112 Scientific Intelligence. [no. 1, new series, 



the shock. On the best consideration of all the facts as yet re- 

 ceived by me I am inclined to consider a west north-westerly di- 

 rection from Trevandrum as that of the origin of the shock and 

 perhaps towards the Laccadive islands. 



On the 22nd August about 4 hour 25 minutes p, m. while lying 

 on a cot reading in an upper room I felt the cot shaking rather vi- 

 olently, I immediately looked at the bed posts, these, and the tester 

 frame seemed to vibrate irregularly and sharply from east to west. 

 On going to the magnetic observatory I found the time of the shock 

 to have been almost exactly 4 hours 25 minutes, 10 seconds. I 

 observed the magnets dancing up and down in short jerks, and a 

 brass weight hanging in a closed box was observed by means of a 

 telescope, to dance perceptibly 15 minutes after the shock. 1 could 

 not observe any swag or side motion, but I concluded from the vi- 

 bration of a hanging cord, seen in a room bel ow me by another 

 person, from the motion of the bed posts, and from the wetted sides 

 of a glass vessel containing water, that the shock had been propa- 

 gated in the direction between W. N. W. and E. S. E. the shock 

 was accompanied by a low trembling sound. This second shock 

 was observed also at Quilon by Mr. B'Albedhyll and others about 

 4h. 16 minutes. If the clocks there can be trusted this, as in the 

 case of the first shock, is about 10 minutes before the time at 

 Trevandrum. 



General Cullen informs me that a shock was felt in Travancore 

 in February 1823, 19th September 1841 and 20th November 1845. 



I shall feel obliged, if any person has observed the time or di- 

 rection of either of the shocks of the present month, by the com- 

 munication of the facts to me. 



I have the honor to be, 

 Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 

 John Allan Brown. 



Trevandrum, 25th August, 1856. 



P. S. — The second shock is said to have been stronger than the 

 first. The first shock was observed at Quilon by few persons ; the 

 second was observed by many Europeans and Natives. No native 



