The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-12-26
Selected.
EARTHQUAKES IN ENGLAND.

hLIhOOGH LuSlduu Is OlI6u Cdileu
the tight little island" by Britishers
it has been subject to numerous
earthquakes from time to time.
These have varied in seriousness, but
none of them, it is believed, ever
caused loss of life, though historians
of the earliest time tell tales of "men
and cattle being swallowed up by the
EARTH" Every one of these stories
concludes, however, with the state
ment OF the fact that the land had
settled again as before.
Robert Mallet, in the famous cata-
logue of earthquakes which he COM
piled, gives more or less accurate
statistics on seismic disturbances in
the United Kingdom. The total
number of distinctly felt earthquakes
included in this catalogue is $50 and
of these 423 have taken place during
the last 500 years. In the last CEN
fury, counting until 1889, 235 oc-
CURED, against 1872 in the eighteenth
century and only thirty six in the
century previous. These records, of
course, are entirely subject to the ir-
Irregularities of the few observers of
the early years. From 1881 to 1888
there were thirty-four shocks and the
total computation for the period be-
tween 1900 and 1888, according to
the latest and most accurate observa-
tions of scientists, puts the number
at 233 disturbances, many of which
however, were not in any wise serious
or productive of any extensive dam
age to property.
The first English earthquake of
Importance written about by histor-
ians occurred in 1101, when buildings
high and low were lifted from their
foundations and there was ga horrid
spectacle" according to William of
Malmesburg. Twelve years after
ward shock was experienced at
Shrewsbury and Nottingham, which
affected the course of several streams.
Men passed over the Trent dry-footed,
the Thames was fordable at London
Bridge and all the larger rivers sunk
low. The chronicler records that hard
winter, with pestilence and famine,
followed this earthquake. In the
succeeding year another shock inter-
rupted building operations at Cray
land.
Just before Easter in 1855, accord
ing to Holinshed, there was a very
severe earthquake in England, houses
being overthrown and the church at
Lincoln being rent in two. St. Val
entine's day, 1247, was made memoir
able by an earthquake that did much
damage in London, and other nota-
BILE disturbances during that period
occurred in September, 1875, when
the town of Glastonbury was ruined,
and in 1861. Twenty-one years later
came the earthquake of 1882, which
happened May 81. The next shock
recorded was in 1871, near Kinaston,
Herefordshire. Elizabeth's reign was
as notable for its earthquakes as for
its great men. April 6, 1880, Lon
don was frightened by a severe
shock. Part of the Temple Church
was thrown down and stones, loos-
ened by the vibration, fell from St.
Paul's into the churchyard. Two
persons were killei by stones falling
from Christ Church. So great was the
CONSERVATION in the city that the
queen issued form of prayer and
enjoined the people to use it before
retiring at night. At Sand wich, Do
yer and Montpelier great damage
was done also.
1t is believed that Shakespeare
had the disturbance of 1880 ia mind
when he wrote: "'Tis since the earth
quake now eleven years" when max
ing Juliet's nurse fix the date of the
meaning of her charge.
More than century after this
England remained free from any
CONFUSION of the earth worth motto.
ing, but Sept. s, 1892, a shock was
felt in the lower counties, especially
at Sheerness, Sandwich, Dover and
Deal. The authorities made this the
occasion for enforcing more strictly
the laws against drunkenness, de-
bauchery and profanity. Feb, s, 1850
after several months of tropical heat,
which puzzled and alarmed London
ers, there was a severe shock which
made Westminster Ha II tremble to its
foundations.
DR. Sherlock made this the theme
for pastoral letter, 10000 copies Of