112 M. Moreau de Jonncs on Earthquakes in the Antilles. 



Art. XVIII. — Account of the Earthquakes in the Antilles dur- 

 ing the last six months of 1827. * By M. Moreau de 



JONNES. 



During the last six months of the year which has just expir- 

 ed, there was an extraordinary increase in the number of 

 earthquakes in the Antilles. Besides that on the 3d of June, 

 of which an account has been read to the academy, there has 

 been nine from the end of July to the middle of last Decem- 

 ber. 



As the precise date of these phenomena may help to throw 

 some light upon the direction of the subterraneous commotions, 

 and upon the rapidity of their propagation, it is necessary to 

 indicate the exact epochs. 



The first earthquake happened at Martinique in 1827, and 

 took place on the 3d June, at two o'clock in the morning ; the 

 second on the 24th of July at forty-five minutes past five 

 o'clock p. m. These two shocks were very violent. The third 

 took place on Sunday the 5th of August, at thirty minutes past 

 ten in the morning, when the greater part of the population were 

 assembled in the churches, which increased the terror and the 

 confusion. The disaster at the Caracas had happened in a si- 

 milar manner, and the recollection of it contributed to aug- 

 ment their terror. 



The fourth shock was felt on the 25th September, at thirty 

 minutes past five in the morning ; the sixth on the 2d of Oc- 

 tober, at four in the afternoon ; the seventh on the 30th No- 

 vember, at forty-five minutes past two in the morning; the 

 eighth on the 1st of December, at ten in the morning ; the 

 ninth on the same day, at fifteen minutes past five in the after- 

 noon ; and finally, the tenth on the 8th December, at twenty 

 minutes past five in the morning. 



The three last were formed of an undulatory motion from 

 the earth, very weak and slow ; but the earthquake on the 30th 

 of November, before day break, was remarkably violent and 

 prolonged. The lowest calculation of its duration was fifty 



* This notice was read to the Academy of Sciences on the 4th February 

 1828. 



