OS ANNUAL KECOllD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



numerous shocks, of which 149, which lie has classed as de- 

 structive, were tabulated as follows: 



1 in 5th century. 

 1 " 6th " 



7 " 7th 



7 " 8th 

 28 " 9th 



11 in lOtli century. 



10 " 11th 



1 " 12th 



7 " 13th " 



8 " 11th " 



15 in 15th century. 

 8 " IGth 

 15 " 17th " 

 13 " 18th " 

 1G " 19th 



Also, taking the 11th, 12th, and 1st months of the Japanese 

 old calendar as cold months, the 5th, Cth, and 7th as hot, and 

 all the others as mild, he finds during the fifteen centuries 28 

 great earthquakes in the cold months, 47 in the hot, and 72 

 in the mild; or 75 in the extreme seasons, and 72 in the mild 

 seasons, the difference being only three. He describes an an- 

 cient Chinese seismograph, invented by Choko in 132 A.D., 

 whose indications were recorded by an officer of the govern- 

 ment. 



The Observatory of the University at Tokio is now provided 

 with a Palmieri's instrument, with which the shocks now oc- 

 curring; are recorded. 



Considerable attention has been given this year to the 

 earthquakes and volcanoes of Japan. The memoir by Hat- 

 tori, just referred to, was read March 23, and is published 

 in full in the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, 

 vol, vi., p. 249. It was followed by interesting remarks by 

 Professors Veeder and Ayrton, Hon. Dr. Murray, etc. Profess- 

 or Ayrton stated that he found in Mr. Hattori's data evidence 

 of periodicity in the destructiveness of the earthquakes. This 

 paper was followed on May 11 by one by Mr. George Cawley 

 on Constructions in Wood and Stone and their Relative Suit- 

 ability for an Earthquake Country like Japan. His conclu- 

 sions are in favor of properly proportioned brick and stone 

 buildings, and against the customary wooden Japanese struct- 

 ures : however he would not <nve the building: a rigid foun- 

 dation. Professors Ayrton and Perry suggest a yielding, 

 elastic foundation, sueh as wooden beams or other buffers. 



On page 320 of the same volume of Transactions Pro- 

 fessor Ayrton gives an additional note on the periodicity of 

 earthquakes in Japan, as deduced by him by combining Hat- 

 tori's and Nauru an n's chronological lists into one. These lists 

 ngree very closely together. The latter gentleman has spent 

 ji vast amount of labor upon the subject for many years, 



