682 



REPORT — 1^02. 



The position of this ' Rock City ' forms a marked contrast to other ' strong 

 places ' of Moab, which were usually walled hilltops. It required no less military 

 genius to grasp the elements of its strength and use them as a defence. The 

 sturdy E.oman was probably the only invader who became its foreign master, and 

 he succeeded more by craft than by the force of arms. 



The strange juxtaposition of its temples and amphitheatre to the thousands of 

 tombs which surrounded them produces a curious impression upon the mind. It 

 seems odd to us that their games and joyous festivals should be celebrated in full 

 view of the solemn porticoes of the last resting-places of their ancestors. 



The splendid structures carved in the walls of rock which surrounded their 

 city have resisted the ' tooth of time ' very remarkably for 1,500 years, considering 

 the soft material in which they are found. The city proper, with the exception 

 of a single temple and part of an arch of triumph, have literally crumbled into 

 dust. 



Views of canyon entrance to the city, the chief Latin monuments, the still 

 older Moabite ' high places,' as well as some pictures taken from Aaron's tomb on 

 Mount Hor, were shown. 



SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13. 

 The Section did not meet. 



MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. 

 The following Papers were read : — 



1. World-shaking Earthquakes in relation to Volcanic Ertiptions 

 in the West Indies. By John Milne, F.R.S. 



Observation shows that every year about fifty earthquakes occur, each 



of 



which disturbs the world throughout its mass. Between" January 1, 1899, and 

 January 1, 1902, the number of world-shaking earthquakes which have been 

 recorded and the regions from which they originated were as follows : — 



A. West and South of Alaska 



B. West of Central America 



C. West of the Antilles . 



D. West of the Andes 



E. East of North Japan . 



F. South and East of Java 



G. North of Mauritius 

 H. East side of the North Atlantic . 

 I. West side of the North Atlantic . 

 J. North Atlantic .... 

 K. Balkan, Caucasian, Himalyan Kegions 



No. of 

 Earthquakes 



. 25 



. 14 



. 16 



. 12 



. 29 



. 41 



. 17 



. 22 



. 3 



. 3 



. 14 



196 



The disturbances originating from districts II, I, J, and the Balkan portion of 

 K, although they were recorded in the Isle of Wight, were comparatively small 

 and are therefore not considered in the above yearly average. All these origins 

 lie on the flanks or near the base of the steepest flexures on the earth's surface. 

 With the exception of K they are submarine, and their boundary ridges are, 

 for the most part, lined with volcanic peaks. 



For the greater number of these ridges there is geological and, not infrequently, 

 historical evidence to show that the most recent movements have been those of 



