468 



Commander W. B. Pauli. 



[Feb. 17, 



impulse, or inclination, of the building, the other being the effect of 

 the velocity acquired in the first semi-oscillation. The object of 

 alluding to the double motion on either side of the centre of reference 

 was to give freedom to the opinion which some people held, that earth- 

 waves are similar to waves of sound in the air ; while others aver that 

 they are caused by the rising and sinking of the ground in localities 

 more or less distant from the post of observation. 



" Note 2nd. A great number of lines will be observed in the figures 

 which appear not to be connected with the rest ; we can only explain 

 the fact as being caused by frequent vertical shocks, jerking the 

 pendulum violently and causing it to leave one curve to follow another 

 commenced by the new impulse. 



" We can assure our readers that the curves as they are repre- 

 sented in the different figures were transferred from the lycopodium 

 to the paper with the greatest fidelity." 



This ends Father Faura's observations on the earthquakes, and in 

 forwarding these he informs me that he will later on publish a more 

 complete account. He is also engaged in establishing stations for 

 meteorological observation in various parts of Luzon — which will be in 

 telegraphic communication with Manila — and thence with Hong 

 Kong ; the chief object being to announce the advent of typhoons. 

 As these storms invariably travel from about east by south, or east- 

 south-east to west by north, or west-north-west, the Philippine 

 islands, especially Luzon, are well situated for the object of giving 

 storm warnings to the coast of China. 



No doubt these stations will also be supplied with instruments, and 

 receive instructions to observe the direction and force of earth-waves. 

 If such stations had existed in July, the accounts would have been 

 more complete and useful, and although reports from many places 

 are recorded, they are in most cases unreliable and contradictory, and 

 deal chiefly with the destruction caused to buildings, loss of life, and 

 injury to persons. 



The captain of the British steam-ship " Esmeralda," then at anchor 

 in the Bay, states that in the earthquake at 6 p.m., on the 20th July, 

 " the water bubbled and boiled up noisily all around the ship and the 

 vessel tossed as if in a heavy gale ; " that the wreck of a ship (which 

 had been sunk for some years) " was thrown right up out of the 

 water and one of her iron masts was seen to give way." He describes 

 the sensation on board ship as well as on shore as that " of being 

 suddenly connected with a galvanic battery strongly charged," and as 

 being a " tremendous strain on the nerves." 



Accounts are also given of fissures in the ground in various places, 

 from which sand and water were emitted, especially in the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Laguna de Bay, where hot sulphur springs have 

 always existed. 



