The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-07-18

phases OF motion are recorded. BY this
means the foci of submarine disturb
ances. such. for example. rs those
which from time to time have inter
fered with telegraph cables. may pos
Sibly be determined. and new light
thrown upon changes taking place in
ocean beds.
This committee aims. among other
things. to solve a question that - pug
zling geologists all over the world. and
that is: Do the vibrations produced
by earthquakes go around or through
the earth? Professor Mines theory -
that earthquakes originate under the
sea from great submarine landslides.
You know that IL has been clearly |
proven that the bottom OF the sea Is |
composed of mountain ranges. valleys |
and depressions OF more or less mag |
nitude Well. IL is hoped from the eN-
periments now being conducted in all
parts of the world to- find out the dan
gerous parts OF the ocean beds.
For what purpose. Professor was
asked.
For many" was the answer. But
principally to- avoid them in laying ca
bles. You are aware that the expense
OF repairing cables Is enormous. IL Is
hoped by locating the seat OF suOma-
rine disturbances To- be able to avoid
them in laying future cables. II seems
to be generally accepted that the
breaking of many of the cables already
laid Is due TO submarine earthquakes.
This is a matter that Is OF particular
interest to us. as IL affects the Pacific
cables yitally. II. by means OF these
experiments. for instance, II - asCer-
tanned that a certain portion of the
proposed Pacific cable route Is subject
to earthquakes IL can easily be avoid
ed and n different route chosen.
But to- return to- the seismcgraph.
, or seismometer. as IL Is sometimes
, called. This instrument - so delicate
that il records in one continent earth
uuakes happening in another. Let me
give you an instance. You remember
the great earthquakes and tidal waves
, in North Japan in June two years ago.
when nearly 10000 people lost their
lives BY means of this marvellous in
1 strument il was not only Indicated at
5 the station in the Isle OF Wight, Eng
, land how many maNima of motion had
, taken place. but IL showed further that
there had been an error in transmits
sion of two days. the catastrophe hav-
l ing taken place on the evening OF
June Is. so that all who were to- reach
. the stricken district after that date
were in safety. August 81 OF the same
year the Isle OF Wight instrument
: showed that a disturbance similar tn
a that which had occurred In Japan in
= June had taken place. On account OF
. this similarity il was at once stated
that news of a great earthquake having
taken place at or near that country on
d that date at 5:O7 y. m. would be
a received. This was verified when the
:. mail reached England four weeks la
ter One more instance to- show the
value of this instrument in detecting
: fraud. Some weeks afterwards, the
II English papers announced that great
:. earthquake had taken place in Kobe
u, and that several thousand lives had
- been lost. No doubt those who had
q friends and property in that city were
N filled with anxiety. on this occasion
> the Isle of Wight instruments were
=, still indicating that nothing of the
magnitude described could have oC
e Cured. and later IL was discovered
e that the telegram was void OF all foun
n dation.
a All this and much more Is set ou
in Professor Mines first report to- th'
y society, n copy OF which ! have here
d He concludes his report by sayins
e that the greatest result which IL /,
l. hOpeu may ne aCnleNCu from lnsSs eN
, periments Is to- accurately determine
the rate at which earthquake motion
is propagated over long distances. II
:, some instances the rates which hav,
.e already been determined are so high
-, reaching twelve or more Kilometres pc
second. that the supposition u tha
motion does not simply go around ou
]! earth, but that II goes through tn
III same; and IL this Is so. then n deter
NJ mination OF these rates OF transit vii
A., throw new light upon the effective RI
gidity OF our planet
i Where do YOU propose ter install tn
p instrument" was asked.
vi "On the grounds OF Oahu College. bJl
:, back from the buildings and street. -
THAT there will be no jar or tTemor q
ldisturb the delicate machinery. IL vii
N be set up on a pillar OF solid masonry
,n am waiting for the return OF PTofes
,sl sor Hitchcock. who is professor q
lgeology in Dartmouth College. an
- who is now on Hawaii. He IS familia
le with the instrument, and I hope {
L have his valuable assistance in settin
n it UP. 1t requires very little attention
after IL is once in operation. In fac'
=. IL is elocklike in that IL only require
winding up and regulating once day
s and besides II is self-TecoTding. Tn
j. daily records will. OF course. be sen
= to London by every mail"