432 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [No. 5. 



From the Secretary of the Royal Institution, Albemarle Street, 

 acknowledging the receipt of the Journal, Nos. 218, 221 to 224. 



From Dr. Lamb, Senior Member of the Medical Board, enclosing 

 an abstract of Registers of Temperature and Fall of Rain kept by 

 medical officers in different parts of India. Ordered for publication 

 in the Journal. 



The following letter from Lieut. Burgess, dated Pillibheet, was com- 

 municated to the Society by Capt. Thuillier. 



" The following particulars of a severe shock of earthquake on the 

 evening of the 31st March last, may not be uninteresting to the Asiatic 

 Society. 



" It commenced about 8h. 28m. p. m. mean time, Longitude 79° 

 44' 91 7 ', the wave appearing to come from between the North and N. 

 "W., and in a few seconds the shocks became so violent and rapidly 

 repeated, as to render it difficult to stand. This was succeeded by a 

 gradually decreasing tremulous noise, which became imperceptible at 

 8h. 29m. 24s. It was accompanied or preceded by a heavy rumbling or 

 rushing sound as of an approaching storm. The day had been exces- 

 sively sultry, but a thunder-storm had cooled the air in the afternoon ; 

 the thermometer at the time stood at 69°. 



"The time is correct for the place, but it is possible the longitude 

 may be a little out : if it is desired, I will send the correction on that 

 account hereafter." 



Professor Oldham remarked, " that it would be very desirable if the 

 Society could take advantage of this opportunity to direct the attention 

 of observers, who might have an opportunity of noticing the phenomena 

 connected with earthquake shocks the great value of determining, if 

 possible, the exact time, relatively, at which the wave was felt at dis- 

 tant points. It was now almost an admitted fact in the science, so to 

 speak, of earthquakes, that the rate of transmission of the shock was 

 a function of the class or kind of rock or soil, through which it was 

 transmitted. It becomes therefore very interesting to determine this 

 rate of transmission for given localities. And as India presented so 

 remarkable a continuity in its Geological formation, the same rock 

 extending sometimes for hundreds of miles, there were peculiar opportu- 

 nities in this country for determining this question. With a view to 

 this point, it was not of so much importance to determine with great 



