The National tribune., 1902-08-21

the CamarlneS on the same day; many
buildings were destroyed, a mountain rent
asunder, and considerable territory
flooded by the sea.
An earthquake referred to by Padre
Nuremberg as occurring Jan. 4. 1641
in the 1gOrrote country east of 1locOs
was preceded by terrible hurricane
During the terremOto the earth opened
and swallowed up three mountains. on
one of which three villages were located
A lake formed in the sunken space where
the mountains had previously been. In
that same year three volcanoes are fe-
ported as having burst forth: one at
Aringay. west coast of Luzon; one in
JOlo; and another in Sanguir, one of the
North Celebes south of MindanaO.
DESTRUCTIVE EARTHQUAKES IN MANILA.
Another, st. Andrews earthquake, hav-
ing first occurred on that day, Nov. 80,
and at intervals of FIVE days for some
weeks afterward. depOpulated Manila in
1913, causing loss of over 600 lives.
This occurred, so far as known. without
any accompanying volcanic phenomena
whatever: and the same is true of earth
quakes affecting Manila in 1916. 1913,
1868, 1865, 1879, 1853 and 1876. In 1894
according to Sir John -Bowring, ''many
churches in Manila were destroyed, to-
gether with the principal bridge, the bar
racks, great numbers of private houses;
and Il chasm opened of nearly four miles
in length. The inhabitants ali fled into
the fiCldS. and the six vessels in the port
were wrecked" philippine Islands. p.
ST. During another earthquake in 1928
''the vibration of the lamps was found to
describe an arc of four and a half feet:
the huge cOrnerstones of the principal
gate of the city were displaced; the
hal Snf I tod
between two and three minutes. rent the
walls of several churches and other build
ings, but was not accompanied by subter-
ranean noises" Ud) No volcanic erup-
tiOns are reported as occurring cOntem-
pOraneously with either of these earth
quakes, and the same is true of the shocks
experienced at Manila in 1880, 1863 and
1880.
On the eve of Corpus Christi Day, June
3. 1868. at 81 minutes past seven. while
the city was engaged in preparing for
the festivities of the morrow. suddenly a
violent rocking Of the earth occurred.
Buildings reeled. walls crumbled and tim
bers snapped in twain. The palace. the
crartels. the cathedral, and. in fact, all
the public buildings were completely de-
strOyed. The shock lasted but half a
minute. but in that brief period 400 peo-
pie We're killed outright and 1000 injured;
with property loss estimated at SS.OOO,-
900. Several buildings were also destroy
ed at Cavite.
July ID, 1880, a series of violent earth
quake shocks began at Manila, which last
ed till July 25, doing enormous damage.
though few lives were lost: this was felt
in. the neighboring provinces. In 1863
and 1880 the disturbances seemed to orig
mate in the mountains to the northeast.
in which no volcanic manifestations had
occurred for centuries.
Severe earthquakes were experienced
in Nneva Eciji in September and OctO-
Der, 1881, supposed to have been influenc-
ed somewhat by the eruption of Mayor in
May previously. Northeast Luzon expert
enced a severe earthquake in February.
1887: and northwestern LuzOn shock of
great violence in April, 1890.
In March, 1892. an earthquake destroy
ed most of the churches and other solid.
edifices in the provinces of Pangasinan,
Union, and Benguet, which was attribut-
ed to seismic forces in the central Cordil-
leras of Nueva Viscaya.
Aug. ID, 1897, severe earthquake was
felt on the west coast of Luzon from vi
gan to Manila.
So many of these earthquakes have no
apparent connection with volcanic phe
that it is difficult to assert a di-
rect and positive relation between the
two. Yet, according to the "Estado Geo
gra6co," there is one date on which the
entire volcanic orchestra of the islands
was in full play with seismic accompani-
ment. "On Jan. 4, 1641-a memorable
day, for on that date all the known volca-
noes Of the archipelago began to erupt at
the same hour-a lofty hill in the Cana
rines, inhabited by heathens, fell in. and
a fine lake sprang into existence upon its
site. The then inhabitants of the village
of Buhi migrated to the shores of the
new lake. which, on this account. was
henceforward called the Lake Of Buhi''
In ZIG there was an earthquake at Ma
Mia at the same time with an eruption Of
Taal volcano, and similar correspond
ence was observed in 1749 when Taal ex-
ploded. In 1852 an earthquake which af-
fected Manila and surrounding provinces,
Batangas especially. where Taal is To-
Gated, did not arouse the monster to ac-
tivity, though it opened great crevices in
the earth and caused Mont Ubambo, on
Subig Bay, in Zambales, to sink into the
sea.
1t is true that in the Visayan Islands
the recorded shocks have been less num-
erous, and in recent years the actual num-
ber of earthquakes less, probably, than
in either the northern or southern zones.
In Panay but two extraordinarily severe
are recorded, and these 100
years apart: the earliest in July, 1887,
and the last Feb. 2. 1887. The former
was the more destructive, though many
churches and other edifces were injured
by the shocks of 1887. The latter was
felt in Negros, which has also been com
paratively free from such disturbances.
though severe ones were felt in 1895 and
1896. Violent earthquakes were expert
enced in Samar and Leyte in February,
1890. and in October 1897.
Mindanao is probably the banner ISL
and for earthquakes, though we find but
seven shocks recorded as occurring in
Zamboanga for the year 1897; six Of
these followed each other at intervals of
three or four days, and all happened in
the month of October. In the same year
there were - at Surigao. none severe:
two strong: six slight ones at Cotabato;
and one only at Misams. rated as strong.
1t is probably safe to conclude that the
increased pressure constituting the
force producing earth
quakes and volcanic eruptions may
come from any source, as the air,
the ocean, or increased weight Of
earth. Thus the hurricane referred to as
preceding the earthquake of 1641 may
have been the melting cause. A sharp
shock was experienced in Lu-
zon at IL p. M, April 2, 1886, which
was found to have been Immediately pre-
ceded by "an enormous flaming meteor
which traversed the sky from east to
west, and which when about the zenith
split in two with loud explosion, the
pieces diverging at an angle Of some As
degrees and producing violent concus-
cin Co t. LoL A.