208 SEISMOLOGICAL PHENOMENA. 



smaller and more isolated shocks were secondary earthquakes, 

 whose primary source was also situated there. 



The late Captain Shortt was good enouijh to place in the hands 

 of the Secretary of this Committee his full and interesting records 

 of Tasmanian earthquakes (18.^3-6); but to include all these — 

 there were 2,540 shocks — in the present report would extend it to 

 too great a length. The records have been collated and reduced 

 by the Secretary, and any one who wishes to consult them for the 

 purpose of scientific work may apply to him. 



The chief details of the most important shocks have been 

 already published in papers, read by the late Captain Shortt and 

 Mr. A. B. Biggs before the Royal Society of Tasmania. 



In New Zealand the earthquake of December 4th, 1891, alluded 

 to in our last report, was dealt with in a paper by Mr. George 

 Hogben, M.A. (see Transactions N.Z. Inst.. 1892, p. 362). During 

 the present year (February 1 2th, 1893) Nelson has been visited by 

 perhaps the most considerable earthquake since 185.5, which threw 

 down a large number of chimneys, but did not do much other 

 damage. The epicentrum was not far from the town of Nelson. 

 The velocity of propagation was much greater than is usual with 

 New Zealand earthquakes, forty-nine or fifty miles per minute 

 (paper read before the l^hilosophical Institute of Canterbury by G. 

 Hogben, July, 1893). 



The Committee has begun correspondence with observers in 

 various parts of the Pacific. It is, however, too early yet to expect 

 many definite results. The Rev. W. Gray, of Tanna, New 

 Hebrides, has kindly forwarded, through Mr. H. C. Russell, notes 

 of earthquakes since 1887, and now (since March, 1892) is making 

 regular observations in the manner recommended by this Com- 

 mittee. A table appended to the report contains the chief details 

 of Mr. Gray's observations. The following notes will perhaps 

 serve to make the table more useful : — There are three active 

 volcanoes in the New Hebrides — one on Tanna, another on Ambrim, 

 and a third on Lopevi; that on Tanna has the largest crater, is 

 600ft. high, and is distant five or six miles from VVeasisi, where 

 Mr. Gray lives. Volcanic action is almost exactly in the line of 

 the group of islands, and the volcanoes and volcanic springs of this 

 group and Banks' Islands (next to the north) are nearly in one 

 line. This line has the largest islands on either side, and extends 

 600 miles (Steel's " New Hebrides " and Markham's " Rosario," as 

 quoted therein). 



We find the following notices of previous earthquakes : — 



August, 1868. — Tidal wave from east (observed also in New 

 Zealand) at Port Resolution, Tanna (*•' New Hebrides," Inglis, p. 

 184). 



March 28th, 1875, 11*15 p.m. — Heavy earthquake and tidal 

 wave on Aneityum (south of Tanna), followed by three other 

 shocks. Intensity of greatest probably VIII. to IX. on the Rossi- 



