370 SEE— THE CAUSE OF EARTHQUAKES. [October 19, 



cember 8, the water withdrew from the shore at Santa Barbara, and 

 after a short interval returned as a great wave, which overflowed the 

 coast and did much damage to Hfe and property. All cities situated 

 on such coasts should be prepared for the emergency of a seismic sea 

 wave — that is, there should be a place of refuge for the people, and 

 houses thus exposed to the inundations of the sea should not contain 

 treasures and historical articles which cannot be replaced. A mu- 

 seum, for example, should never be built in such an exposed 

 situation. 



Perhaps a few words may be added in regard to the handling 

 of ships, so many of which have been lost in the past, owing to the 

 mystery surrounding these great waves. In South America the 

 people have learned by bitter experience that when an earthquake 

 occurs the first thing to do is to watch the sea. If it begins to 

 withdraw from the shore they at once flee to high ground, for they 

 know that the wave will follow. This same principle is eminently 

 applicable to commanders of ships in the harbor. On the first indi- 

 cation of the retreat of the water from the shore the ships should 

 be headed with all possible speed for the open sea. For if the ships 

 remain in the harbor they may soon be stranded and unable to move, 

 and sure to be carried inland when the wave returns ; whereas if an 

 effort is made to get out to sea, the ships may ride over the wave 

 without difficulty and suffer no damage whatever. This rule is 

 easily applied to all steam ships, whether belonging to the navy or 

 merchant marine. Sailing vessels, being less under control than 

 steamships, might be unable to escape in some cases ; yet, if the 

 state of the wind gave them the requisite motive power, even they 

 might make the open sea. A wave does not come immediately after 

 an earthquake, but something like half an hour or an hour after- 

 wards, and this usually gives time for escape. After the sea bottom 

 subsides, the water must flow from the shore into the depression, 

 and then when the water piles up, it must again flow back to land 

 to produce the wave ; and if the ships are properly handled in this 

 interval, most of them will escape undamaged. 



