117 



that a fissure wHch had been closed was re -opened and carried to 

 the length of twenty-seven yards. One of the chimney-pots be- 

 longing to the matron's apartments was thrown down, with some 

 bricks, and the iron braces which tie the sides of the corridor 

 together were so moved, that it seems probable the whole corri- 

 dor would have fallen if it had not been recently repaired and 

 braced with iron. 



Few clocks appear to have been stopped by the shock : I 

 have only been able to satisfy myself respecting two pendulum 

 timepieces ; and it is curious that the pendulums of these clocks 

 swung in dififerent directions. 



The barometer was not, I believe, affected by the shoch, but 

 it was very unsteady immediately before and after the 6th of 

 October, as the following evening readings will show : — 



Sept. 29th— 29-85 Sept. 30th— 29-10 



Oct. 1st— 29-39 Oct. 2nd— 29-69 



„ 3rd— 29-66 „ 4th— 29-89 



„ 5th— 29-78 „ 6th— 29-71 



„ 7th— 29-55 „ 8th— 29-41 



„ 9th— 29-32 „ 10th— 29-45 



„ nth— 29-42 „ 12th— 2912 



The reading of the exposed minimum thermometer on the 

 night of the earthquake was (at Hereford) 34-75°. 



For some days before the 6th the wind had been "W. and 

 S. W. On the 6th it changed to E., and the weather became 

 exceedingly wet and unsettled. Early on the morning of the 8th 

 a heavy thunderstorm took place near Hereford ; the lightning 

 being very vivid and the rain heavy. 



This earthquake appears to have been felt chiefly in the 

 midland counties, and its greatest force was pi'obably experienced 

 in the Golden Valley and in this neighbourhood. The shock was 

 certainly a very severe one ; and the underground sound was 

 loud and appalling. Those who were awake at the time, and 

 especially those who were out of doors, were far more powerfully 

 affected by the sound and movement than those who were roused 



