150 EARTHaUAKES. ^ 
SO the shock produced by the discharge between th® ^ I 
and many miles in compass of solid earth, rnu®'' ,/ 
earthquake, and the snap from the contact tn® 
attending it. / 
- - 
ICIKllUg It. ^ . / 
The theory of M. de St. Lazare difters from tt' 
1 — ,i.« CO jt ascribes 
hypothesis, as to the electrical cause. 
duction of earthquakes to the interruption of 
brium between the electrical matter diffused in tn® ' 
UllUlU UClWCCU UiC CJCV-iliv,a* ••• w[.- 
sphere, hnd that which belongs to the mass 
its current, by the laws of motion peculiar to n 
carried towards tliose places where it is in a sim'l® 
and pervades its bowels. If the electrical fluid 
superabundant, as may happen from a variety 
tityj and thus it will sometimes pass from tlie ' 
parts of the globe into the atmosphere. This j 
if the equilibrium be re-established without diffku* . 
current merely produces the effect of what 
Lazare calls ascending thunder ; but if this 
^ if this re 
ment be opposed by considerable. and multiplied ~ iji' 
the consequence is then an earthquake, the 
extent of which are in exact proportion to the ° 
interruption of the equilibrium, the depth of , 
matter, and the obstacles which are to be surmout* 
the electric furnace be sufficiently large and 
rise to the formation of a conduit or issue, the 
of a volcano will follow, its successive erupdoj^^^iitj 
according to him, nothing more in reality tha” 
0' > 
repulsions of the substances contained in the bo''"'- 
earth. From this reasoning he endeavours to d® 
_ \r if 
practicability of forming a counter-earthquakei ^ 
counter-volcano, by means of certain electrical 
which he describes, so as to prevent these con' ^ 
the bowels of tlie earth. .i-ri { 
ni*‘ t^tr 
The opinion of Signior Beccaria is nearly 
„om his hypotlicsis and that of Dr. Stukeley, lb® , 
Priestley has endeavoured to form one still more g®^^ 
more feasible. He supposes the electric ^ 
some mode or other accumulated on one part ® ^ cl ■ 
face of the earth, and, on account of the dry>'®*|,sr 
season, not to diffuse it.self readily : it may 
caria conjectures, force its w'ay into the higii®''. 'j, (jit’ 
the air, forming clouds out of tire vapours "’b‘ 
