228 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



easily be made too hastily. There is much contention over the merits 

 of the different types of seismometrograph, which differ as widely as 

 possible. It is perhaps not strange, in view of the new vistas opened 

 for discovery, that the analysis of the records from some instruments 

 not provided with compensating devices has brought out waves sup- 

 posed to originate in the earth, which exist only in the vibration 

 periods of the instruments themselves. 



America's broad extent and her outlying territories and protec- 

 torates (Alaska, Cuba, Porto Rico, Panama, the Philippines, Hawaii, 

 Guam and Tutuila), offer her special advantages for a correlated 

 system of earthquake stations; but she will do well to wait until her 

 principal station has been well established, her type of seismograph 

 determined, and a corps of trained expert observers found. This will 

 require some time, and can be greatly hastened if pride be put aside 

 and some one of the thoroughly trained men available in Europe be 

 invited to superintend the erection of the first earthquake station. 



Some sacrifice the pioneer must always make, and so it happens 

 that the English stations are fitted out with a type of instruments 

 already obsolescent. On the point of establishing her outlying sta- 

 tions (German East Africa, Shan Tung, Samoa), Germany will be 

 more fortunate. The maker of scientific instruments for almost the 

 entire world, she has steadily perfected her types before launching 

 upon the larger undertaking. America will have at least the con- 

 solation of profiting by the experience of the other nations during the 

 past ten years, and there is need for much study of it. 



The recent investigation of earthquakes has thus developed along 

 two somewhat different lines : ( 1 ) the macroscopic study upon the 

 ground of felt quakes, undertaken by men trained as geologists; and 

 (2) the microscopic investigation of the distant, large, locally 'unfelt' 

 quakes, undertaken at special earthquake stations by men trained as 

 physicists. There is much need that these different lines of endeavor 

 should be brought into as close a union as possible, for only through 

 mutual support can the best results be achieved. As Dr. Sieberg, the 

 secretary of the Strasburg station, told the writer, the more difficult of 

 the seismograms afford equivocal data if not checked by the reports 

 ' from the field.' 



The American Association for the Advancement of Science brings 

 the geologist into association with his brother the physicist, as well as 

 with many other scientists who take an interest in investigations of 

 such general interest as those upon earthquakes. The writer takes this 

 opportunity to urge that the association follow the glorious example of 

 its British cousin and select from its membership a committee to watch 

 over the interests of seismological research in America and to direct 

 the course of legislation in accordance with its teachings. 



