The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-14

corresponded with other stations. He
found that those in Baltimore, Toronto
and Victoria had recorded schock at
about the same time. By careful estimate
he finds that the first strong waves travel
ed from Victoria across the continent TO
Toronto in a fraction over eighteen min
utes, and from Toronto to Washington in
one and one-haIf minutes. The stronger
waves travelled at the rate of nearly two
miles per second.
To forecast earthquakes Is an ambition
not admitted by the Weather Bureau. Yet
there Is scientific foundation for the hope
that this may yet be accomplished The
Japanese observers believe that they have
had indications OF earthquakes on the rec
ords OF their magnetic instruments preced-
ing the effects shown on their seismo-
graphs. or earthquake recorders. They have
found what seem to them TO be magnetic
warnings of earthquakes. They therefore
hope to be able sometime to perfect sys-
tenn of earthquake prediction. If they do
our Weather Bureau will doubtless profit
by II, and we may then expect TO see earth
quake warnings hung from mastheads
above our public buildings. or TO read at the
top OF the morning paper that there will
probably be an earthquake at such and
such an hour during the day. Pastors may
then gather in their fiocks for public pray
er, and at the appointed moment the urban
population may have betaken themselves
to the open country. Then, if the earth
quake fails to appear, the photographers will
wax facetious at the expense of "Old
Probs.''
MAGNETIC INDICATIONS.
Earthquakes and magnetic storms are
found to be related. 1t is partly for this
reason that the governments new magnetic
observatories are being equipped with seis-
mographs like that installed at the Wealth
er Bureau. DR.. L. A. Bauer, at the head of
the government magnetic survey, observed
in the case OF the Martinique disaster that,
although there was no earthquake effect
perceptible at even the nearest station
where a seismograph was in place, mag
netic disturbance perceptible at stations al
most throughout the world was felt at
about the moment of the first eruption of
None Pelee Throughout the period of erup
lions there were magnetic perturbations,
and one conceded also with the second
eruption of Pelee. In the same month eff
fects referable to the Guatemala earth
quake were experienced. Just month be-
fore the Mont Pelee eruption there was a
perceptible magnetic storm, but whether
that could be interpreted natural warn
ing remains to be demonstrated.
Luminous appearances are reported to ac-
company earthquakes occurring at night.
and IL is thought by some that these are
due TO the friction of moving masses OF
rock. The theory of these observers is
that temporary electric currents by
such friction established in the line of the
earthquake. At or near the origin of great
earthquakes there is sometimes evidence of
bodily displacement of many cubic miles of
material. When this material is volcanic,
according to one authority, it is almost in
varisbly magnetic and it's readjustment
produces magnetic effects.
Practically the entire world will soon CO.
operate in a general earthquake survey
and our chain of stations will play an i'm
portant part in this great work. An or
ganization known as THE International
Seismological Association" under the lead
ership of Prof. Gerland, director of the
German chronological observatory at Stras-
burg, has been formed for that purpose.
The United States has been asked to choose
representatives. and the coast and geodetic
survey has already designated one of its
officers for that function. An international
bureau of earthquake investigation is to
be established, and this will be a clear
ing house for the work of hundreds of
stations throughout the world.
A CHAIN OF STATIONS.
Japan will fall in line with nearly 1000
stations. Italy with fifteen, England with
three. Scotland two. Russia three. Spain
two and South Africa, Egypt. Ceylon, Java,
Mauritius, New Zealand. Syria, Trinidad,
Mexico. Peru. Argentina and Germany each
one. Thus Mother Earth will have left
scarcely a single surface spot where she
can quake undetected. But inasmuch as
modern seismology has already established
that a large earthquake originating in any
one part of the world can be recorded
in almost any other we will practically
keep tab on every CULVER OF our planet.
The principal objects of this worldwide
survey will be to determine the velocity
with which motion is propagated over the
surface and through the interior of the
earth; to locate positions Of earthquake
origins under the oceans, and, generally,
10 increase knowledge of the physical ma
ture Of the earths crust and interior.
The average velocity of earthquakes, as
thus far estimated. is about one and one
quarter miles per second for the first ire
moFS ana ABOUT one mile per second for
the main shock. After few hundred miles
the velocity OF the first tremors increases.
and over long distances has been estimated
TO be greater than that of the waves of
compression through steel or glass. The
fact that the vibrations of the first ire
mors appear to travel faster than those
of the main shock indicated that the for
mer pass directly through the earth, while
those of the latter follow the longer courses
around its crust.
Surprising facts about the frequency of
earthquakes have been gathered as a re-
suit OF this sudden growth OF seismology.
Some part of the earth Is believed to- be
shaken on an average OF once every half
hour. In Japan more than 1000 earth
quakes a year are recorded. Great Britain
Is crossed about 100 times a year. We
have no figures for our own country as
yet. but soon will have. 1t is estimated
further that earthquakes are more fire.
quent I'm winter than in summer. in both
hemsspheres. This has been explained by
the greater weight OF snow and the greater
pressure OF The atmosphere upon the earth's
crust in the cold season.
JOHN ELFRETH WATKINS, JR
American Peer Feted i'm England.
New York Herald.