426 



REPOKT — 1888. 



slight shock was felfc ; while, to the west of the centre of this island, the 

 Tarumai volcano burst into eruption. These two earthquakes and the 

 volcanic eruption all took place within at most a few minutes of each other. 



On July 23, at 1 a.m., the provinces of Shinano and Echigo were 

 violently shaken by a disturbance extending over 2,990 square ri. This 

 is a district where in the previous year, although there are volcanoes in 

 the vicinity, there had not been any earthquakes. During the next five 

 hours this severe shock was followed by 23 minor disturbances. Here 

 and there cliffs fell down, roads and bridges were damaged, houses upset 

 or tilted, stone walls thrown over, and much damage done to roofs, 

 furniture, and especially to the contents of stores. At the same time a 

 small shock was felt more than 100 miles to the south-east in the province 

 of Mino. 



On August 10, at 9.30 p.m., a strong shock originated in the Bungo 

 Channel between the islands of Shikoka and Kiushiu, which extended a 

 considerable distance inland. It was succeeded by two or three other 

 disturbances. Shocks have often been noticed on the shores of the Bungo 

 Channel, but this one is remarkable as being the most severe which has 

 occurred in that locality for many years. 



Earthquakes recorded in Tokio. 



The systematic observations of earthquakes by the Meteorological 

 Department in Tokio commenced in 1875. From that time up to 1885 

 Palmieri's instruments were employed. From 1885 up to the present 

 time a Gray-Milne seismograph has been the standard instrument and 

 Palmieri's instruments are no longer employed. From 1876 to 1882 the 

 observations were made in a district known as Avicho ; since then, owing 

 to the removal of the Central Meteorological Station, the observations 

 have been made at Hon Marn, in the castle grounds in the centre of the city. 

 From 1876 to 1886 inclusive 658 earthquakes were recorded. The 

 following analyses of these disturbances are of interest, as they refer to n, 

 particular seismic area, the earthquakes felt in which, for the most part, 

 probably come from one or two particular origins, whereas the earth- 

 quakes referred to in previous tables originated from a large number of 

 different centres distributed throughout the empire. 



(a) Distribution according to Time. — The following table gives the 

 distribution of earthquakes according to months in different years: — 



