AFTKRSHOCKS XIV. 



XIV. 

 list of aftershocks felt outside the epicentral tracts from 12th 

 June iSgy to j/st May 1898. 



This list is intended to include only those earthquakes which were felt outside 

 the ep.central area of the great earthquake of 12th June. The records from the 

 epicentral area, owing to the number of shocks, would swell the list to an 

 inordinate bulk. Besides this, their frequency was so great for some months that 

 in view of unavoidably imperfect time-keeping, it is frequently impossible to decide 

 whether the records from two separate stations refer to a single shock, or to two 

 distinct shocks, each felt at only one of the two stations. 



The list is divided into three parts— (1) from 12th June to 15th July, for which 

 period it is very incomplete ; (2) from 15th July to 31st December 1897, when a 

 large number of observers having been interested, it is probably as complete as 

 possible, without the use of automatically recording instruments ; and (3) from 1st 

 January to 31st December 1898, when, owing to the decrease in the number of 

 shocks, interest was falling off and the record becomes less complete once more 

 though still much more so than in the first period. 



In the first period, besides the records from the epicentral tract, those from 

 Rangpur, Kuch Bihar, and Kaunia are omitted. At these three places it so hap-, 

 pened that regular records were being kept, two of which have been printed {supra 

 Nos. II, Hi), and their incorporation would give this small tract of country 

 a misleading prominence in the list, which would be far from representing a really 

 greater predominance of earthquakes. Moreover, as was shown in chapter X 

 this tract probably lies within or close to the epicentral area, and slight shocks 

 which did not extend far were probably common in it immediately after the great 

 earthquake. 



The fragmentary records from Dhubri during this period also have not been in- 

 cluded, but are given, like those from Kuch Bihar, etc., in a separate list (No. VI). 



From Gauhati a number of earthquakes have been reported that do not seem 

 to have been felt elsewhere. This place does not seem to have been within the 

 epicentre, though it possibly was, but owing to its proximity, a number of small 

 earthquakes appear to have originated near it, especially as time wore on after 

 the great earthquake. They have not been included in the list, except where there 

 is evidence that the earthquake was felt elsewhere too. 



This list has been prepared from various sources, comprising (1) returns from 

 all telegraph masters ; and (2) from all station masters, covering the few days 

 immediately succeeding the 12th June; (3) newspaper reports; (4) private corre- 

 spondence addressed to me in response to circulars asking for information regard- 

 ing the earthquake of 12th June ; and (5) postcards which have been sent by 

 numerous correspondents throughout Assam and Northern and Eastern Bengal. 



The list is necessarily incomplete, especially for the period between 20th June 



( 6 5 ) 



