Wellington Philosophical Society. 561 



though that was pure conjecture. Another was a very considerable 

 earthquake that took place in the territory of Alaska. It was recorded 

 also at Victoria, British Columbia, and at Toronto, in Canada, by Milne 

 instruments, and at all the more important European stations. It lasted 

 for over three hours altogether. Trie Wellington record was consistent 

 with the idea that the vibrations travelled hither along great circles of 

 the earth's crust. The third earthquake was probably from a centre 

 nearer to New Zealand than to Strasburg. It also was probably a Pacifio 

 earthquake. There was no difficulty in identifying these by means of 

 the particulars as to time, &c, whioh he had received from Strasburg. 

 Mr. Hogben, who exhibited to the meeting originals and copies of seis- 

 mograms taken in Wellington, added that it was proposed to issue 

 monthly reports here. Permission had been given to have them printed. 

 They would be distributed to other stations. The weak point of the 

 British Association's system was that it did not print its records for two 

 years. If records were printed and distributed month by month they 

 could be worked out and compared with less labour. To go through 

 them at the end of two years was a very arduous and, in some respects, 

 almost hopeless task. It was hoped that there would be an opportunity 

 of publishing a synopsis of the Wellington records in the "Transactions 

 of the New Zealand Institute." Unfortunately, there was no station in 

 Australia as yet. A promise had been given that an instrument would 

 be set up in Melbourne when funds were available. One was promised 

 for Honolulu without the condition as to funds, and it would probably be 

 erected when the United States authorities had got their scientific affairs 

 in Hawaii into working-order. The nearest station to Wellington was 

 Batavia. It was desirable that there should be one nearer. Two or 

 three of the records which he exhibited agreed with records taken at 

 Batavia. It might be better if the British and International Associa- 

 tions co operated in regard to the class of instruments used, and in other 

 matters. Probably, however, good, and not barm, would result from 

 comparing observations made by means of two kinds of instruments. 



Sir James Hector thanked Mr. Hogben for giving so clear and early 

 an account of such important observations. A semi-annual movement of 

 the earth's crust recorded by the instrument in Wellington was, Sir 

 James thought, very easy of explanation. Mr. Hogben's house in Tina- 

 kori Road was situated right on a major geological fault that traversed 

 New Zealand. The movement referred to by Mr. Hogben had been 

 noticed in connection with transit observations in Wellington since 1867. 

 It was to be hoped that the other instrument, now lying in the Museum, 

 would be put in a place not so liable to be affected by geological faults. 

 In conclusion, Sir James said he was extiemely glad that a first effort 

 had been made in this matter, and that it was so well advanced under 

 Mr. Hogben's care as to promise that ia future they would get something 

 like accurate information about earthquakes occurring here and else- 

 where. 



Mr. R. C. Harding expressed the opinion that there should be no 

 difficulty in improving the method of duplicating records of earthquakes 

 by electricity. 



Mr. Coleman Phillips referred to the character of the numerous 

 earthquakes in the Pacific, and said they would have to be carefully 

 studied before any deductions could be drawn from their movements. 



Mr. Hogben, in reply, said that fortunately the position of these 

 instruments was not dependent upon such movements as fault move- 

 ments, as observers could, after a little time, distinguish one kind of 

 movement from another to a very considerable extent. The same 

 remark held true in regard to certain earthquakes in the Pacific. A 

 point which observers wished to settle was whether the first intimation 

 of an earthquake came along the arc or along the chord. In the case of 



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