162 Mr. Dickson on a Recent Earthquake in Crete, [Nov. 21, 



VIII. " Copy of a Despatch addressed to Her Majesty's Secretary of 

 State for Foreign Affairs by tlie British Consul at Canea, Crete, 

 giving an account of an Earthquake which took place in that 

 Island/'' Communicated by the Lord Stanley^ E.R.S. Received 



October 17, 1867. Canea, Crete, September 23, 1867. 



My Loed, — I have the honour to acquaint your Lordship that two 

 shocks of earthquake were felt here at 5 J on the afternoon of the 19th 

 instant, and again on the following morning, after an interval of twelve 

 hours. The latter shock was severe, and lasted about ten seconds. The 

 oscillations were horizontal, and appeared to proceed from east to west. 

 Several houses have been cracked and otherwise damaged, and one of the 

 old Venetian galley- arches fell sideways in a block, killing a Turkish sentry 

 and a hospital attendant. A remarkable phenomenon occurred that morn- 

 ing soon after the earthquake. The sea receded at the rate of about ten 

 inches per minute, until, attaining a maximum depression of some four feet, 

 it gradually rose again above its former level. The water in the wells was 

 affected in the same degree, and on rising it became much agitated. At 

 5| A.M. the sea-water was tepid, with a temperature of 87° (Fahr.), being 

 equal to that of the air. 



The morning was unusually still and sultry, and it was not until the 

 afternoon that the sea subsided into its normal condition, tempered by a 

 cool northerly breeze. A strong eddy had set in, causing much damage to 

 shipping, several of the smaller craft parting their cables and coming into 

 collision with each other. With reference to the state of the sea, it is 

 worthy of note that the copper-bottom of Her Majesty's Ship * Wizard,* 

 now in this port, became suddenly clean and bright. 



r^Iany of the town inhabitants have fled to the country, and the Gene- 

 ralissimo, with His Highness' s staff, has since removed to the camp out- 

 side the town. 



Mr. Hall, second master of Her Majesty's Gunboat 'Wizard,' has 

 kindly given me the following results of his observations : — 



Thursday, Sept. 19, 1867.— 5.40 p.m. Therm. 86° Fahr. Sea-water 

 85°. — Experienced the shock of an earthquake, four seconds' duration. 



Friday, Sept. 20.— 5.44 A.M. Meantime. Place Chr. Therm. 85° to 

 87° Fahr. Sea-water 87°. — Experienced a second shock of an earthquake, 

 five seconds' duration, followed by a series of violent effluxes and influxes 

 of the sea at intervals of ten minutes. 



6.0 A.M. Therm. 78°. Water 77°.— Rate of efflux and influx on per- 

 pendicular three feet in four minutes. 



6.45 A.M. — Duration of efflux and influx six minutes. Rate of do. six 

 minutes. Perpendicular two feet in four minutes. 



Noon. — Duration of efflux and influx four minutes. 



I have the honour to be, with the highest respect, my Lord, 

 Your Lordship's most obedient humble Servant, 



(Signed) C. H.Dickson. 



