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XVII. — Notice of the British Earthquake of November 9, 1852. By Robert 



Mallet, C.^., J/. «./.^. 



Read February 13, 1854. 



Although earthquakes are recorded as occurring in very considerable 

 numbers in Great Britain, yet their effects have usually been so slight and 

 transient, that a new one is always an object of popular interest, though, fortu- 

 tunately, from these circumstances, of no more abiding importance generally. 

 For objects beyond merely learned curiosity, as aiding in the compilation of 

 that base of induction that is yet destined to make the earthquake part of exact 

 science, it seemed desirable to collect and arrange, in as authentic and clear a 

 form as the author found possible, the facts of the earthquake of 1852, — one 

 of the most widely diffused and simultaneously felt shocks of any recorded as 

 affecting our islands. 



For this purpose, shortly after the occurrence, the author published in several 

 newspapers an invitation to all observers of the earthquake to forward to our 

 fellow-labourer, Mr. Edward Clibborn, on his behalf, communications as to such 

 facts as they might be in possession of respecting the event, and accompanied 

 his invitation by the statement of the four most important points of fact to 

 which attention was principally desirable. 



He also applied ofBcially to the heads of the Dublin Metropolitan PoHce, 

 requesting a systematic examination of the men on duty on the night of No- 

 vember 9, 1852, and that their answers to certain questions given, should be 

 transmitted back to him. 



The author, with regret, deems it due to science to mention, that the leading 

 London journal to which he transmitted his request for English communica- 

 tions, with an apathy or ignorance scarcely credible, declined publishing it. 



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