192 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



Mr Meredith's report (which, from his long experience 

 as an engineer, and from the fact of his being fully awake 

 at the time, is worthy of especial attention) includes the 

 following details: — "My attention (being awake) was 

 drawn to a rattling and vibration of the whole house, too 

 strong to be entirely accounted for by the disturbance 

 due to a train which was passing near my house at the 

 time. Thinking that the train had left the rails I jumped 

 up in bed and noted the time, 5h. 33m. a.m. Instantly a 

 second shock occurred, which I at once recognised as an 

 earthquake, and noted all the subsequent incidents. 

 Including the first shock, observations of which were 

 rendered doubtful by the passing train, there were three 

 distinct series of vibrations, separated by intervals of 

 about one or two seconds. The second of these con- 

 sisted of five lateral oscillations, equal to at least one inch 

 horizontal movement, and lasted between two and three 

 seconds. The third shock consisted of seven distinct 

 vibrations, of which the first three were the most severe, 

 and about equal to those of the previous shock. It lasted 

 about four seconds, and all tremulous motion ceased 

 within about two seconds after the distinctly-counted 

 seven of the third shock." 



4 b.— THE DIRECTION OF THE OSCILLATIONS 



It seems to be the opinion of all the observers that the 

 vibratory movement of the earth was entirely horizontal, 

 and not vertical, and that it took place in a plane lying 

 approximately north and south. (Mr Meredith, however, 

 considers it to be N.N.E. and S.S.W.) The following 

 notes by Mr Madan may be quoted in confirmation of 

 this. He says — " I have a barograph (Richard Frere's 

 pattern) in which the changes in atmospheric pressure 

 are continuously recorded by an ink trace upon a band of 

 paper wrapped round a brass c^dinder which is rotated on 



