Anniversary Address. 3 



As the papers just enumerated have not yet been collectively 

 published, they cannot be subjected to any general investigation 

 now ; but I think it right to make a remark in connection with 

 one of them, that on Earthquakes. (No. 5.) Objections were 

 raised by one or two writers in the public journals to the view 

 taken of the earthquake sea wave, as propagated by the shock 

 off the coast of South America to California, the Sandwich 

 Islands, New Zealand, Queensland, New South "Wales, Victoria, 

 South Australia, and as far as King George's Sound in Western 

 Australia. Ifc was objected, that the sea-wave was not so propa- 

 gated as to travel at the rate of 400 miles per hour ; and the 

 author of a pamphlet, published in Melbourne, considered the 

 view that such was the case to be a subject of ridicule. It may 

 be sufficient to remind such objectors, that the daily " tidal 

 wave " itself is known to travel at more than double the speed 

 assumed, rising to the eastward of us, and in succession visiting 

 the lands between us and the coasts of northern Europe ; and 

 that they have neglected to consider that the velocity of waves 

 of translation in deep waters, such as those of the Pacific, has 

 been already defined by accurate calculations, and may be used as 

 a means for ascertaining the depth of the ocean. The anonymous 

 writer of the pamphlet in question hopes never again, after his 

 attempt to refute it, to hear of such a proposition ; but if he 

 inquire, he will find it is one which has already the acknowledged 

 sanction of the most eminent physicists in Europe, as well as 

 that of the Astronomer of the colony in which his objection was 

 made. He may be referred also to the last Quarterly Review. 

 So far as the earthquake sea-wave was regarded by myself it 

 was in strict accordance with facts, as was demonstrated, when 

 after a considerable time, the conjecture that the impulse (as 

 stated at our last September meeting) probably came from South 

 America was confirmed. 



The learned mathematical treatise by the Chief Justice of 

 Queensland, although beyond the appreciation of many, does 

 honour to the pages of our new volume, emanating as it does 

 from the President of the Philosophical Society of Queensland 

 "We may infer that the highest powers of reason are likely to be 

 discharged in duties which affect the whole community, when 



