Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-08-05
Cosr or EARTHQUAKES


On the average. about $500. Tbs
number + fairly IN accordance wfta
the numbers lost durfng the past
twelve months. Or October :. 1851
japan lost $3.50 Or her people -
double the number lost IL her var
with China. The wounded uun1-
bered 1885, With Z single earth
quake il 1886 the loss Of life In 10
same country approached 5e.eee. +
We turn 10 the loss Of property after
the earthquake Of 1881. SO. Geo.
600 vas required for the restoration
or railways. roads. bridges and other
public works In addition to his
12S.750 houses. together wtsh FAC
tories. temples and other buildings
had 10 be restored
In 1897. after a disastrous earth-
quake IN assam. the chief cemn1ls-
sioner OF that country reported 20 ne
sccrefar, OF the government o4 Ia
Gia that their own resources had
been exhausted. and. with the err
iect OF restoring various puhse
works, q grant from the imperial
revenues would be required 70 as-
sfst his administration The toa<l
damage occasioned. much of whs
had 10 be met by shareholders IN
railways. tea factories and other IN
dustries. was roughly estiusted az
$50. 900 900 Speaking generally. 2
large earthquake IN populated
country often results IL damage to
the extent OF several millions
II II Is asked whether these OK
penditures can be reduced thc az
swer Is disflncfiyely In the af8rma-
tive. one Of the outeones 81 mot
ern seismology has been TO devise
Instruments which measure EARTH
quake motion. writes Prcfessar
Milne in the London Daily Hail
From A knowledge OF the actual na-
fure OF earthquake motion derived
from the use ~ these instruments
new rules and formula for the ase
OF engineers and builders have hren
established. In Japan and ether
countries these have been extensive
Isl applied in the construction -
bridges, tall chimneys. walls. 0rdt-
nary dwellings. erabznkmenta. rs~er-
yoirs. cts. Inasmueh as the uew
types of structures have Nifhsfood
violent earth shakInxs. whIle ora1-
nary types IN the neighborho0f have
failed II can be confidently stated
that much has already been aeon
pIlshed 10 minimize the l0as Of life
and property.
As a side issue 70 this work T. bay
be mentioned that the application ~
geiamomefry 10 the working o. rais-
ways. particularly fn Jaran. has led
10 Ire locaIlzafiou ~ faults on lines
and alterations IN the baEanrfrw -
locomotives. The result ~ she laa-
ter has been 70 decrease the eos-
sumption o. fuel. o. late gearx ~
strumenfs have been devised r. RE-
cord earthqnakes' motion whieh can
not b. felt, with the result thai q
person living in any one part 81 the
world can record and obtain ae9aife
Information about large earthquake
originating even a. FAR on - BIS
auffuodpa. These records 81 tha ms
feff movements Of eartaazaaes fnaI
cate The time, position. and. whaf Is
~ more importance, also the eaaSe
~ CERTAIN cable Interruptions. Tire
practical importance u this latter ~
formation, especially 10 communities
who may By cable failures be sud
denly Isolated from the rest Of the
world, f. evident.
On At least one occasion the fail
IRE of cables connecting the Ausfral-
ian colonies with Europe was regard
ID as an operation Of war. wifh the
result that military and naval ra-