cause of
to be mistaken for anything else, and
it too plainly n
least of all for that favourite simile for all loud
noises--
thunder. It is a little singular that while
many thousands of persons were aroused from slum-
bar both hero
and in the neighbouring towns,
the earthquake was not perceived by the sorting
clerks who
were
at work in the branch post-officeat
the Midland Railway ;1 a Station ; but it may be that
their familiarity
With the noise and shaking of the
trains in the vicinity rendered them less sensitive
to this most unusual
occurrence.
BRISTOL.—A shock of earthquake was felt yes-
terday, between 3 and 4 a.m.) at Bristol, Nailsea,
Portishead, and the
these districts.
neighbourhood. N. o
.material
damage has been reported from
SWANSEA.---At 3 a.m. the shock of an earthquake f
was felt slightly
at Swansea, Merthyr, Haverord-
west, and Llanelly.
Ferryside, and
and along the
zerabr k -dock,
It was more severe at Neath,
western extremity of Swansea°e The captain
Baya
of a vessel reports that 20 miles from Milford Haven
he felt a concussion like striking CHELTENHAM laraamAL n- it 320 this
morning this town was visited by
upon a rock.
quake, more distinct and alarming which have
obreetnhiarecorded, as far 38
inan racter than anyitseacrlitha:
I know, in the past history y
heacroduntry. A deep
rumbling noise was sudden'.
might be
supposed to proceed from an artillery as
ggon,
frequently described. The vibrations
a
Of tlis so
Col-
lege increased with the height of the boilainm, The
heaviest pieces of furniture were severely
and the fireirons violently agitated. I find that tin;
entire body of the students of this institution were
awakened, those occuping dormitories which lie
east to west being conscious at the commencement
of a lateral upheaving of their beds. The impres-
sion upon each one seems to have been that the rest
had conspired in a body to shake the whole build-

in; with their feet until the heavy stone walls on
every side were heard to strain and crack. zion-
sidering that this country lies upon what has been
called the great volcc,,nic belt, it i a matter of eur

Sir,—About 22 minutes after 3 o'clock this morn-
ing, Greenwich time, the tremor of an earthquake
-was very perceptible here. It appeared to toe that
the oscillatory motion was from E.N.E. to W.S.W.,
lasting three seconds, or rather less. I heard no
sound whatever after the shock, but cannot say
positively whether any preceded it. The sky was
partially clear at the time, and the air perfectly
still. The sensation produced by the tremor was
very -peculiar, and different from that of ordinary
vibration.—l am, Sir, your most obedient servant,