D. S. Martin—Karthquake of December, 1874. 191 
ArT. XX VI.—WNotes upon the Earthquake of December, 1874; 
by Professor DANIEL 8. Martin 
Ow the night of press t the 10th of December, 1874, 
there occurred, in and around the city of New York, a slight, 
but very distinct, earthquake shock, which caused considerable 
excitement at the tim me, and furnished material for a brief sen- 
sation in the papers ‘of the metropolis. On the succeeding 
Monday, the New York Lyceum of Natural History appointed 
a committee to collect information from every attainable source 
in regard to the shock and all attendant circumstances. Of 
this committee the writer was chairman, and in that capacity 
was engaged for the next three months in collecting, arranging 
and pe ee the oo He ed. 
motion felt; 5, the direction of the motion felt; 6, any other 
facts observed. 
This circular was first published in the principal daily papers 
of the city, with an added request that it be copied by local 
journals throughout the region affected. One thousand copies 
were then printed, or these were sent wherever there was any 
prospect of advanta 
out a hundred respouses were received, varying of course 
greatly in their character: in the main, however, they furnished 
useful and excellent data, ‘hich were afterward carefully tab- 
ulated. ough almost all written by unscientific observers, 
with a care and clearness beyond what was anticipated, while 
many of the letters were exceedingly vivid and detailed. 
Of course the main objects aimed at were, the determination 
of the geographical extent of the disturbance, of the rate and 
the direction of its motion, and if possible, through these, of its 
approximate depth. 
he first end, as might have been expected, was prett 
readily attained. The geographical range was determined wit 
gor aate: accuracy, and found far (cree than at first supposed. 
econd inquiry, however, was soon seen to be almost 
hopeless: of result, from the andertainty in regard to accurate 
pieces and errors of observation, complicated also with a differ- 
