F. A. Perret — Report on the Messina Earthquake. 325 



this is evidently due to the downslip of loose material into deep 

 water. The Messina embankment, built of lava blocks on 

 made ground, has collapsed under the influence of the earth 

 vibration and the sea wave, but the relative insignificance of 

 its fall is shown by the perfectly upright walls of houses not 

 twenty feet away. 



Unless subsequent soundings shall demonstrate the contrary, 

 it does not seem that any great physical changes have taken 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 4. Partial collapse of the embankment. 



place upon the earth's surface in consequence of the earth- 

 quake. That of 1783 resulted in considerable downfalls along 

 mountain ranges, the formation of lakes by the sinking of 

 plains and the production of crevasses. In the present case 

 these latter are limited to insignificant fissures. 



The earthquake was lightly felt at Naples and more strongly 

 on the island of Capri. 



