15 
agitated, and the same was noticed at Worthing. On August 3rd, 
1835, two earthquakes were felt at Chichester, Emsworth, and the sur- 
rounding neighbourhood at 11.30 p.m., and on October 21st of the 
same year another slight shock was felt at Chichester and to the west- 
ward about 2 p.m. 
These repeated shocks at Chichester attracted a good deal of 
attention, and a Committee was appointed by the Chichester Philo- 
sophical and Literary Society to investigate the cause of the frequent 
shocks in that locality, but he (Mr. Sawyer) was unaware what 
conclusion they arrived at. A suggestion was made in the newspapers 
that the bed of the Lavant had been diverted at an early period in the 
history of the city, by an earthquake shock, as formerly that river over- 
flowed entirely round the city. 
The next shock was on April Ist, 1853, and was felt at Brighton, 
being the first shock recorded here. A letter to the Z7zmes states 
that some ladies sleeping in a house on the King’s-road, on the evening 
of that day, felt an earthquake shock, and a report of the Council of 
the British Meteorological Society in May, 1853, further states that— 
“The Earthquake of April 1st, 1853,so far as perceptible to the senses, 
appeared to have been confined to a portion of the English coasts, 
situated between Brighton and Weymouth, to a part of the French 
coast, between Coutances and Havre; and to that part of the English 
Channel comprehended between the coasts of England and France.” 
It was also calculated that the area over which the shock was felt was 
20,000 square miles. In the Isle of Wight it was also felt. 
August 13th, 1859, another shock was felt at Brighton at 10,15 a.m. 
Again, October 6th, 1863, at 3.15 a.m., another shock was felt at Brighton, 
and also at Hurstpierpoint. One of the most remarkable shocks was 
that of August 21st, 1864. This appeared to be local, and was felt at 
Lewes, Ringmer, Alfriston, Cuckfield, Glynde, Battle, Brighton,and other 
places. The time was 1.27 a.m., and it lasted from 10 to 12 secs. 
being longer than any previously recorded shocks. There was great 
meteorological disturbance that day. The last recorded earthquake 
was on Sept. 16th of the same year, at Rogate; so that, during 234 
years, 18 shocks (including two doubtful ones) had been felt in the 
County. Possibly more careful search might add to the number. 
It was difficult to trace any connection between the nature of the 
soil and the shocks, as in some cases the same shock was felt at places 
with entirely different geological features. There seemed, however, to 
be a slight tendency in the South Downs to restrict the shocks in 
