The San Francisco call., 1909-01-02
LEAKAGE OF OCEAN
CAUSES EARTHQUAKE
Seismic Wave in Italy Shows
Much Lava Was Expelled
From Beneath Sea
BY Prof. Z. ]. See
by TUT 7. % OCt
Director of Naval Observatory, Mare
Island

NaNd4 ODSCEF1tOT.s M1Ee
Island
The great earthquake and sea wave
in the straits of Messina was one of
the most remarkable on record. but
thoroughly typical of the worst of
these disturbances, all OF which are
caused by the leakage of the oceans.
This gradually forms steam beneath
the earth's crust. where the molten
rock slowly swells till more space is
required. and yielding and readjust-
ment takes place. It is in this way
that mountains are formed, usually by
the expulsion of lava from beneath the
sea and the transference of it under
the land. This. is why the mountain
ranges are formed parallel to the sea
shores.
LAVA EXPELLED FROM SEA
The seismic sea wave in Italy shows
that so much lava was expelled from
beneath the sea that the bottom was
undermined and ceved down. during
the earthquake. Then the sea retired
TO I'LL up the depression in the level,
where the bottom subsidized, and this
left bare the shore. When the currents
met at the center of the depression
this latter was raised up into a ridge
above normal height, and wien the
swell or mound of water subsided it
sent great wave ashore to add TO the
horrors of the earthquake. The wave
was apparently caused by the sinking
of the sea bottom in the region east
of Sicily which is the deepest part of
the Mediterranean.
PROCESS BENEATH EARTH's CRUST
In memoirs recently published in the
proceedings of the American Philo-
sophical society at Philadelphia, l have
proved that this is the true process
going on beneath the earths crust in
the greatest earthquakes. This new
theory was the outcome of two years
of eXacting research following the
great local earthquake, and is gener-
ally accepted by the leading investi-
gators throughout the world.
1t is we'll known TO geologists that the
foundations of Mount Etna were laid
in the sea. Nearly all volcanoes begin
as submarine eruptions, but the sur
rounding crust is often upraised till
the region becomes land. Mount Etna,
Sicily and southern Italy areenow being
uplifted step by step. This work is all
due to the sea, which has also raised
up all the continents in the same way
in the course of immense ages.
Unfortunately for affected Italy.
there is no relief from these terrible
disturbances, except to build safely
against shocks and inundation by the
sea- In such localities cities ought TO
be protected by powerful walls, or
built above the reach of the sea wave
In my opinion. there is no danger OF
further disturbance at present The
country viii now be quite safe for a
considerable time
Minister in Zone of Disaster
PALO ALTO, JAM Rev. Sidney
Williams Of Saratoga. one of the Amer
ican sufferers Of the italian earth
quake zone, is well known here. where
he resided for a number of years. The
Rev Mr. Williams was married to Miss
Fallows ef New York, and sailed with
his. bride December for Sicily and
southern Italy. where the young people
proposed to spend their honeymoon.
BERKELEY, Jan. Fear is ex
pressed by Mrs. j. w Richards of 2431
Claiming way for the safety Of her
brother, James l5uddart, and sisters
Misses May and Clara, who are be-
lieved to be in southern Italy or Sicily
Mrs. Richards has not heard from her
brother and sisters since they left
Rome for a tour of the southern part
of italy and Sicily several months a 20.
and she believes that they. are in the
neighborhood of Messina, the center of
the destruction. -
Buddart and bis sisters have been