1 34 Supposed Connection of Meteoric Phenomena? 



the Isis and Dominica) is about fifty-eight geographical 

 miles ; consequently the distance between the Isis and Do- 

 minica was about 2520 miles ; the difference in time being 

 2 h. 53 m. Reduced, therefore, to one meridian, it was 

 about 4 h. 7 m. a.m., Dominica time, when the tornado fell 

 on the Isis. Reckoning, then, from the height of the tornado 

 to that of the hurricane, we have 20 h. 8 m., which gives 

 about 126 miles per hour for the velocity of the atmospherical 

 attraction. The direction of the winds during the tornado 

 (to say nothing of the agreement of character in the storms), 

 if resolved according to the laws of mechanics, will give, as 

 the resulting direction of the wind, the very line which con- 

 nects the two localities. We may certainly state, that the 

 extremities of this line of more than 3000 miles, as well as 

 the intermediate points, were consecutively affected between 

 Sept. 20. and 23. : and, assuming that the shock of earth- 

 quake at Chichester indicates a severer shock elsewhere, it is 

 not unreasonable to presume, after considering what has been 

 observed before (VIII. 26.), that the hurricane was accom- 

 panied by earthquake. The shock at Chichester occurred at 

 11 h. 20 m. A.M., English time, or 7h. 17 m. a.m., Dominica 

 time, on Sept. 21. ; the difference in longitude being 60° 42'. 

 Consequently it took place about seven hours after the height 

 of the hurricane in Dominica, while, indeed, it was in pro- 

 gress towards the spot where the Lee met it, and which seems 

 to have been the place of its greatest intensity. If it was the 

 result of a shock in Dominica at the time, the velocity of the 

 earth's vibration would be seven miles per minute. But it 

 was, probably, simultaneous with a shock in the hurricane's 

 course; nor does the distance between Dominica and Chichester 

 (about 2940 miles) preclude this supposition ; for, as already 

 stated by Mr. Bakewell (Geology, 3d edit. p. 336.), from docu- 

 ments in existence, the earthquake which destroyed Lisbon was 

 felt the same day in Europe, Africa, the United States, and the 

 West Indies. " Incredible as it may seem, one fourth of the 

 northern hemisphere was agitated by the same earthquake ; " 

 which, by the way, I have always considered the most satis- 

 factory example of the nature of an earthquake ; Hecla at 

 that time being in dreadful eruption ; Etna and Vesuvius 

 having erupted, the latter, in March, 1755; and the former, 

 in Dec. 1754, within twelve months. Mr. Lyell calculates 

 the rate of this earthquake at twenty miles per minute. 

 (Princip. Geol., i. 440.) It may be argued that the occur- 

 rence of the tornado and hurricane at the equinox proves their 

 connection with the sun. It may be so; but the earthquake 

 at Chichester was contemporaneous ; and there are those 



