50 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



ish war, was for the express purpose of establishing a naval coal depot. 

 With completion of the Panama canal this will undoubtedly become 

 an important mercantile port of call. (See map, PL LXX.) 



EARTHQUAKES. Earthquakes are frequent, but not often violent. 

 Among the most severe were those of April 14, 1825, January 25, 

 1849, and September 22, 1902. Not long after that of 1849, which 

 destroyed the church and the government house of Umata, a number 

 of Caroline Islanders arrived at Guam in two canoes, stating that their 

 islands had been swept by enormous waves, and begging the governor 

 to allow them to take up their residence in the Marianne Islands. In 

 the letter book of Don Pablo Perez, in the archives at Agana, a detailed 

 account of this earthquake is given. The first shock was felt at 2:49 

 p. m. It was followed by repeated shocks and trembling accompanied 

 by a subterranean rumbling " which made the natives fear that a vol- 

 cano was about to burst forth and blow them all to atoms." The 

 earth was cracked open in many places, some houses were thrown down 

 and others were injured; but the only life lost was that of a woman 

 who happened to be in her rancho near the beach. She Avas carried 

 away by one of the great waves which swept in from the ocean. Great 

 masses of rocks fell from the cliffs. The shocks continued for several 

 days in succession, and it was many days before the damages could be 

 repaired. Sixteen whaling vessels lying at anchor in the harbor were 

 uninjured. The captain of a whaling frigate which arrived shortly 

 afterwards stated that he had felt the earthquake 1,000 miles to the 

 eastward of the Mariannes. Since the American occupation of the 

 island there have been a number of earthquakes, but the only one of 

 serious importance was that of September 22, 1902. Governor 

 Schroeder's account of this is almost a repetition of Don Pablo's 

 report to the captain-general of the Philippines. 



The earthquake which occurred at 11.24 a. m. [says Governor Schroeder] is the 

 severest of which there is any record. From the government house terrace, during 

 its continuance, there could be seen clouds of dust rising suddenly from the different 

 quarters of Agana as the masonry houses would fall. The earth opened here and 

 there in small places, from which water would spout and subside, leaving a few 

 round, apparently hollow pits, and innumerable fine cracks were observable every- 

 where. A dull grinding roar preceded and accompanied the shaking of the earth; 

 sure-footed bulls were tripped up and fell to their knees, while buildings rocked and 

 swayed, water tanks were tossed over, and bells rung by the vibration. In other 

 parts of the island fissures 1 to 2 feet wide were made, those of Piti emitting strong 

 sulphurous fumes. 



Masses were dislodged in the mountains and hills, plowing down 

 the slopes and completely blocking the road from Agana to Piti at 

 three points. In the harbor of San Luis de Apra the collier Justin, 

 anchored in 22 fathoms of water, was severely shaken. The disturb- 

 ance of the white coral -mud bottom of the harbor was so great as to 



Report of the Secretary of the Navy for the year 1902, pp. 361-362. 



