258 HOVEY— EARTHQUAKES : [April 24, 



instrumental survey. It is stated positively that the ground sank 

 in several places in Messina, Reggio and elsewhere, particularly 

 along the harbor front in Messina and along the sea front and in 

 the center of Reggio ; but all the low-lying parts of the two cities 

 were bviilt upon unconsolidated alluvial and shore material, per- 

 mitting, as in the earthquakes of San Francisco and Kingston, 

 severe and destructive oscillations and displacements. 



As is usual with shocks occurring along or near the seacoast, 

 the earthcjuake was accompanied by a " tidal wave," the sea re- 

 treating for a considerable distance and then returning into the 

 strait with growing force. The wave was not at all violent in the 

 deep water of the strait and was of importance only as it came into 

 the shallower water near shore, where it was eight or ten feet 

 high. Its crest swept across the marina, or esplanade, bordering 

 the harbor at Messina two or three minutes after the great earth- 

 quake shock occurred, and some comparatively slight damage is 

 assigned to the water. The wave was somewhat higher at Reggio 

 than at Messina and attained its maximum on the coast south of 

 Taormina (Ferret). In Reggio the buildings on the low land 

 along the coast were flooded. The wave injured a few boats at 

 Syracuse near the southeastern corner of Sicily; but it was scarcely 

 perceptible at the Island of Malta, about 165 miles south by east 

 of Messina, where it arrived at 7:15 o'clock A. M. The sea gauge 

 at Ischia, about 190 miles north-northwest of Messina registered 

 maximum oscillations of 22 centimeters (8.6 inches) at 2:30 o'clock 

 F. M. and at 8 o'clock F. M. If the former was due to the quake 

 that destroyed Messina and Reggio at 5 :25 o'clock that morning 

 the rate of advance northward was much less than it was south- 

 ward. 



(A series of slides was shown illustrating the effects of the 

 earthquake in Messina, Reggio di Calabria and Scylla.) 



