326 F. A. Per ret — Report on the Messina Earthquake. 



Properly constructed houses in Calabria withstood the shock. 



Entering the Straits at daybreak of the 31st, I observed 

 that the famous rock of Scylla, which, together with the light- 

 house (Faro di Messina) on the opposite point and several of 

 the Lipari Islands, was reported as having disappeared, stood 

 in its accustomed place. The lighthouse also was standing, 

 but the lantern at the top had been slightly displaced toward 

 the east. The first view of Messina from the sea did not give 



Fig. 5. 





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Fig. 5. Free surface wave-forms retained by curb stones of the embankment. 



the impression of a complete disaster. A considerable portion 

 of the facades of the line of buildings along the quay — the 

 famous " Palazzata '' — remained standing as well as a num- 

 ber of one or two-storied houses, but a nearer view showed 

 that there was practically nothing back of the facades and that 

 these houses were damaged, although still standing (fig. 2). 



On going ashore it was easily seen that the embankment had 

 collapsed from the sliding down into the deep harbor of its 

 insecure foundations (tigs. 3, 4). All along the quay a critical 

 eye could detect signs of the free surface wave, and in one spot 

 the curb had become detached from the sidewalk and retained 

 admirably the full wave form into which it had been thrown. 

 (See fig. 5.) The average distance from crest to crest of these 

 waves was two meters and the height from trough to crest 



