152 Transactions. 
usual explanation of a central or linear earthquake, the focus of which 
would be situated in a N.E. direction from New Zealand, cannot be adopted, 
and that we have to seek for another explanation which will satisfy us more 
fully. 
But before entering into a consideration of this subject, I will first offer 
a short description of that phenomenon as observed in Christchurch and its 
neighbourhood. According to a communication of Mr. Bird, the Telegraph 
Inspector residing in this city, the shock was felt at the Christchurch Tele- 
graph Office as nearly as possible at 9.563 a.m. on 17th August. It lasted, 
according to the generally received reports, about four seconds, although it 
appeared to me that all was over in about two seconds. It consisted of two 
slight shocks, moving apparently from north to south, with an easterly 
tendency, but opinions about its direction are greatly divided. I myself 
stated that it had advanced from south to north, without doubt owing to the 
- fact that the movement of my house, in which I was sitting at a writing 
table, was in the direction opposite to the shock, as this is generally the 
case. Many observers state that the oscillations came from the east, and 
pointed to pendulums and other objects which were able to swing in the 
direction imparted to them by the shocks; but we ought to remember that 
the vibratory jars are very often turned locally from their main direction by 
a difference in the physical features of the country. 
No damage was done by these oscillations of the ground, although they 
were powerful enough to cause the ringing of bells and the cracking of the 
timbers in the houses, to such an extent that many of their inhabitants ran 
into the streets, expecting some still greater convulsions. 
It is a fortunate circumstance that the clocks in the telegraph offices 
throughout New Zealand keep Wellington time, because we have thus the 
ready means of knowing, with some degree of certainty, the exact moment 
when the shocks were felt in different parts of the colony. 
Thus, the Wellington shock is noted as having occurred at 9.56 a.m., 
whilst the observations of the Christchurch station fix it at 9.56} a.m., and 
consequently only thirty seconds elapsed between them. Mr. Bird made 
me a very interesting communication, which shows not only that the shock 
was first felt in Wellington, but also that the intervals as stated must: be 
correct, at least within a few seconds. 
The Wellington operator was at that time sending a telegram to Christ- 
church, when he suddenly stopped for a short time, which, as the Christchurch 
operator thinks, was about a quarter to half a minute. When beginning 
again after that interval, he asked, “Did you feel that?” after which the 
shock reached the Christchurch office. The transmission of the four words 
_ “Did you feel that” takes about eight seconds; if, consequently, we take 
