294 The Earthquake of October, 1863. 



THE EAKTHQUAKE OF OCTOBER, 1863. 



Although earthquakes in Great Britain are by no means rare 

 occurrences, that which occurred on the 6th of October was 

 remarkable for an amount of violence seldom experienced in 

 these usually quiet isles, and those who did not themselves feel 

 the late concussion were scarcely less startled by the alarming" 

 accounts with which the newspapers were filled on the following 

 day. 



Our present purpose is to endeavour to place on record the 

 most important facts that were observed, and to supply a little 

 earthquake philosophy, by the light of which the incidents may 

 appear in a more interesting light. Thanks to telegrams, 

 newspaper correspondents, and the penny post, the materials 

 are not scanty, although few can be affirmed to be exact. In 

 its extent the shaking was reported from a point about twenty 

 miles off Pembroke, in the west, to some place of which the 

 name is not given, on the Yorkshire coast, to the east. If, 

 however, it was really felt at the latter place,* it must have been 

 very feeble, and we are not aware of any authentic record of 

 noticeable disturbance more east than Gad's Hill, near Roches- 

 ter, where it gave Mr. Charles Dickens the sensation of a great 

 beast uplifting itself under his bed. At Ashford, in Kent, we 

 are assured it was not felt, and thus its eastern range was pro- 

 bably very small. 



In the absence of accurate standards of measurement, we 

 are driven to secondary evidence in our attempt to say where 

 the greatest violence was exerted ; but no place appears to have 

 been more strongly affected than Hereford and its vicinity, 

 while the concussion may have been equally severe in the Black 

 Country of Staffordshire, and on Sedgely Beacon^ N.N.W. of 

 Dudley, in the same county. It was likewise severe at Lyerney, 

 in Gloucestershire, and was called violent at Taunton and Wel- 

 lington, in Somerset. 



The time at which the principal shock was felt can scarcely 

 have been the same in different localities, even making allow- 

 ance for the probable difference of clocks. Everton, near 

 Liverpool, claims to have felt premonitory rumblings at 11 P.M. 

 of the night of the 5th ; Clifford, in Herefordshire, was stated 

 to have been affected at 2 '30, and Taunton is stated to have re- 

 ceived a violent quaking at 2*40. 



Of these early times we may regard that of Everton as 

 doubtful, and that of Clifford, from whicl\ we have received more 

 accurate information, as a decided mistake. The latest shock 

 is stated to have beeD felt at Swansea and Nailsworth, which 



* We are informed it was not felt at Scarborough. 



