1G2 J, HOPKINSON — 



connection with the unusual electric displays which it will have 

 been seen have accompanied so many earthquakes.* 



Whilst engaged in collecting old records which might tend to 

 show some relation between seismic disturbances and storms 

 such as that which preceded the earthquake at Bamet, 

 I received the issue of the ' Meteorological Magazine ' for the 

 17th of January, 1907. In it is a paper by Mr. William Gaw 

 of Santiago on " Atmospheric Phenomena during the Chile 

 Earthquake." The author states that the Meteorological 

 Section of the Direction of Marine Territory " prognosticated 

 some atmospheric or seismic disturbances for the day " on 

 which the earthquake commenced, the 16th of August, 1906, 

 stating that " the dangerous circle passes Valparaiso," and it 

 was here that the shocks were most violent. The prediction 

 was founded upon astronomical events, and might have been 

 made years beforehand. 



The shocks commenced at about 8 p.m and continued at 

 various intervals until 6 a.m. the following day, niimbering 

 twenty -three. Copious rain fell for some hours before the first 

 shock and continued until about 10 p.m. The severest and 

 most destructive shock was the second, at 8 h. 7 m. 30 s. p.m. on 

 the 16th. " At the moment of the catastrophe the heavens 

 presented a most Tinnatural hue. Electrical discharges were 

 numerous, and it seemed as if the sober laws of physics had 

 revolted." By the 20th, 106 shocks had been recorded by the 

 seismograph at Santiago. 



From the data brought forward by the author he deduced : 

 " (1) The third and second days previous to the great shocks 

 were characterized by a high barometer accompanied with rain — 

 abnormal conditions here. (2) The day preceding the first 

 seismic movement (15th) was marked by a sudden fall of about 

 half-an-inch of barometric pressure in a comparatively short 

 period of time." 



Upon these facts he made the following suggestive remarks : — 

 " The cause and import of such a fluctuation is perhaps 

 difl&cult to determine, but the writer is of opinion that there was 

 some relation between the earthquake of the 16th and the 

 atmospheric phenomena observed before and after it. He is 

 also convinced that there is interesting and instructive informa- 

 tion to be acquired by carefully observing all atmospheric 

 phenomena that precede seismic movements all over the globe. 

 That there is some relation between atmospheric perturbations 

 and seismic tremors few will deny ; and it may not be too much 

 to anticipate that in futiu'e observers in meteorology will play 



* That the magnetic needle is frequently disturbed during an eartliquake is 

 well known. On the 19th of January, 1845, during an earthquake in the 'West 

 Indies, the compasses on a Thames steamer revolved with great rapidity ; and on 

 the 29th of October, 1867, while one of the West India islands (St. Thomas) 

 was being shaken by an earthquake, and a hurricane was raging, the electrical 

 disturbance was so great as to render the compasses temporarily unavailable. 



