, 1868-11-20
Earthouaks. in History.

During the first half of this century 3y240
Of these visitations were noticed, or about
one every week. In Europe, during the last
ten years, there has been 320 earthquakes,
or one every nine days. At the commence
ment Of the fifteenth century only 76O of these
shocks had found place 10 history. Dur
ing the next 800 years, 1904 earthquakes
are recorded, or almost four times as many
as during all the preceding ages From these
facts it has been inferred that, whatever may
be the origin Of these upheavings of the
crust Of the earth, the pheomena are greatly
increasing in number, aud their causes in
violence. ."
Among the earliest earthquakes reported
is that by which the famous Herculaneum
and Pompeii we're destroyed 10 63. Fifty
two years after this Antioch, in Syria, was
almost entirely destroyed, the calamity oc>
curing just at the time the Emperor Trajan,
was on visit to the place In 45S it was
again visited by an earthquake, and then
again in 526, the number OF persons perish.
ing in the ruins on this latter occasion being
estimated at a quarter ora million.
In 1902, Port Royal, the capitol of Jnmai-
ca, was entirely submerged by the force of
an earthquake, which swallowed over a
thousand acres, and drove ships so far inland
that they'foated above the buried city.
In 1772, an entire volcano sunk into the
earth in the Island Of Java, carrying with it
forty villages, the mountain itself which was
fifteen miles long and six broad, accompany
ing the hamlets and their 1851 inhabitants
On the lst of November, HIS, occurred
the memorable earthquake at Lisbon by
which 10000 persons perished in the twink
ling of an eye. Here, also was the great
tidal wave seen at an altitude oil fifty feet
One Of the most awful incidents of this
earthquake was the sinking of the city
quay. This had just been constructed Of
marble at an immense expense, and to it, as
to the last refuge, fed thousands of the hap
less inhabitants Without moments warn
ing the earth suddenly opened to receive it,
and after sucking in the mass must have
closed oveI it, and not single body of all
the thousands that went down, nor the least
spar or ark from any of the ships near by
that were sucked into the chasm, ever came
to the top. The water is near six hundred
idbuOmS ut6pj duu az du uukHOW0 Instance
beneath the bottom repose the hapless Lis,
bonese. This Lisbon earthquake. Humboldt
estimates, affected a portion of the earth
four times as large as Europe, and was felt
in the Alps on the coast of Sweden, in the
West Indies, on Lake Ontario, and along the
coast of Massachusetts.
Iu 1911, the earthquakes on the Mississip-
pi, severest at New Medrid, Missouri, shook
the ground for many days, and alternately
raised and depressed it here and there, the
latter sections forming a section called the
sunken country to this day
On the Goth of March, 1912, a violent
thunder storm, with incessant flashes, was
observed by the people of New Madrid, aud
at the same time the city of Caracas, in
South America, was laid in ruins, 1900 of
its people perishing.
The great eruption of Vesuvius, in 1857,
with accompanying earthquake, will also be
remembered as leading to an immense de-
struction of human life. variously estimate d
at from $4,000 to 1000 lives.
In 1858, June 10Th, the valley of Mexico
was almost devastated by one Of these visi-
tatiOus, demoishing houses throughout its
length and destroying the costly acqueduct
supplying the city with water
March 22d, 1859, Quito, in Ecuador, was
nearly destroyed by an earthquake, and
thousands of lives we're lost.-N. Y. World