Proceedings, &a, for 1868. xxix 



In reply to a question as to whether it had been one rolling wave 

 which had come from South America to this coast, Mr. Ellery said 

 that he thought such could not be the case. No wave could travel 

 so fast as this shock seemed to have done, and it was frequently 

 noticed that quite isolated pieces of water were disturbed just as 

 the sea had been in this case. It was possible that the shock might 

 have travelled a long distance without being noticed, and have 

 shown itself by perpendicular action at particular spots according to 

 the nature of the strata. 



Professor Halford suggested the possibility of the calamity in 

 South America having arisen from a submarine explosion, which 

 had communicated its force to the water. That this should shake 

 the neighbouring coast was only what might be supposed. 



A discussion ensued, in which Professor Wilson, Professor 

 Halford, Mr. Ulrich, and the President took part. The distance 

 from the seat of the earthquakes at which the shock could be felt, 

 the height of the tidal waves, and suppositions as to its origin, 

 forming the subject. 



(Signed) Robt. L. J. Ellery. 



October 29, 1868. 



Ordinary Meeting. 



Thursday, October 29, 1868. 

 The President, R. L. J. Ellery, Esq., in the Chair. 



The following contributions to the Library were acknowledged : 

 — "John Batman, the Founder of Victoria" — by Jas. Bonwick, 

 F.R.G.S.; " Monthly Notices of Papers and Proceedings of the 

 Royal Society of Tasmania," 1867; "Statistics of the Colony of 

 Victoria," 1867, parts 3 and 4 — presented by the Registrar- 

 General. 



The President then offered some observations in reference to the 

 supposed earthquake wave. (See Part 2, Transactions.) 



Professor Wilson considered the disturbances at South America 

 and the presence of the wave on this coast as the result of a sub- 

 marine explosion between the two places, and had drawn that 

 inference from Mr. Ellery 's time table just read. 



Professor Halford agreed with the idea of submarine explosion, 

 but wished information as to the origin of this eruption. Most 

 people believed in a molten mass below the bed of the sea, and 

 the surface of this mass, he had read, coming in contact with 

 water would on its cooling generate steam, and an explosion through 

 the change of temperature take place. Dr. Tyndall in his various 

 experiments had referred to this view of the question. 



Mr. Ellery said Mallet, who was an authority on such matters, 

 came to the conclusion that the greatest earthquake wave, rose 



