Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-01-02
IN SElSMOLOGY
John Milne, E. E. S., English Explorer,
on the Work of 80 Years in That
Science.

why on earth did YOU study EARTH
quakes" is a question which during the
last 50 years has been put to me more
than any other.
The simplest answer is that for % years
of MY life earthquakes We're forced upon
my attention. In 1915, together with
many others of various nattonalities,
was invited to assist Japan in her en-
deavor 70 learn something about the ma
terial side of Western civilization. / had
just come home after two years buck
ing about in a fore-and-aft schooner on
the coast of Newfoundland and ,.abra-
dor, but being young and vigorous l ac-
eepted the invitation. packed up and
started off Via Siberia. Central Asia, and
some 1900 miles of China to take up my
new appointment. The trip took II months
On one section of 81 days there were no
roads, no houses no bread, no vegeta-
hles, no washing, no undressing. plenty
of snow, and from 40 To 50 degrees of
frost The same journey is now per-
formed in morocco-b bound, gilt-edged
Grande Nitesse in II days
l met with my first earth-tremble III
1rkutsk. the capital of Eastern Siberia
Ii upset few bottles and provided a
subject for conversation, but it was
hardly hors d'oeuvre for the 20 years
feast before me in Japan When l ar
rived in that country l had glorious
shake-up the very first night The name
of the mansion the Japanese Government
had provided for my reception was
Cana Gouchi," or the Mouth of the
Mountain. Yama- Gouchi creaked and
groaned and rolled about, pictures sea-
sawed on the walls. while the rings at
taehed to a mosquito curtain iingled a
high treble. | held on tightly. wonder
ing what would happen next There is
nothing like an earthquake TO fill you
up with expectation. OF course, after
a few minutes it ended. The next morn
ing | wondered whether ! had really
ever lived or had only just risen from
the dead
Very quickly. like all the other profess
serial consignments imported by Jap
an. | learned that in Japan. partie-
ularly at certain seasons. earthquakes
came in groups. You could have them
at breakfast luncheon. tea. supper, or
in the middle of the night An idea
that earthquakes should be studied
fioated in the air. 1t was crystalized
at the end of February. 1880. On the
22d of that month an earthquake oc-
Cured which made people more
thoughtful than usual. Yokohama
practically lost all its ehimneys. many
houses had been unroofed, streets
were filled with debris. while slopes
from which trees and vegetation had
slidden downward looked as ii they
had been whitewashed. The interest
in earthquakes was at n white heat,
and felt the psychological moment to
establish an earthquake society had
come az last. A meeting was convened
and large hall was packed. The
American consul, General Van Buren,,
took the chair. In thirty minutes a
set of rules drafted to suit the occa-
sion was read and adopted, subscrip-
tionS We're collected at the door, and
the chronological Society of Japan
was established. 1t lived for fifteen
years, and in the twenty volumes
which it published you find the foun-
dations of almost everything that has
been done since.
The successor to this society is the
Earthquake Investigation Committee
of Toxic, which received from the
sidy of at least $4,000. Russia spends
a somewhat similar sum- while earth
quake investigation in Italy has for
years past received departmental con-
sideration. In fact, most tot the civil
lied states in the world, as will be tes-
titled by the arrival of foreign dele
gates to the meeting of the Interna-
tional chronological Association, to be
| held in Manchester, July Is to %, con-
slider the study of earthquakes of
great importance. Among the dele
gates 10 this gathering are such men
as Professor Reid, famous in connec-
ton with the San Francisco earth
quake; DR.. Omori from Japan, and
Prince Galitzin of Russia. Mr.. Napier
Dennison comes from Victoria. Il. c..
and Sir George Darwin is one of the
| English delegates.
The ordinary Englishman does moi
| think it necessary to study earth.
| quakes because they are of such rare
occurrence in his own country, entire.
I1y forgetting the fact that the whole
| of British capital is not invested In
| these islands, and every year, some.
| how or other, he has to pay for earth.
| quake effects. The shareholders In
/ British insurance companies Were re.
] Gently called upon to pay G12,000, 00t
for an earthquake which ruined Sar
| Francisco and G2000.000 more for de,
| struction in Jamaica. Although the
| British Government does not give any
/ direct assistance TO seismology in thi,
/ country. it contributes e160 per year
| to the International archaeological As
ISOLATION. notwithstanding this, Brit.
| ish workers have contributed very
much toward the extension of oul
| knowledge of the planet on which W.
live.
/ The British Association. which has
| issued forty-seyen annual reports
4 about earthquakes, at the present tims
| enjoys the cooperation of about sixty
! stations, fairly spaced over continents
and oceanic islands. Because subna-
rine earthquakes now and again in
terrupt cables, and the records of these
disturbances not only indicate the pc,