Evening star., 1896-12-17
SHOOK THE ISLAND
The Most Violent Earthquake Eng
land Has Ever Known.
MANY PERSONS PANIC STRICKEN
Houses Rocked and Furniture Was
Overturned.
PEOPLE WERE.TOSSED ABOUT

LONDON, December 17.-Great Britain is
in the throes of a genuine and unprecedent-
ed sensation An earthquake. the most
violent ever experienced in this country,
has shaken every shire from Durham to
Surrey. and from London to the Welsh
coast. The subterraneous disturbance was
first noticed at about $50 o'clock this MORN
ing, and lasted from four to thirty seconds
At many points two distinct shocks were
experienced.
The most severe shocks were felt at
Cheltenham, Ledbury and Dean Forest
The earth shaking was accompanied by a
loud, rushing sound. Buildings were vio-
lently shaken, furniture was shifted. doors
were thrown open. and pictures and other
ornaments were upset. The inhabitants
were panic stricken and fled from their
houses.
The earthquake also visited Birmingham
and various other points in Shropshire, and
was violent in Worcester and the county
surrounding that city. Houses rocked and
furniture was overturned
The shocks were followed by tremor of
the earth, and were accompanied by rum
bling sound. The greatest alarm prevailed
everywhere. Chimneys were overthrown
and windows, etc. were smashed.
Persons Thrown Down.
At some points persons on the country
roads were thrown down, and a number of
people were thrown out of their beds.
Herford Cathedral was injured. There
the dull rumbling beneath the earth's sur
face was followed by two loud crashes and
a terrible lifting and rocking. The panic at
Herford was so great that one woman died
of fright. People rushed wildly into the
streets Many chimneys fell crashing into
the thoroughfares, and all the pinnacles of
ST Nicholas Church toppled over. and part
OF the pinnacle of the cathedral fell to The
ground
At Liverpool the earthquake was pre-
ceded by heavy thunder and fearful hail
storm.
In London the earthquake was only
slightly felt.
\ singular phenomenon occurred at
Lrdsenorth, near Shrewsbury, previous to
tiie uiSturDance. Inc streets suddenly
seemed 10 be on fire, and there was a yio-
lent I~port accompanied by a shaking of
The earth People who We're going abroad
III thdt vicinity say that they were for A
uHe unable 10 walk. owing to the yibra-
tions. ~
There was very great excitement among
the rustcs about Poole. who thought thar
the end of the world had come
houSes shook for nearly a minute At Rris-
toi ana Chiffon. causing much alarm IN
those districts
a brilliant Light Followed.
The railroad employees at Crewe report
that they felt the rails osciIlate. AT Ever
sham the shock was followed by a brilliant
light in the sky
p 70 Tuesday the weather in England
was unusually mild, but Tuesday there was
a sudden change TO severe frost which was
followed by dense fogs and snow on Wed
nesday.
In the mining districts il was at first
thought that the shocks were the result of
coliiery explosions
The disturbance was experienced with
great violence AT Warwick Castle The
Earl of Warwick was awakened and feJt
his bed lifted though by some force be-
meath II, and the furniture in his room was
shifted.
The inhabitants of Slough were awakened
by shock SO severe that they thought the
MlddIesex powder factory had exploded
large area of ground sank near Stock
port, and at Melton-Mowbray the noise
which accompanied the earthquake shock
resembled a discharge of gun cotton under
water.
Many curious experiences are reported In
connection with the earthquake