The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-15
HISTORY OF EARTHQUAKES

The Regions They Traverse-The Cities They
Have LeveIIed and the Lives They Havs
Destroyed.
Although as a question OF necessity growing out
of experience, scientific minds are greed upon some
OF the phenomena Of earthquake hey do not con-
cur upon all OF them. While mfny maintain that
the tremblings or conclusions offhe earth, not I'M
frequently most disastrous to e and property on its
surface are attributable to expansion caused by in
tense sweeping and swellingand rolling IN great
and continuous fire waves within the heart OF the
globe sometimes causing c0Atractions ana then ex-
pansions OF most fearful character, raising TO the
exaltation OF mountains deeply depressed valleys and
bringing TO the level of tie lowest depths the aspr-
ing heads Of the Hottest pnges OF the higher lands
other nquirers In this gid OF knowledge advocate
the theory that the nrrior of the sphere is stored
with fixed or solid gass made so by great pressure,
and that when, as dt to gunpowder, intense heat
is evolved, explosives follow, and II there be not
safety valves throuh which the suddenly expanded
volume may escap, as steam escapes from the over
charged boiler inerna and external violence, often
eliminating in dsasters of the most Dreadful charac-
ter, follow.
Either of Ehese theories would be accept
able To the inorers were there not third which
utterly ignore the doctrines that the heart OF this
s.great rounj globe'' is laboratory OF gases,
a region O ever expanding and ever con-
tracing wives of flames which are persist
entity eatig into or retiring from the inner side
OF the eartfs shell. The opponents or this philoso-
pby attempt to explain the causes which find their
effects in he earthquake or the volcanic eruption by
ASSUMING that the gases and the substances thrown
ont OF tie craters Of the fire mountains second
ary in character, and have their origin within a
short ,stance from the immediate surface of the
globe.
Witput attempting to dispute with these theorists
or set up doctrine as plausible, subject to like
criticism, we may venture to say that while no part
OF III sphere has been unvisted, the most terrific ex
presions OF natures anger are invariably in lines
running, in general way, from pole to pole. The
ligter earthquakes are usually from the northwest
b the southwest. and the "tremblingsn are, as a
ole, found to run parallel to the equator.
Thus the dreadful earthquake, resulting in the
oss (estimated) Of upwards of thirty-two thousand
lives and $780, 900 worth OF property recently
perienced on the west coast OF South America, which
continued through seventy or eighty hours had its
lin es IOngitudinaly.
Another popularity OF the earthquake is that the
dreadful expressions OF its character to be
ound almost always in certain regions OF the
,arth-along the southern borders Of Europe paral-
ell to the Mediterranean and on the southwest coast
# South America, while, on the other hand 1t is be-
ieved that other places are never visited-thaJ is,
We have no historical knowledge Of the fact-by
earth spasms." Again, there are other regions
4 the globe where these are unceas-
ng. One OF these remarkable spots is
n the Atlantic ocean, near the equator ana about
midway between Guinea and Brazil. In passing
m Ia troc fbnoa md hinao eY-
erience tremor which is not noticed in other
arts OF the ocean. Frequent soundings show that
here must be vent or submerged volcano in the
pot referred to- for while at times ground is touched
It four hundred fathoms at others no lead line
% found long enough to measure the profoundness
Of the depth.
This much as to the phenomena OF the earthquake,
aside from the rapidity OF its course. This is Illus
rated by the fact that the tidal wave, at the time
the greatest violence Of the recent terrible vista
ions in Ecuador, Peru and Chile, rose on the coast
If California; distance OF four thousand miles
'ome forty feet, and that this rise and
space of a day It has been ascertained that the
shock consequent upon and following the line OF the
earthquake travels at the rate OF ten thousand feet
per second, even through the rocky crust OF the
earth. At this almost electric rapidy OF movement
It IS not TO be wondered IL thousands OF miles are
in exceedingly brief periods Of time by
LiOuary.
Observation has recorded up to the year 1858 some
six thousand distinct vsitations OF earthquake. or
course the number can only be an approximation to
those which have really happened.
Among the most noted Of these may be mentioned
that OF
ANTIOCH IN 500 A. II.
This ancient city OF Syria has been frequently
visited by terrific earthquakes In the year us A. d.
1t was almost destroyed from this cause The Empe-
rOr Trojan who was at the time within the city, was
seriously hurt while passing falling building.
Three hundred and forty-three years subsequently
most disastrous visitation on record occurred In its
vicinity. In his "Rise and FAN OF the Roman En-
pire' Gibbon refers at length to this earthquake.
and states that upward OF quarter OF
Q million of persons are said to have
persisted, con1ux OF strangers to the festival OF
the Ascension swelling the multitudes belonging to
the city. Commenting upon this dreadful event he
says:"IIistory will distinguish the periods I'm which
these caiamltous events nave neen rare OF
with uncommon violence during the reign OF Jus
tnlan. Each year is marked by the repetition OF
earthquakes OF such duration that Constantinople
has been shaken above forty days; OF such extent
that the shock has been communicated to the whole
surface OF the globe, or at least the Roman empire"
HERCULANEUM AND POMPEII.
In the year 70 A. ID. an earthquake OF familiar
character visited the northern shore Of the Mediter
ranean hut its most terrible manifestations were in
the immediate vicinity OF the volcano vesuvius.
The water while the earth trembled and moved to
and fro Ike the waves OF the ocean, belched forth
lava, huge stones and ashes. and sOon-in night
the cities OF Iiercuaneum and Pompeii were over
whemed, as was the surrounding country. with
scoria and ashes. Thousands of lives were lost aud
the cities themselves disappeared and for centuries
existed only IN tradition. sixteen years anterior
TO this dreadful event both places were visited 10y
earthquake without the volcano becoming particu-
larry excited and seriously injured; indeed the lie
stuct0n to the buildings was severe thai II was
many years before they presented perfect appear
and then only by another calamity TO pass away for.
ever a. inhabited towns.
MODERN vIsITATToS5.
Passing over the hundreds of yisatOns which
mark the history Of the earth previous TO the ogh
teenth century, OF which, however, none 10
calamitous a. those that all but destroyed Antioch
and the cities vt P0mpe and lIercuaneum and the
villages near them AZ the foot OF Nesuvius come
to the terrible disasters OF
LISBON.
This great earthquake commenced on November |.
1895. The inhabitants heard rumbling beneat n
them just like the roll over hard ground of heavy
artillery This was Immediately followed by a shock
which threw the greater part OF the town to the
earth In vast heaps OF debris, burying beneath the
ruins thousands of people. The shock, rather the
remnants, lasted about six minutes, and in this
brief period OF time II Is believed sixty thousand
persons persisted. The sea retired leaving the
harbor dry, and Immediately after q great wall