( 107 ) 



Remarks on Earthquakes in British India, contained in a Letter 

 addressed to David Milne, Esq, by Lieutenant R. Baird 

 Smith, Bengal Engineers, Assistant Superintendent of the 

 Doab Canal, Saharunpore. 



MUSSOORIE, IX THE HIMALAYAS, 



9</t Seiihinbcr 1042. 



My attention was first specially attracted to the subject of 

 earthquake shocks, by the occurrence of that of the 19th of 

 February last, to which many circumstances combined to give 

 to the English in India a peculiar and exciting interest. Its 

 most destructive influence was experienced in the valley of Jel- 

 lalabad, the chief town of which, of the same name, was at the 

 moment occupied by the small but gallant brigade under Sir 

 Robert Sale, which alone of all the forces in northern AH'ghan- 

 istan, had sustained, without a spot, the honour of our arn:s 

 and name. They were beleagured by a force at least qua- 

 druple their own, which was flushed with recent success, and 

 commanded in person by the most active, energetic, and un- 

 scrupulous of the whole of the Aff^ghan chiefs, Akbar Khan ; and 

 it was only by labour almost incredible, continued by night and 

 by day, that the miserable defences of JellaUibad had been 

 made even moderately effective. In a moment, the exertions of 

 months were nullified; their bastions, parapets, &c., were thrown 

 open by large breaches ; and to the superstitious natives it mubt 

 have seemed as if their gods had combined with their foes to 

 insure their destruction. But the energies of the " Illustrious 

 Garrison," as Lord Ellenborough most justly styled it, were 

 more than equal to their difficulties ; and the final result of 

 their defence is one, which we all contemplate with the pride 

 of soldiers, and feel it to be the redeeming feature of the 

 wretched series of events in Affghanistan, with which you are 

 now familiar. 



The details of this earthquake, which was felt from Jellala- 

 bad, to Shalkur in Thibet on the north, and to Saharunpore 

 on the south, I collected as they became public, but they 

 proved of a most discrepant and unsatisfactory character. 

 Slill I was unwilling to lose so favourable an opportunity for 



