lo-4 Mr. John Milne [March 20, 



which are necessarily imperfect, will pass beyond the borderland of 

 local interest. So far as I am aware, all foreign stations are snb- 

 sidised l)y their respective governments. Great Britain enjoys the 

 co-operation of 45 stations provided with similar instruments, which 

 are distributed fairly evenly over the four quarters of the world. 

 The names and positions of these stations are shown upon the accom- 

 panying map. The home stations are supported* by the British Associa- 

 tion, the Royal Society, the " Daily Mail," Mr. M. H. Gray and other 

 private individuals. So far as the recording of world-shaking earth- 

 quakes is concerned, I believe the British co-operation to be,- at the 

 present time, quite equal to a combination of the stations of all 

 other countries. The last outcome in connection with observational 

 seismology has been the establishment of an International Seismo- 

 logical Association. The central bureau is in Strassburg, its president 

 is Prof. A. Schuster, and its general meetings take place once every 

 four years. I am not aware that France has formally announced its 

 adherence. The British Government, by subscribing 160/. a year to 

 the central bureau has accepted a shelter from a Continental Aegis. For 

 nearly 50 years the British Association has encouraged seismological 

 research, but whatever prestige it may have gained, together with its 

 attendant commercial and other advantages, these are passing under 

 a new regime across the Channel. 



A government of a country does not wish to seek abroad for an 

 explanation why telegraphic messages have ceased to flow. To con- 

 firm, extend, or disprove a cablegram, a government, a business house, 

 or the public of a given country would like to obtain information 

 within its own boundaries. AYhen a country or a colony finds itself 

 cut off from the outside world in consequence of cable interruption, that 

 country or colony together with other countries would like to have a 

 ready means of saying whether the interruption had been due to 

 submarine disturbances or to some other operation, as for example, 

 war. Those who lay cables would prefer to have information as to 

 positions of sub-oceanic sites of seismic activity from records made in 

 their own country rather than those which had been made abroad. 

 When after great convulsions cities have to be rebuilt, and there are 

 many at the present moment, it is natural that information bearing 

 upon reconstruction to reduce earthquake effects would be sought for 

 at the world's central office, and those who supply information would 

 in all probability supply engineers and material. Insurance com- 

 panies who wish to apportion rates to risks when insuring against 

 earthquake effects, might also think it best to seek their information 

 at a central bureau. After an earthquake when such companies are 

 called upon to pay the insured, many difficult questions arise which 

 can only be answered by seismograms. Millions of pounds sterling 

 are dependent upon these records, and it is therefore important that 

 the same should be readily accessible. A seismogram which travels 

 quicker than a telegram may affect the stock exchange. We no more 



