1869.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 103 



tinuous for half a mile in length, from five hundred to fifteen hundred 

 feet in width, and the depths of the depression varied from a few feet 

 to thirty feet. Very large quantities of sand and water were thrown 

 up ; hut he considered that in every case the forcing up of the semili- 

 quid matter was due to subsidence of the firm ground above. 

 . Mr. Leonard stated that the great majority of people said that the 

 water thrown up was cool, a few, however, stated that it was decidedly 

 warm, generally the evidence went to show that it was very little if 

 at all warmer than ordinary water. However as Dr. Oldham had 

 gone over the ground with the special object of studying the whole 

 question, there can be no doubt that we shall soon be in possession 

 of the best collection of facts, and the soundest deductions from them 

 which it is possible to supply. 



The President remarked upon the general interest attached to the 

 observations of earthquakes, and expressed the hope that we may get 

 more information on the subject. 



Dr. Stoliczka said that, if there were a distinct stratum of sand below 

 the layers of surface clay or soil, the throwing up of sand and water, 

 which during former earthquakes (as that of Lisbon) had attracted 

 so much attention, would be very easily explained. It is almost a 

 natural consequence that, as soon as the fissures in the surface were 

 formed, the slightest undulating motion (which it partially must 

 have been), would shift and throw up the loosened sand ; the force 

 with which it was brought up to the surface, would, however, depend 

 upon the local pressure under which the sand and the water stood. 



Mr. H. F. Blanford mentioned that he had also obtained in many 

 instances contradictory reports. Up to this time he was perfectly 

 unable to form a correct idea as to the velocity with which the wave 

 travelled. The increase of the temperature of the water appears to 

 be remarkable. In one case, he was informed that the water which 

 came up through one of the fissures had a temperature 9 degrees 

 higher than the annual mean temperature of the locality. This 

 increase was, however, more likely the result of chemical agents, 

 as for instance, decomposition of organic substances &c, than to the 

 great depth from which it had been supposed to have come up. 



Mr. Leonard remarked that local pressure upon the underlying 

 strata had also to be taken in account, in cases where an increase of 

 the temperature of the water had taken place. 



