10 PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



Wliatcombe there were heavy thunderstorms that night, which 

 lasted until 11.30 p.m. ; the rain was inconsiderable. Mr. G. T. 

 Symons, -F.R.S., the eminent meteorologist, regretted that the 

 contents of the waterspout had not been tested so as to ascertain 

 whether the water which supplied it was fresh or salt. Mr. Poole 

 states a lady of his acquaintance saw a large waterspout a few years 

 ago carried up from the sea with one of its spouts hanging over 

 Batcombe Hill, which ultimately became absorbed in the clouds. 



An earthquake, the centre of which was supposed to have been 

 near Cherbourg, was felt in Dorsetshire on the 13th May. The 

 vibration travelled onwards at the rate of about 90 miles a minute, 

 and reached our south coast at 8.21 p.m., and London 8.21 J. The 

 shock was felt at Blandford, which Mr. H. Groves states lasted 

 about ten seconds, and at about the same time, 8.15. The shock 

 was felt in the Wareham parish church during Divine service ; the 

 first was slight and only caused the roof to creak ; it was succeeded 

 by a severer one which set the chancel lamps swinging; those 

 whose seats were fixed to the piers or pillars experienced a distinct 

 trembling movement. The shock extended to Bournemouth and 

 Poole. An earthquake, accompanied by a heavy ground sea, was 

 felt at Lyme Regis, July 5th, between 11 and 11.15 p.m. 



Archeeologists are awaiting General Pitt Rivers' report upon his 

 excavations in Bockerly Dyke with much interest, there will 

 probably be a cause of modification of opinion as to its date and 

 origin. The Dyke traverses the remains of an extensive Roman 

 settlement, which may prove to be the long contested site of 

 Yindogladia. Among the various relics found in the entrenchments 

 is a series of coins ranging from Gallienus A.D. 260, to Honorius A.D. 

 395, a period embracing a most important portion of the Roman 

 occupation of Britain. General Pitt Rivers divides the history of 

 the Dyke into three periods, its south-eastern being the oldest, 

 and might possibly be earlier Roman or pre-Roman. He accounts 

 for the abrupt termination of both extremities by their being 

 flanked by a forest which would render any artificial means of 

 defence superfluous. The second period is marked by an extension 



