Notes on the Earthquake oj October, 1860. 363 



ARTICLE XLYL—JVotes on the Earthquake of October, 1860. 

 Read before the Natural History Society of Montreal, Oct. 

 29, 1860. 



On the l7th October, Canada and the Northern States of the 

 American Union, were visited by an earthquake vibration of a 

 more general and impressive character than any that has occurred 

 for many years, and we propose to present to our readers such 

 reports as have reached us with respect to its distribution, time, 

 and local intensity, and to add for comparison and future expe- 

 rience a summary of the earthquakes that have occurred in Canada 

 since its colonization, and some remarks on the laws of these 

 phenomena as far as they have been ascertained. 



In Canada the earthquake of the l7th. was experienced in its 

 greatest intensity in the lower part of the river, and with dimin- 

 ished force as far west as Hamilton. In the United States, in 

 like manner, it was most violent on the Atlantic coast and ex- 

 tended westward apparently with less intensity as far as Troy. 

 Between Hamilton and Father Point it was felt throughout the 

 whole of Canada. At River Ouelle and other places in the lower 

 St. Lawrence it was so violent as to throw down chimnies and 

 damage walls, and several severe shocks were felt. In Upper 

 Canada there appears to have been but one shock and this 

 comparatively feeble. We have at present no information as to 

 the extension of the vibrations to the north of Canada and to the 

 south of the Northern States.* 



The following list of places in which observations were made 

 of the time and intensity of the shocks has been compiled chiefly 

 from the newspapers, to which much credit is due for the careful 

 and intelligent manner in which they have collected and recorded 

 the facts. 



The places have been arranged in the order of their longitudes, 

 from east to west, and it will be observed that the time is earlier 

 in eastern localities, but on comparing Bic and Belleville near- 

 ly nine degrees of longitude apart, it will be seen that the differ- 

 ence of time is only a little less than that due to the difference of 

 lono-itude. The Hamilton observat'on would g-'ivQ an earlier time, 

 but as the shock was slight and the testimony of only one observer 

 was recorded, there may bean error. The shock thus appears to 

 have been nearly simultaneous throughout Canada. 



* It was felt in New Brunswick also. 



