The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-04-11
An rarthounke Zone.

have occurred between latitude 81 degrees
and Al degrees. This is not a theory, put a
fact and il holds true in Europe, IN Nor''l
America. and in Asia. A comparison ~
data would justify the suppos,,'oh 'na'
,bore il n zone or belt cncircling the ear'h,
within whose limits I'VE speak now solely
of tho northern hemispherc) the pcnt-up
| dostruct;ye energies of the molten interior
hnrs, forth with the most frightiul violence.
We could narrow this belt still further,
and saw that some Of the most calamitous
earthquakes known in history have occur
red between SO degrees and 80 degrees
north latitude. The island of Mytilene
lin the Levant), which was the scene OF
one of these terrible and mysterious ViS'-
tations on the 9th March last, comes pc
tween these fatal degrees. The accounts
of this earthquake, by recent European
mails state that the island had not beeh
similarly visited during the present gene
ratio, II is volcanic, as is proved by the
existence of numerous hot springs. NO
hing remarkable was observed in the
weather previous to the earthquake, though
. singular haziness of the atmosphere ana
a great variableness of temperature nave
oflcn been remarked as among the pre-
liminary indications of these phen"uieha;;
The first shock came about /. NJ anu
lasted fifteen or twenty seconds. IL was
sharp, but did little mischief, as IS ih'a'i
ably the case with first shocks. "A secohu
and far more violent one followed, "h!ch
shook down whole blocks OF stouc pulid-
ings. rent the earth asunder IN enormous
gaps. and buried hundreds oi human ochSs
and acres of quays and busy streets III uh-
fashionable graves. The sea no" covers
what was once the most thrifty ana l,h-
portant part of Mytilene. One-haii oil tue
island has been laid waste, and the loss OF
human life is estimated at over 900.
This earthquake was but n small affair
compared with that long series OF similar
misfurtupes which visited Calabria IN the
same latitude, $3.50 degrees, in l'S5'4.
The number of shocks of the first degree
to which that unhappy country was SUP
iectcd in the former year was 50i, ana III
the latter year 9S. But few houses In the
cities, towns, and villages, from the west
ern TANKS of the ApennineS to MeSSina, IN
Sicily. were left standing, and upwards oil
40, 900 persons persisted. The CONFUSION
Of earth. sea. and air--for they were all
affected together-was felt over great
part of Sicily and as far north as Naples.
Previous to this, in 100, had occurred
the most destructive earthquake oi mo-
dcrn times at Lisbon, in latitude $3.50 de-
rrecs, a city which, until that time, had
never been seriously injured from TINS
cause. A sound of thunder, as II under
ground, was the first warning, and III INC
next six minutes the greater part OF the
city was in ruins and 10000 persons were
no more. With the first shock the sea re-
tired, leaving the bar dry, and then
rolled III with gigantic wave nifty
feet high, which swept over the lower
part of the city, drowning thousands
of the miserable inhabitants who had
fed to the streets and squares for safety.
4 great concourse Of people had collected
on a new marble quay, as spot where
they could stand beyond he reach of
fallen ruins; when it suddenly sank, with
all who were upon it, and 1t Is sad that
not one of the dead bodies ever Iioated 10
the surface. The water above the spot IS
now one hundred fathomS deep. Over
10000 persons were destroyed by this
earthquake. Its effects were felt on ali
sides to distance of many hundred miles;
the agitation reaching even TO Great Brl-
tain, where lakes, rivers, and springs were
affected in the most remarkable manner.
In Loeb Lomond, Scotland, the water sud
denly rose two feet and four inches, and
subsidized below its former level. 1t was
reported that similar phenomena were OBJ
served in Lake Champlain and in some
ponds in Massachusetts,. The vibration, or
wave, of the earthquake appeared to be
transmitted at the rate OF about twenty
miles minute. The Island of Sicily and
the western coast of Asia Minor, in the
same latitude, have been repeatedly DESC
lated by earthquakes, involving me &c
struction of towns and villages with inc
greater part of their populations.
Following this earthquake zone across
the ocean into the United States, we ma
that the only great terrestrial Commissions
to which this country las been suHJcc,eo
occurred upon it. The first at New Ma
drid. Mo-, latitude $3.50 degrees IN 1911.
The ground at New Madrid was IN a
onaking state for several months, though
the number of severe shocks were lew.
Among the remarkable changes that were
wrought in this region were the formation
of lakes twenty miles in extent III the
course of an hour, and the drainage OF
others equally large in the same space OF
time the sinking Of the site Of New Ma
drid. and the river bank for fifteen miles
above, eight feet below their former level !;
the bursting open of the soil, and the ejec-
ton Of vast volumes of water, sand, and
pit coal as high as the tops of the trees
the splitting Of the earth into chasmS In
a direction generally from northeast to
southwest. During these shocks the earth
rose in great undulations, and as the waves
advanced, the trees bent before them as
if to a hurricane. We believe that no
lives were lost in this earthquake. Still,
following this line across the continent, we
come to San Francisco and the surround
ing country on the Pacific lying III IS 80
degrees. Here occurred another memo
rable earthquake in 1865, which gave the
fast people of San Francisco new scnsa-
tion-one that they do not want repeated.
Nobody was killed, if we recolIcct rightly,
and but little damage was done to pro-
perry but the confidence OF the inhabi-
tantS in the stability of their real estate
once shaken can never be entirely re-
stored. This is a popularity OF earth
quakes-that they destroy our trust In
what is apparently the most solid and per
marent OF things, the very earth beneath
our feet. and introduce new and vague
source of apprehension into the troubles of
life. Crossing the Pacific Ocean, on the
same line of latitude, We find the coast of
Japan peculiarly subjebt to these disturb
ances. Several years ago submarine
earthquake occurred about fifty miles
from the coast and drove in huge, wave
which destroyed several villages with most