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Dec. 2nd. — Edward Lewis Richards, Esq., of Rolls Chambers, 

 Chancery Lane ; Rev, Edward Thomas Daniel, of Park-street, Gros- 

 venor-square, and Balliol College, Oxford ; John Hare, Jun., Esq., 

 of Bristol; M. Vander Maelen, Proprietor of the Geographical So- 

 ciety of Brussels; and Henry Leach, Esq., of Milford Haven, Pem- 

 brokeshire ; were elected Fellows of this Society. 



A letter was first read from Capt. Belcher, R.N., F.G.S., addressed 

 to Woodbine Parish, Esq., Sec. G.S., dated 10th of March, 1835, 

 inclosing two others from Lieut. Bowers, R.N., and H. Cuming, 

 Esq. 



These letters referred to the effects produced at Valparaiso by the 

 earthquake of November 1822. 



Capt. Belcher says that he had carefully searched the Remark- 

 Books of His Majesty's vessels stationed on the Chilian coast, between 

 September 1822 and March 1823, but had not found a notice in any 

 way connected with the Port of Valparaiso. He therefore inters that 

 no British ship of war was present ; but he thinks that if the distur- 

 bance produced by the earthquake of November 1822 had been of a 

 nature to alter the soundings, or even induce the residents to attach 

 importance to any known changes, they would have formed a subject 

 of special communication by the commanders of ships of war. 



Lieut. Bower states in his letter, dated 7th of March 1835, that he 

 was not at Valparaiso at the time of the earthquake, but arrived from 

 England in February 1823, and found everything in the same situa- 

 tion as when he quitted it twelve months previously. He adds, that 

 since the earthquake, the water has gradually receded from the part 

 situated between the landing place and the market place, and that a 

 row of stores and substantial dwellings had been erected where the 

 sea formerly flowed. 



Mr. Cuming's letter is dated 5th of March 1835. 



The writer arrived at Valparaiso in January 1822, and resided there 

 constantly until 1827, and from the latter period, with occasional ab- 

 sences, till May 1831. At the time of the earthquake, he lived in the 

 Plaza Mayor, near the landing place at the Arsenal, and his house 

 was destroyed by the first shocks. He did not go to the beach during 

 the night, but was informed that the sea had retired a considerable 

 distance, and had returned with great force. On the morning of the 

 20th he noticed the effects, but found nothing more than a high tide. 

 He never heard of the rocks having been heaved up, or of the perma- 

 nent retirement of the sea, until the publication of Mrs. Graham's 

 work, to the statements contained in which neither he nor his friends 

 could subscribe. 



Mr. Cuming's pursuit of conchology and natural history generally, 

 caused him to visit frequently the rocks and inlets with which the 

 northern and southern parts of the Bay abound ; but though the rocks 

 were covered with Fuci, Patellae, Chitons, Balani, &c., yet he never 

 perceived the least difference in their appearance from the date of his 

 arrival to his finally quitting Valparaiso. He mentions particularly, 

 as points which he often examined, the Caleta, the Quebrada de Dios, 



